You've downloaded a 156-page tender document. It's due in 14 days. You start reading from page 1.
Three hours later, you reach page 47 and discover: "Only suppliers within a 50km radius of Polokwane may apply."
You're based in Johannesburg. The last three hours were wasted.
This happens constantly. Business owners spend hours (sometimes days) reading tender documents, only to discover a single disqualifying requirement buried on page 89.
There's a better way. Here are the 10 things to check in the first 5 minutes—before you invest real time in a tender.
The 5-minute tender triage
Don't read tender documents front-to-back. Use this systematic approach to determine if a tender is worth pursuing.
1. Deadline and submission requirements (30 seconds)
Where to find it: Cover page, invitation letter, or "Submission Instructions" section
What to check:
- Closing date and time (exact!)
- Physical or electronic submission?
- Submission address/portal
- Number of copies required
Red flags:
- Less than 14 days until deadline = rushed bid, likely lower quality
- Physical submission far from your location = travel and logistics costs
- Multiple hard copies required = printing and binding costs
Rule of thumb: If the deadline is less than 10 days away and you haven't started, strongly consider skipping it. A rushed bid rarely wins.
2. Contract value / budget indication (30 seconds)
Where to find it: Cover page, tender notice, or "Budget" section
What to check:
- Estimated contract value
- Budget ceiling (if disclosed)
- Payment terms
Red flags:
- No budget disclosed = they want to see how low you'll go
- Budget below your minimum viable price = don't bid
- Payment terms of 90+ days = cash flow risk
3. CIDB grade requirement (30 seconds)
Where to find it: Eligibility section, cover page, or SBD 4
What to check:
- Minimum CIDB grade required
- Class of work (CE, GB, ME, etc.)
- Whether joint ventures are permitted
Red flags:
- Your grade doesn't meet the requirement = automatic disqualification
- Wrong class of work = you can't bid
- "CIDB Grade X ONLY" (not "or higher") = very specific requirement
4. B-BBEE requirements (30 seconds)
Where to find it: Eligibility section, evaluation criteria, or SBD 6.1
What to check:
- Minimum B-BBEE level required (if any)
- Sub-contracting requirements for black-owned/women-owned businesses
- B-BBEE points in evaluation (80/20 or 90/10 system)
Red flags:
- "Level 1-2 B-BBEE only" = if you're Level 4, don't bid
- 30% sub-contracting to EMEs required = can you find compliant subs?
5. Locality/geographic requirements (30 seconds)
Where to find it: Eligibility section, terms and conditions
What to check:
- Geographic restrictions (province, municipality, radius)
- Local content requirements
- Site visit requirements (mandatory vs. optional)
Red flags:
- "Suppliers within X district only" = are you in that district?
- Mandatory site visit on a specific date = can you attend?
- Missed site visit = automatic disqualification for many tenders
Get the first 5 checks done in 2 minutes—automatically
BidReady extracts deadlines, eligibility requirements, B-BBEE minimums, CIDB grades, and more—instantly. Stop manual page-hunting.
- ✓ Deadline with countdown to closing
- ✓ All mandatory requirements flagged
- ✓ Disqualifying criteria highlighted
- ✓ Go/no-go decision in 2 minutes
6. Experience requirements (45 seconds)
Where to find it: Functionality criteria, eligibility section, or terms of reference
What to check:
- Minimum years of experience required
- Number and value of similar projects completed
- Reference letter requirements
Red flags:
- "10 years minimum experience" when you have 3 = don't bid
- "5 similar projects above R5M each" when you've done 2 = weak bid
- Specific certifications you don't have = get them first or skip
7. Functionality threshold (30 seconds)
Where to find it: Evaluation criteria section
What to check:
- Minimum functionality score required (e.g., 70%, 80%)
- Functionality criteria and weights
- Whether functionality is pass/fail or contributes to final score
Red flags:
- Criteria heavily weighted toward things you're weak on
- 80% threshold with strict criteria = high disqualification risk
- Subjective criteria with no clear scoring guide = unpredictable
8. Scope of work summary (60 seconds)
Where to find it: Terms of Reference, Scope of Work section
What to check:
- What exactly needs to be delivered?
- Contract duration and milestones
- Deliverables and acceptance criteria
- Resources required (staff, equipment, facilities)
Red flags:
- Scope is vague or undefined = scope creep risk
- Deliverables beyond your capability = you can't actually do this
- Timeline is unrealistic = set up to fail
9. Mandatory documents checklist (45 seconds)
Where to find it: Returnable documents section, checklist at end of document
What to check:
- All SBD forms required (SBD 1, 2, 4, 6.1, 8, 9, etc.)
- Certifications needed (tax clearance, B-BBEE, CIDB)
- Company documents (registration, bank letter, etc.)
- Technical documents (methodology, project plan, CVs)
Red flags:
- Documents you don't have and can't get in time
- Certifications that take weeks to obtain
- Reference letters from specific parties (can you get them?)
10. Special conditions and dealbreakers (30 seconds)
Where to find it: Special conditions section, terms and conditions
What to check:
- Insurance requirements (what type, what amounts)
- Performance guarantees or bid bonds required
- Specific certifications (ISO, OHSAS, etc.)
- Unusual terms (IP transfer, exclusivity, penalties)
Red flags:
- Insurance requirements above what you carry
- 10% bid bond on a large contract = cash flow impact
- Onerous penalty clauses for late delivery
- IP terms that give away your competitive advantage
The go/no-go decision
After your 5-minute triage, you should be able to answer:
- Can we technically bid? (Meet all eligibility requirements?)
- Can we realistically win? (Competitive on functionality and price?)
- Is it worth the effort? (Contract value vs. bid preparation cost?)
- Do we have time? (Realistic timeline to prepare a quality bid?)
- Can we actually deliver? (Capability to execute the contract?)
If any answer is "no," seriously consider not bidding. Your time is better spent on tenders you can win.
Common tender document structure
Knowing where to find information saves time:
| Section | What's In It |
|---|---|
| Cover page / Invitation | Tender number, deadline, contact details |
| Instructions to Bidders | How to submit, format requirements, rules |
| Eligibility / Pre-qualification | Who can bid, mandatory requirements |
| Terms of Reference / Scope | What needs to be delivered |
| Evaluation Criteria | How bids will be scored |
| Pricing Schedule | Where to enter your prices |
| Returnable Documents | SBD forms, declarations, certificates |
| Contract Conditions | Legal terms, penalties, payment |
| Annexures / Appendices | Technical specs, drawings, additional info |
The bottom line
Reading a tender document efficiently is a skill. The businesses that win government contracts don't read every page—they know exactly where to look for critical information.
Your 5-minute triage should tell you:
- Whether you're eligible to bid
- Whether you're competitive
- Whether the opportunity is worth pursuing
Only after passing this triage should you invest serious time in preparing a response.
Your action items:
- Practice the 5-minute triage: On your next tender, time yourself doing these 10 checks
- Create a go/no-go checklist: Document your minimum requirements for bidding
- Track your hit rate: Are you bidding on too many unsuitable tenders?
- Use tools to speed up: Manual reading is slow—automation helps
Let BidReady do your 5-minute triage automatically
Upload any tender document. In 2 minutes, you'll have all eligibility requirements, deadlines, evaluation criteria, and mandatory documents extracted. Make your go/no-go decision with confidence.
3 free tender analyses per month. No credit card required.