Author: Kate Sunners
Like the tango is to the two-step, the tender is to the average grant-application. Tenders can be complex and time-consuming beasts requiring greater depth in planning and responses, more evidence and preparation of attachments.
Don’t panic! Break it down into manageable pieces! Here are a few tips to remember when writing your tender. 
1. Read ALL the tender documents – and highlight the criteria! Are the criteria weighted? Are some more important than others? Does your project satisfy those criteria?
2. Check what attachments you’ll need as a first step- attachments like letters of support can often take the longest time to pull together! Some of the attachments commonly required for Government tenders as an indicator are:
-Business Case
-Project Management Plan
-Independent Cost Benefit Analysis
-Written confirmation of cash and in-kind contributions
-Audited financial statements
-Risk Management Plan
-Procurement Plan
-Asset Maintenance/Management Plan (for capital works and equipment funding)
-Evidence of Experience/Capacity to deliver the project
-Letters of Support
3. Make sure you can answer all criteria before you sit down to write – if you don’t have the answers, make a list of all the information you need and hassle the relevant people til you get it!
4. Ask yourself if you have the necessary evidence to support your tender application? When making any claims about your project or your organisation’s work and its outcomes/impacts you need to be able to back this up with evidence! Government funding is all about proof of accountability, experience, and value for money (outcomes for $). Keep in mind that the assessor will be looking for indicators of these things as they read responses.
5. Use the language in the tender documents in your responses
6. Answer questions fully, even if you’ve covered some of the same information in previous responses. It may not be the same assessor reading each response to criteria.
Tango with us!
If you need assistance putting your tenders together, give us a call as soon as you have decided to apply (the longer the lead time the better with tenders!). Strategic Grants is experienced in working with organisations to produce high-quality tenders, and can also provide critiquing to help you identify areas to be strengthened or gaps in information/responses to criteria.