Written by RCG Consultants
A tender is often won or lost before the price is even looked at. Missed documents, unclear assumptions and rushed pricing all count against an otherwise good bid. This checklist covers the steps we use to keep an electrical tender submission organised, from the day the documents arrive to the day you submit.
Read the tender documents first, not last
Before any pricing starts, read the full tender package: the instructions to tenderers, the conditions of contract, the specification and all drawings. Note the closing date and time, how the submission has to be lodged, and any mandatory forms.
Check you have the whole set
Confirm the drawing register against the drawings you received. Missing revisions and superseded sheets are a common source of pricing errors. Check for addenda before and again just before submission, since they often change scope.
Define the scope clearly
List what is included and what is not. Where the documents are unclear, write down your assumption or send a question through the correct channel. Clear inclusions and exclusions protect you if a variation dispute comes up later.
Do a proper take-off
Count and measure every item shown on the drawings and called up in the specification, then check the count a second way. Cable runs, conduit and similar items should be measured to scale, with an allowance for wastage. A second count catches items that a first pass misses.
Get supplier and subcontractor quotes early
Request quotes for switchboards, specialist equipment and any subcontract work as soon as the scope is clear, and check each quote’s validity period against the tender’s validity period. An expired quote is a pricing risk you can avoid.
Price with labour, overheads and risk in view
Allow for labour rates, site conditions, location and travel, programme and staging. Make risk allowances visible rather than hidden, so you can explain them if asked.
Address the non-price criteria
Many tenders score more than price: methodology, programme, safety, quality, experience and referees. Prepare these sections properly and refer to the project in question instead of reusing generic text.
Review before you submit
Have someone who did not prepare the price check it. Check the arithmetic, the scope, the forms and the signatures, then lodge with time to spare. Submission portals can be slow close to the deadline.
Need a hand with a tender?
RCG Consultants provides electrical estimating, take-offs and tender and bid submission support, Australia-wide and in New Zealand. Send us your plans and we will talk you through how we can help. Contact us on (07) 3558 1449 or tenders@rcgconsultants.com.au.