Winning DVA Tender | Fast Tender Response and Tender Writing Support by Bidsmith

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) released a panel tender closely aligned with the client’s core services and growth plans. The opportunity was ideal. The timing was not.

The client only became aware of the tender close to the deadline and already had pre-planned travel and day-to-day operational demands. They knew that not tendering was not an option, but they also knew they did not have the time to prepare a high quality, compliant submission on their own.

They called Bidsmith.

At a glance

• Sector
  Nursing and personal care
• Contract type
  Multi-year panel arrangement with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs
• Contract scale
  Worth millions of dollars over the life of the contract
• Term
  Around three years and the potential to underpin long term service growth
• Outcome
  The client won a place on the panel and used it to anchor service expansion across a wider area

The pressure of a late start

By the time the client contacted Bidsmith, the clock was already ticking.

They were concerned about

• lack of time to complete the tender response
• the risk of submitting something rushed or incomplete
• the impact on their growth plans if they missed the opportunity

The scope of work matched their existing strengths and strategic direction. This made the situation more urgent. They could not afford to sit this one out, but they also could not simply down tools and devote their internal team to the response.

This is where a tender consultant and experienced bid writer can change the picture completely.

How Bidsmith responded

Rapid mobilisation

On the same day the client reached out, Bidsmith mobilised a team to start work. There was no long lead-in period. We understood that this needed a fast tender response without any compromise on quality or compliance.

Making use of existing knowledge

Because this was an existing Bidsmith client in Victoria, we already understood their business, service model and goals. We also had access to a well organised data library from previous engagements.

This allowed us to

• build a response plan quickly
• draw on proven content that reflected the client’s real capability
• keep demands on the client’s time to a minimum

Building an almost complete first draft

Using that knowledge and information, Bidsmith prepared an almost complete first draft of the tender response for the client to review and approve. Our tender writing team developed clear, assessor focused responses that addressed the DVA requirements while presenting the client’s strengths in nursing and personal care.

Instead of starting from scratch under time pressure, the client received a coherent draft that they could refine and validate while continuing to run their business and manage travel commitments.

The result for the client

The outcome was exactly what the client needed.

• They secured a place on the DVA panel.
• The panel position allowed them to lock in more core business.
• It anchored service expansion across a wider geographic area.

The value of this success is measured not only in millions of dollars over the life of the contract, but also in the stability and growth path it provides. For a growing provider, that kind of platform is significant.

Why this approach worked

Several factors combined to make this a winning tender

• Immediate, structured response from an experienced tender consultant
• Intelligent reuse of existing, high quality material tailored to DVA needs
• Clear, concise drafting by professional bid writers who understand government tenders
• A process that protected the client’s time while still capturing accurate, up to date information

Instead of feeling overwhelmed by a late start, the client could rely on Bidsmith’s tender writing expertise and focus on reviewing and approving content rather than creating it under pressure.

What other providers can learn from this

This case shows that even when you discover a government tender late in the process, the opportunity is not necessarily lost. With the right tender support you can

• move quickly without sacrificing quality
• turn existing knowledge and documents into assessor friendly responses
• protect your team’s time while still submitting a strong, compliant proposal

The key is to act early once you become aware of the opportunity and bring the right people into your tender response process.

Need help with a fast tender response

If you have a tender with a tight deadline, especially in health, community or government funded services, Bidsmith can help.

Our tender writing, tender consultant and bid writer team can mobilise quickly, use proven methods and content, and guide you from planning through to a complete submission.

Call Bidsmith as soon as you need help with a tender response so we can give you the best chance of turning urgency into a win.