Tender Evaluation Committees across Australia (including federal, state and local government) are looking for the following attributes when reviewing tenders:
- Compliance with requirements
- Value for money
- Risk mitigation
- Social and local benefits
- Passion and positivity
With over 17 years writing bids and tenders here at The Tender Team, and having met with many tender evaluation committees, we have a solid understanding of what tender evaluation committees are looking for and what you need to write to win. In 2026, this has evolved with the increase importance on local sourcing and compliance. Government departments (federal, state and local government) for tender evaluation committees to evaluate and score tenders. In our experience they are looking for:
1. Compliance with the requirements – critical to winning a tender.
In order to even award you the tender, government procurement panels need to ensure you comply with the tender requirements. You need to review the mandatory criteria for the tender, insurances, safety documentation and other requirements and ensure you comply. For safety documentation, tender evaluation committee members are generally looking for supporting documents tailored to the opportunity and the work you do and not generic documentation.
Compliance is a dealbreaker and it’s important to ensure you comply with the requirements so your tender or bid is not disregarded at the start of the process. We have seen this happen to businesses in NSW and Wester Australia over the years as well as on Federal Government tenders.
2. Value for Money – you need to explain it to win.
Tender Evaluation Committee members and other members of the review panel are generally always looking for value for money. This doesn’t mean they are looking for the lowest price. It means they want to know they are getting a quality service at the right price.
Where you have a focus on whole of life cost (i.e. your tender price may be high but over the course of the contract will end up lower) and or some kind of innovation or value add services, it’s important that you explain these in your bid and quantify them.
3. Risk mitigation – you need to be a credible supplier to win
This is critical. Your bid or tender needs to show that you are a credible supplier and not a risk. You need to demonstrate professionalism and confidence in your bid. Demonstrate that you have the appropriate contract management processes in place to manage the contract over the long term.
Procurement personnel at local councils such as City of Perth and other government personnel don’t want to select a supplier that will be problematic for them or hard to manage. Present yourself as the least-risky option.
4. Social and local benefits – you need to deliver them to win
Evaluators and members of the evaluation committee always put a strong focus on social value and how your business will benefit the local community. They expect more than just some commitment you will support a local charity. They want to see local content initiatives that:
- List the local suppliers you will purchase equipment and materials / services from.
- Talk about the % of revenue you will spend locally.
- Detail any local hires and apprentices you may take on as part of the project.
- Explain your local presence and any plans to expand that local presence.
5. Passion and positivity about the opportunity and project
A bit of personality in your tender and personalising your response certainly helps you win. Evaluators spend their time reading through pages and pages of bids from lots of different businesses. Whether it’s an evaluation committee from the Department of Finance, or a local Council such as City of Sydney, they spend time reviewing bids for different tenders at once on occasion. It’s hard for them to remember business names and companies. You can improve your prospects of winning by:
- Including quotes from your staff throughout your bid.
- Naming your team and adding in profiles of your team members.
- Clearly outline where you existing team’s experience aligns with the requirements of the bid.
- Adopt a positive tone in your writing.
Call our team of expert tender and bid writers for help
Contact The Tender Team for help with your next bid or tender. We will leverage on our extensive knowledge and deep understanding of what tender evaluation committees are looking for to help you write a winning tender in all industries such as construction, medical and education. Jason Cooney, our Director, brings in-house evaluation committee experience to all our clients and valuable insights into what you need to do to win.
