Government tender compliance check checklist
Non-compliant tender responses are excluded before evaluation begins. This checklist ensures a tender response meets all mandatory requirements before submission.
This is a 12-step checklist for checking compliance of a government tender response before lodgement. It covers mandatory conditions, returnable schedules, financial capacity, and lodgement requirements under Australian government procurement frameworks.
The checklist
Read the conditions of tendering
Read and tabulate every mandatory condition of tendering, including lodgement time, format, and page limits.
Check eligibility requirements
Confirm the tenderer meets all eligibility criteria — ABN registration, insurance minimums, and security clearances if required.
Confirm compliance with CPRs
For Commonwealth tenders, confirm compliance with the Commonwealth Procurement Rules and any applicable connected policies.
Complete all returnable schedules
Verify every returnable schedule is completed, signed where required, and attached in the correct format.
Respond to each evaluation criterion
Cross-check each evaluation criterion against the response to confirm every criterion is addressed with supporting evidence.
Verify pricing schedule
Confirm the pricing schedule is arithmetically correct, GST treatment is clear, and no cells are left blank.
Attach financial capacity evidence
Include the requested financial statements, credit references, or guarantee evidence as specified in the tender.
Confirm insurance certificates
Attach current certificates of currency for professional indemnity, public liability, workers compensation, and cyber insurance as required.
Check referees and past performance
Confirm referee details are current, consent has been obtained, and past performance examples match the specification scope.
Review departures from contract terms
Identify and clearly list any departures from the draft contract terms, with proposed alternative wording.
Conduct conflict of interest check
Check for conflicts of interest between the tenderer, subcontractors, and the procuring agency, and disclose any identified conflicts.
Lodge before the deadline
Submit the tender response through the required portal or method before the closing time, and retain lodgement confirmation.
When this checklist applies
Use this checklist as a final compliance review before lodging any response to an Australian government tender.
Common pitfalls
- Missing the lodgement deadline — even by one minute results in exclusion
- Leaving returnable schedules incomplete or unsigned
- Not addressing every evaluation criterion explicitly
- Failing to disclose conflicts of interest that emerge during response preparation
- Submitting financial evidence that is out of date or incomplete
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This checklist is a general guide. Government procurement requirements vary by jurisdiction and agency — always follow the specific conditions of tendering for each procurement.
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