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How do I search for Tenders

How to find the right tenders by using our Advanced Search function

With thousands of tenders in our database, our Search function helps you quickly narrow down results and find the most relevant opportunities for your business

  • To access the search page, simply click on the SEARCH option located in the main menu bar

Main Menu Bar

Our default search displays all "Active "records, which include Future and Current tenders. To narrow your search to specific statuses, select from the Tender Status drop-down.

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Keywords

If you can find a category that matches your services, we recommend avoiding using keywords. This is because Issuers may use different words and phrases in their tender titles and descriptions. By relying on keywords, you might miss relevant tenders that didn't use those specific words, or alternatively, you may receive tenders that aren't relevant to your needs. However, if you're looking for a specific tender or your company provides niche services, the keyword function can be extremely useful.

Here are some tips for making the most of keywords:

  • Avoid generic words such as "review", "assessment", "investigate", "tender" and "request", as most tenders include these words and they will produce a high number of irrelevant results
  • By default, our search engine matches any of the words entered. If you want to search for an exact phrase put quotation marks around the phrase. "Project Management" 

Categories

To find tenders more efficiently, we recommend selecting from our extensive list of categories. Our team of experts categorises each tender into main categories and subcategories that closely match its nature. Here are our recommendations for an effective search:

  • Select a category that aligns with the services you offer rather than the specific industry you provide those services to. For example, if you offer engineering services to the construction industry, choose engineering categories instead of construction categories, as the latter may only include tenders for construction companies
  • We recommend using subcategories to make your search more effective. Click on a main category to expand it and reveal all related subcategories, then select those that most closely align with your services

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  • If you are unsure whether a category exists or which main category it belongs to, use the search function in the category drop-down menu. Simply type a keyword into the category field to narrow down the list
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  • If you cannot find any categories that align with your needs, select the categories you believe are most similar to your services and use the keyword function to further refine your search. If you're still unsure, our support team is happy to help

Regions

A region refers to the geographical location where the tender work will take place, not necessarily the Issuer's location. We recommend searching by both state/country and specific region to ensure you don't miss relevant opportunities.

    Issuer Name

    If you only want to see tenders from specific issuers, you can select these from the drop-down list. If there are duplicate issuer names in the list, select all that apply.

    Issuer Type 

    There are various types of Issuers (also referred to as Buyers). It is advisable to choose one of these types only if you have a clear understanding of what you are looking for. For example, you need to determine whether the government entity you are interested in belongs to the local, state, or federal level. Here is a breakdown of these different organisation types:

    • Central Government (NZ): In New Zealand, the government is divided into two tiers: Central Government and Local Government
    • Federal Government: The Federal Government, also known as the Australian Government or Commonwealth Government, oversees all of Australia. Consequently, tenders from the Federal/Commonwealth government typically require services that can be provided nationwide
    • Local Government: Local Government is responsible for addressing the interests and meeting the needs of specific communities through the management of regional, city, or district councils. These types of issuers are commonly encountered and play a crucial role in tendering processes
    • Private/Public Company: These are non-government companies that have issued a tender. A private company (Pty Ltd) is privately owned and not listed on the stock exchange, whereas a public company (Ltd) may be listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) and is open to public investment. Unlike government Issuers, neither is required to adhere to government procurement policies
    • Other: This includes clubs, committees, NFPs
    • OS Government: (Overseas) All Government entities that are not based in Australia or New Zealand
    • School: By selecting this option, you can view tenders issued specifically by schools
    • State Government or Territory Government: This is the six states and two territories in Australia that have their own governing bodies. Tenders from these are likely to cover services that are applicable to the entire state or territory
    • TAFE: By selecting this option, you can view tenders issued specifically by Technical And Further Education institutions
    • University: By choosing this option, you can view tenders released specifically by universities

    Status

    Our tender statuses are categorised into "Active" records (including Future and Current tenders) and "Archive" records (including Closed, Awarded, Withdrawn, and Expired tenders). Our default search displays active records.

    To find open tenders, we recommend focusing on the Current status. The statuses are explained in more detail below:

     

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    • Active
      • Current: The tender is open and accepting submissions
      • Future: The tender has been listed but is not yet open. The date it is expected to be released to market is called the Expected Release Date. Once open, its status will update to Current
    • Archive
      • Closed: The tender is no longer accepting submissions
      • Awarded: The tender has closed, and the Issuer has chosen to publicly release information about the awarded contract. Note that not all closed tenders will be updated to Awarded, as Issuers are not required to publish this information
      • Withdrawn: The tender was made available but later withdrawn by the Issuer. This may be because the Issuer decided not to proceed, or chose to withdraw it temporarily for re-publication at a later date
      • Expired: A future status tender that was never released to market

    Need a little help?

    Just email us at support@australiantenders.com.au or call our friendly Australian support team on 1800 934 117.