Every year, countless Australian businesses pour hours into tender responses only to receive that dreaded 'unsuccessful' notification. Often, it's not because they weren't capable—it's because they made avoidable mistakes. Here are the top 10 errors that get tenders rejected and exactly how to prevent them.

1. Missing the Deadline

It sounds obvious, but late submissions are automatically rejected—no exceptions. Government portals often close exactly at the stated time, and technical issues won't earn you an extension.

How to avoid it: Submit at least 24 hours early. Build in buffer time for technical difficulties. If using email submission, get delivery confirmation.

2. Failing Mandatory Requirements

Tenders include mandatory requirements that are pass/fail. Missing even one—like a required certification, insurance level, or signed declaration—results in automatic rejection before evaluation begins.

How to avoid it: Create a compliance checklist from the RFT. Have someone independently verify every mandatory requirement is met before submission.

3. Not Answering the Actual Question

Many bidders provide generic marketing content instead of directly responding to evaluation criteria. Evaluators score based on specific questions—if you don't answer them, you don't score.

How to avoid it: Mirror the structure of evaluation criteria in your response. Start each section by restating the requirement, then directly address it with specific evidence.

4. Exceeding Word or Page Limits

When a tender specifies a 2,000-word limit, evaluators may stop reading at 2,000 words or penalise non-compliance. Your best content at the end might never be seen.

How to avoid it: Respect all limits strictly. Front-load your strongest points. Be concise—evaluators appreciate clear, direct responses.

5. Poor Formatting and Presentation

Walls of text, inconsistent fonts, missing headers, and unclear structure make it hard for evaluators to find and score your content. They're reading dozens of submissions—make theirs easy.

How to avoid it: Use clear headings matching the RFT structure. Include tables for complex information. Use bullet points for lists. Maintain consistent formatting throughout.

6. Making Claims Without Evidence

Statements like 'We have extensive experience' or 'We're industry leaders' mean nothing without proof. Evaluators need specific examples, metrics, and references.

How to avoid it: Replace every claim with evidence. Instead of 'extensive experience,' write 'delivered 23 similar projects for Commonwealth agencies including [Client A] and [Client B], achieving 98% on-time delivery.'

7. Ignoring the Evaluation Criteria Weighting

If 'Relevant Experience' is worth 40% and 'Price' is worth 20%, but you spend most of your effort on pricing, you're optimising for the wrong thing.

How to avoid it: Allocate effort proportionally to weightings. The highest-weighted criteria should receive your strongest, most detailed responses.

8. Submitting Without Proofreading

Typos, grammatical errors, and inconsistencies signal carelessness. If you can't get your bid document right, why would they trust you with their project?

How to avoid it: Have someone who hasn't written the bid review it. Read it aloud. Use spelling and grammar tools. Check that all client names and project details are correct.

9. Copy-Pasting from Previous Bids

Reusing content is efficient, but accidentally leaving in another client's name or requirements from a different tender is an instant credibility killer.

How to avoid it: Always search for the previous client's name, project references, and specific requirements. Tailor every response to the specific tender.

10. Not Asking Clarification Questions

If something in the RFT is unclear, many bidders guess rather than ask. This leads to responses that miss the mark entirely.

How to avoid it: Use the clarification process. Questions are usually answered and shared with all bidders (anonymously), levelling the playing field. Asking shows engagement.

How AI Can Help

Modern AI-powered bid writing tools like Respondo can catch many of these mistakes automatically. They extract requirements to ensure nothing is missed, check compliance against mandatory criteria, and generate tailored responses that directly address evaluation criteria.

Don't let preventable mistakes cost you your next government contract. Take the time to review, comply, and present your best work.