Local Government Tenders: What You Need to Know

Local councils advertise a range of procurement opportunities every year, as do their state and federal counterparts. Local government tenders provide an excellent opportunity for small and medium-sized businesses to explore the world of government tenders whilst supporting the needs of their communities.

When it comes to Australian local councils, tender rules and regulations tend to vary between states however all are held to the same basic principles; that the tender process must provide councils and communities with:

• Value for money
• Open competition
• Accountability
• Transparency.

How to find local government tenders

Whilst the federal and individual state governments advertise tender opportunities via a centralised system, there is no requirement for local councils to do the same. This means that finding local government tenders is not always a simple process.

However, there are a range of excellent resources available that can assist with this search, saving you time and energy along the way.

Certain local governments submit tender advertisements to their state government portals, so it is a good idea to monitor these websites alongside Bidsmith’s open tender search portal.

Other councils will advertise solely on their own websites, so consider making a list of all the regional areas that you are interested in and check back regularly to be updated on new opportunities.

The application process

The type of information that you need to include in your response to a local council tender opportunity is much the same as any other type of proposal. This includes:

• Your ABN
• Company profile and capability statement
• The price for the product or service you will be providing
• A proposed schedule
• GST and other taxes
• Applicable insurances
• Intellectual property rights (where relevant).

As always, ensure that your tender response is structured correctly. If the client has provided a template document, make use of this; otherwise, outline your response clearly making use of appropriate headings, fonts and colours. The appearance of your application is arguably as important as the content found within.

Beyond these details, local governments are often looking to partner with businesses who have a pre-existing relationship with the community, as tender projects provide an excellent opportunity to support local business. Ensure that you do your research before putting together your application so that you understand the needs and nuances of the local community.

Help is at hand

Tendering can be an expensive, competitive and time-consuming process, with no guarantee that you will get a return on your investment. Whether you are new to the world of tendering or an established business looking to increase your project portfolio through local government tenders, consider reaching out to a bid and tender management team, to give your next application an additional edge.

An expert team, such as Bidsmith, can assist you with all aspects of the tender process, from finding appropriate opportunities to the final edits and proofreading. Contact Bidsmith today to discuss how we can provide a customised service to suit your needs.