Tendering know how gives small businesses a head start

A business that wins a government tender has satisfied many criteria and, importantly, been able to clearly articulate the experience and capacity to do the work.

If you have been successful in winning a government contract, you will also have demonstrated that you are likely to have what it takes to compete for similar work in the private sector. 

The NSW Government is focused on helping more small businesses get involved in tendering for government contracts and the online training and guide now available through the NSW Small Business Commission is an example of the support available. The training provides the skills and knowledge needed to be competitive, including how to write a tender, determine pricing and convince the government that you have the requisite skills, attitudes and wherewithal.

The knowledge and skills acquired through the training will also help a small business when tendering for a contract in the private sector. Contract managers for big businesses will know that a small business has had to achieve certain standards to successfully bid for and deliver a government contract. They will understand that the small business is likely to have the right equipment, staff and other resources to successfully complete similar work.

Importantly, the small business contractor will have shown by completing a government contract that they have the ability to communicate effectively with the government’s contract manager while the work is carried out, lessening delays and other problems.

All these factors will make a small business that has supplied to government more attractive to a big business putting work out to tender. 

A small business will be even more attractive if it wins more than one government contract, or has a contract extended. This shows that the business and its people are good at what they do – good enough to be asked back to do more.

For links to the online training and guide on tendering for NSW Government contracts, go to the Selling to the NSW Government page. 

Peter Strong is a small business advocate and the past CEO of the Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia.