Bid/no-bid worksheet for government tenders

Use this in 15 minutes

1. Minutes 1-3: record the opportunity and check the hard gates against the current pack.
2. Minutes 4-8: score the six checks and write the evidence or gap for each.
3. Minutes 9-12: test delivery capacity, price and response effort with the owners.
4. Minutes 13-15: record Bid, No bid or Hold and assign actions. Complex or unclear opportunities need a fuller review before a decision.

This is an internal planning aid. It does not guarantee eligibility, compliance, an acceptable contract or a successful bid. The buyer's current documents, conditions and instructions take priority.

Write in the fields or print and complete on paper. This page has no submission or save function. Keep personal or confidential details in your approved record system.

1. Record the opportunity

Read the source pack, not just a summary. Record the time zone exactly as published and convert it for your team. Check new addenda again before committing and before submission.

2. Clear the hard gates first

Mark each gate Pass, Fail or Unknown and write the document/page reference. Fail means No bid if the issue cannot be resolved within the tender rules and required time. Unknown means Hold while the owner checks it. A high score below cannot override a failed gate.

3. Score commercial fit using evidence

For each row use 0 = not demonstrated or serious gap, 1 = partly demonstrated with a specific action, 2 = demonstrated with a source and owner. Use whole numbers only. If a gap concerns a mandatory condition, also update the hard gates.

Suggested internal guide, not a government scoring method: 10-12 means consider Bid if every hard gate passes; 7-9 means Hold and clarify the gaps; 0-6 means normally No bid. Any score of 0 needs resolution before Bid. Adapt the thresholds to your business and record why. These scores are neither a win probability nor an assessment of compliance.

4. Check capacity, price and response effort

Use a consistent basis for all price estimates, such as Australian dollars excluding GST. Include the costs of meeting the actual contract, not only the obvious job costs. Treat unknown scope or unconfirmed subcontractor availability as an action, not a favourable assumption.

Commercial headroom is a planning estimate, not a profit guarantee. Have the authorised commercial reviewer confirm scope, cost basis, margin requirements, cash flow and contract terms.

5. Assign the evidence and next actions

• Use only approved, current company evidence. Ask referees before naming them.
• Ask tender questions through the nominated channel before its deadline. Keep questions factual and follow confidentiality instructions.
• If using AI, use only a tool approved for the material. A person checks every extracted requirement, factual claim, price and attachment against the source.

6. Where a person must decide

An authorised bid lead makes the final investment decision. The delivery owner confirms capacity, the commercial reviewer approves price and contract risk, and the submission owner checks the final pack. No worksheet or AI system submits or signs on their behalf.

Illustrative worked example

Illustrative worked example, not a live tender

Illustrative only. This fictional example is a discussion aid, not a client result.

A fictional Brisbane maintenance business reviews a routine facilities-maintenance tender. It confirms every mandatory condition can be met at the required stage and records Pass on all four gates.

Its scores are Fit 2, Capability 2, Evidence 1, Capacity 1, Risk 2 and Price 2. The total is 2 + 2 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 = 10 out of 12. That suggests considering Bid, but the evidence and capacity actions still need owners.

The delivery manager confirms the roster and a subcontractor in writing. The bid lead obtains permission from a relevant referee. A fictional price of $50,000 less total estimated costs of $42,000 leaves $8,000 of estimated headroom, all excluding GST. Finance checks the cost assumptions, margin requirement and payment timing rather than treating the difference as assured profit.

Decision: Bid after those two actions are verified, within the approved response budget. The lead records the reason, names the final reviewer and schedules an addenda check. If the roster cannot be confirmed, the lead changes the decision to Hold or No bid despite the score.

Where a person must decide

• An authorised bid lead makes the final investment decision.
• The delivery owner confirms people and equipment. The commercial reviewer approves price, cash flow and contract risk.
• The submission owner checks the current pack, required evidence and signatures before lodgement. A worksheet or AI system does not approve or sign the response.

Sources and licence

Official guidance checked on 28 October 2026. Follow the current guidance and the requirements that apply to your work.

• AusTender: official Australian Government opportunitiesUse the original notice and current request pack. Department of Finance guidance below confirms AusTender as the usual open-tender lodgement channel.
• Department of Finance: Responding to an Approach to MarketGuidance on requirements, evidence, questions, pricing and response preparation. Each opportunity has its own instructions.
• Business Queensland: Planning a tender responseGuidance on examining the request and planning the people and work involved.
• buy NSW: Opportunities Hub supplier helpGuidance on finding, preparing and submitting responses, including checking amendments and reviewing completeness.

Free to use and adapt

Free to use and adapt. Please credit AI Tender by Flowtivity. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). You may share and adapt it, including commercially. Retain attribution, link to the licence and indicate changes.

Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).

The licence covers the original template text, not logos, third-party material or linked sources.

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