How we work: in writing, by design.
TenderDesk runs entirely in writing. No phone calls, no video calls. That is a deliberate choice, not a gap, and this page explains what it means for you and what replaces the call.
Why a tender is better handled in writing
- Everything is on record. Every requirement, every answer and every decision sits in an email or a shared file you can forward to your estimator, your director or your lawyer. Nothing is lost between a call and the lodgement.
- It is faster than it sounds. Written answers within one business day, usually within hours, on Queensland business days.
- It is the job. An RFT is a written exercise. Answering 300 pages precisely, in writing, against the published criteria, is exactly what you are paying for.
- The fixed fee stays fixed. There is no hourly meter for meetings and calls, which is one reason the fee is a fraction of what a tender consultancy charges.
What replaces the phone call
1. The ten-minute intake. Twelve questions (below). Your answers make every matrix, scan and draft specific to your business rather than generic.
2. A shared working file. One Google Doc per engagement: scope and fee, tender facts, the compliance matrix, the evidence list with status, open questions, a decisions log and the drafts. Comment inline; we answer in the file.
3. A live written session. If you want to work something through "live", name a 30-minute window. You write, we answer within minutes in the working file. The same immediacy as a call, with a record.
4. A delivery note with every deliverable. One page: what we did, what you must check, what is still open, and how to lodge.
Response times
| What | When |
|---|---|
| First reply to any email | Within one business day (AEST), usually within hours |
| Compliance matrix (free) | Within 48 hours of receiving the tender documents |
| Opportunity Scan (AUD 290) | Within three business days |
| Full response, review copy | Within five business days of receiving your evidence |
| Written changes after your review | One round, within two business days |
Tenders closing in under five business days carry a 25% urgency fee. We tell you before we start if a deadline cannot be met.
The intake: twelve questions
Reply to bids@tenderdeskau.com with your answers, or paste them into the working file once it exists. Short answers are fine; attachments are welcome.
- Company name, ABN and website.
- Trades or services you tender for, and your QBCC licence class(es) if applicable.
- Head office and the regions you work in.
- Number of staff, and the subcontractors you regularly rely on.
- Insurances held (public liability, workers' compensation, professional indemnity if any) and limits.
- Management systems: WHS, quality, environmental. Certified (which standard) or in-house.
- Three recent projects: client, value, year, scope. Two of them with a referee we may name.
- Government or council work completed so far, or "none yet".
- Portal registrations you already have (QTenders, VendorPanel, QLD eTender, AusTender, Local Buy).
- The tender you are looking at (link or documents) and its closing date.
- What matters most: win this tender, get prequalified, or build documents you can reuse.
- Who signs off on your side, and the email address for the shared working file.
If you need a phone call before you engage
Then we are probably not the right fit, and we would rather say so now than waste your week. Ask for the free compliance matrix first: it costs nothing, it takes 48 hours, and it shows you exactly how we work. Decide with it in hand.
Who you are dealing with
Jannick Guenther, founder of TenderDesk, Queensland. TenderDesk is registered as a business name with ASIC. Drafting and checking are done with AI systems under my direction; I am the accountable contractor on every engagement. Full terms at /terms/.