How to decide if a Government tender is worth bidding on

A common mistake in Canberra is chasing every tender that looks relevant. The reality is not every opportunity is worth the effort. A poorly qualified bid burns time, drains resources, and distracts from the work you can actually win.

A simple bid or no-bid check can save you from that trap. Five questions every business should ask before committing to a bid:

• Eligibility: are we on the right panel or meeting the mandatory criteria?

• Fit: does this align with our core services and track record?

• Capability: do we have the people and capacity to deliver today?

• Positioning: do we know the buyer, or are we going in cold?

• ROI: is the contract value worth the cost of bidding?

If you cannot tick most of these, walk away. Focus on the opportunities you can win, and you will protect time, margin, and sanity.

As the saying goes, more businesses die from indigestion than starvation. Too much of the wrong work is just as damaging as not enough.