Asking Questions in a Tender Process

After poring over every page of the tender conditions and proposed scope, you’ll no doubt be seeking clarification on a number of points in order to improve your response.

The good news is, you’re not alone. Tenders aren’t always straightforward, and depending on the industry, tender documents often leave out a lot of essential information. Businesses are often left with several questions they need answered to determine if the opportunity is right for them. As such, entities will usually allow tenderers to engage in a formal Q&A process until a specified closing date. The details of this process are typically outlined in the tender conditions.

Probity

When asking questions, suppliers must be careful to follow the instructions outlined in the tender conditions, or else they risk breaching probity. Probity issues occur when entities are partial to certain suppliers for reasons outside their own merit.

Entities will usually impose a number of processes to ensure probity is maintained when going to tender. Examples include engaging a panel of stakeholders to evaluate responses or restricting supplier communication.

Generally, entities will nominate an approved point of contact and appropriate communication channel for all supplier questions and clarifications. They often create a dedicated forum, so that all suppliers are provided with the same information at the same time. These forums are typically included within the submission portal.

On the other hand, tendering entities may require suppliers to submit questions via email, with answers supplied in the form of addenda. Addenda are documents released after the initial request for tender that provide additional information, or further clarification regarding the tender documents.

What can I ask?

Provided you’ve gone through the appropriate channels, suppliers are allowed to ask just about anything related to the tender. We recommend making your questions clear and concise to ensure you get the information you need.

Don’t be shy when it comes to asking questions—ask as many as you need to inform your response. Just be careful to read through the tender documents and any addenda or forum posts to ensure your questions haven’t already been answered.

Experienced tender consultants for Australian businesses

How to win tenders often comes down to your level of preparation. Understanding the tender documentation in full ensures that you’re able to closely conform to what the Principal entity  wants, giving you the best chance of success.

Tendered is an experienced team of tender consultants who understand tender processes, know what questions to ask and can provide the support needed to help position your business in the best possible light. Our talented tender and bid writers can help frame your application in the right way, highlighting your strengths and foregrounding your suitability as the best  candidate for the contract.

A fully end-to-end tender writing service, our specialists will consult, collaborate, project-manage, draft, and design for your submission, delivering the strongest possible application. Request a quote or call 1300 684 881 to speak directly to one of our team.