How to Write a Winning Government Tender Response

Start with the evaluation criteria, not the description

Most bidders read the scope of work first. Winning bidders read the evaluation criteria first. The criteria section tells you exactly how your response will be scored — usually as weighted percentages across 3–7 criteria.

Print or highlight these criteria before you write a single word. Every paragraph in your response should serve at least one criterion. If it doesn't, cut it.

Structure your response around the criteria

Government assessors typically evaluate each criterion in a separate table or score sheet. Make their job easy: use the exact criterion wording as headings in your response. Don't paraphrase or combine criteria — address each one separately.

Under each criterion heading, follow the STAR format: Situation (context), Task (what was required), Action (what you did), Result (measurable outcome). Government assessors are trained to look for evidence, not claims.

Demonstrate capability with evidence, not assertion

The most common weakness in unsuccessful bids is assertion without evidence. Saying 'we have extensive experience in facilities management' means nothing without a past project that demonstrates it.

For each criterion, provide at least one concrete past project that shows your capability. Include: client name (or 'confidential government client'), contract value, your role, what you delivered, and a measurable outcome.

• •Use real project names and client types (confidential is fine)
• •Include contract values, timeframes, and team sizes
• •Quote measurable outcomes: cost savings, delivery times, quality scores
• •Reference your key personnel and their qualifications

Address compliance requirements explicitly

Most tenders have mandatory requirements — insurance minimums, licences, certifications — that must be met or your response is rejected without being scored. Check the RFT for any 'mandatory' or 'must' requirements.

Create a compliance matrix: a table listing each requirement in the first column and your evidence in the second. This shows the assessor you've read the document carefully and aren't hiding anything.

Write for busy assessors, not for yourself

Government assessors often review dozens of responses in a day. Long paragraphs, jargon, and burying key points deep in sections are common mistakes. Use short paragraphs, clear headings, and bold key claims.

A good test: can an assessor skim your response and identify your key claims for each criterion in under 30 seconds? If not, restructure.

Avoid padding. Pages of company history, vision statements, and generic methodology descriptions don't score well. Assessors want specific evidence that you can do this specific job.

Before you submit: the final check

Always allow 48 hours between finishing your draft and submitting. A fresh read catches errors, gaps, and weaknesses you missed while writing.

• •Have you addressed every evaluation criterion with specific evidence?
• •Have you met every mandatory compliance requirement?
• •Does your pricing section reference value for money explicitly?
• •Are all action required placeholders filled in?
• •Is the document formatted professionally and within page limits?
• •Have you submitted through the correct portal by the correct deadline?