Red Tape Busters

Quality – a word of many meanings yet in Government and Council circles it can be a word that evokes fear and trepidation in suppliers and contractors. Certainly in tender writing even the most skilled and experienced tender writer can be a bit uncertain with how much focus a Government agency or Council actually places on quality. Quality and the requirement to have in place Quality systems, documents and processes have been a real focus of Government/Council instrumentalities now since the mid 1980’s. Certainly the Queensland Government for a time was moving towards only recognising those businesses and organisations which had systems in place which met the requirements of International Quality Standards.  I remember working with the Department of Transport and Main Roads in the 1980’s and we were undergoing massive changes where the Government was focussed on Commercialisation where all Government Business Units would have to also implement Quality Assurance and be Certifi...

This is a vexing question for tender writers – just how do you undertake the tender writing process when you have no idea who you are writing to and what they expect. Well the answer is pretty simple really – you research, you read, you assess, you analyse and then you start the tender writing process. In essence you need to ensure you craft a response that is interesting, informative and well written. Following are some key concepts to ensure your tender writing will hit the mark no matter who reads it:- Make it Interesting The key to anyone reading anything is to make it interesting. If you write in a droll boring manner then it will be certain to put the reader to sleep. So write with enthusiasm, with passion with verve and engage the reader. Draw them in and tell your story. The quality tender writer will have the reader interested and wanting to know more about this impressive company or organisation. Use it as a “Sales” Document Any tender should be seen a...

As a tender writer there are many pitfalls to avoid in the tender writing process. The list of reasons why your tender fails to be successful is almost endless but if you understand the main reasons and avoid making some simple mistakes you can be a high quality tender writer like the ream at Red Tape Busters. Following are some of the key reasons why tenders fail:- Price Price really is a key consideration in the tender assessment process no matter if it is a Government, Council or Commercial tender being offered. It isn’t the only factor in assessing the successful respondent but obviously it is important. So essentially you need to ensure your price and pricing strategy is competitive. Because if your price is not competitive then you really will have to wow the tender assessment panel with higher quality goods or services, extreme and extensive value adding outstanding commitment to quality to make up for the dearer price. It just makes the job of the tender writer much...

There are many myths around in the grant writing world. Many grant writers fail to consider these myths and as such then compromise the prospects of success. Myths seem to perpetuate like Big Foot or the Yeti but in general they are nonsense and can be suitably dismissed as nonsense. These are some of the myths and misconceptions that grant writers will hear regularly while they are in the grant writing world. Funding bodies feel sorry for struggling organisations This really is a total nonsense. Funding bodies whether they be Council, Government, Corporate or Philanthropic Trusts or Foundations entities really have little interest in whether an organisation is struggling or not and don’t care if they are almost ready to close their doors. Fund managers in general with very very few exceptions want to hear how an organisation will deliver a project or realize outcomes in line with the goals and objectives of the funding program and is the organisation offering...

Job application writing can be very consuming and that is where many people either don’t have time or the skills involved and engaged a specialist job application/resume writer like the team we have at Red Tape Busters. Our team primarily come from the public sector and therefore we have great skills and experience in the job application writing process and developing fantastic responses to selection criteria and preparing resumes. Successful job application writing initially starts with great planning. That means initially identifying what career path you want to follow and deciding on this based on your qualifications, interests, skills and experience. It is no good applying for a job that you have great interest in a certain field but don’t have the required skills or qualifications outlined in the job description. Similarly you shouldn’t apply for a job just because you have the skills, experience or qualifications if you have little or no interest in the job, the industry...

The skilled tender writer will have an excellent understanding of the tendering process and the tender writing task. While responding to tenders isn’t rocket science or brain surgery there are very significant skills required and the quality tender writer will really understand how the tender process works, how tenders are assessed and what “pitch” is required to get their tender over the line. Today we will discuss the tendering process and issues that you need to be aware of in preparing great tenders. Council/Government/Corporate Requirements Obviously before a tender is released the entity releasing the tender has to have identified a need and has to have decided on exactly what services/products they need and they obviously have pre-determined a budget for the cost they are willing to pay for the good/services. So obviously then price will be an important consideration no matter what they say in their general blurb about price only being one consideration – it is a ver...

Grant writing can be challenging even for the experienced grant writer. Every year thousands of grant opportunities open and close, resulting in millions and probably billions of dollars becoming available to non profit organisations and businesses across Australia. Competition for available grant money is immense and only the best submissions are successful in winning funding. There are many hints and tricks that can help give you an improved chance of success. Here are just a few:- Get your local politicians onside This is a forgotten strategy that most non profit organisations or businesses would rarely consider. But your local Councillor and local state and federal members of parliament move in powerful circles and a word of support to the right person could give your project an inside edge. I always suggest that my clients engage with their local politicians every say three months to update them on what the organisation/business is up to, how you are travelling and wha...