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Our Services
Tendering Services in Melbourne for Subcontractors and Builders
EstimateOne specialists who prepare, lodge and negotiate tenders on your behalf.
Sami Strategy Co. provides tendering services in Melbourne for subcontractors and builders who want to win more work without carrying the full tender workload in-house. We are EstimateOne (E1) specialists. We prepare and lodge tender submissions, review the scope and contract documents for gaps and risks, and liaise and negotiate with the builder through to award.
Tendering is time-sensitive. Builders release projects on EstimateOne with a closing date, and every trade package has to be read, measured, priced, qualified and submitted before that date passes. Missed tender deadlines and scope gaps in contracts are two of the problems this service is built to solve.
We work from Melbourne, Victoria, and consult Australia-wide remotely. Builders can engage us to integrate with their existing estimating team, or to represent their company through the tender process.
What We Do
What do our tender submission services include?
Our tendering service runs end to end. We pick up the tender package from the builder's invitation on EstimateOne, measure the quantities, apply your rates, prepare the submission and lodge it before the closing date. After submission we stay in contact with the builder, answer post-tender queries and negotiate on your behalf.
Every tender includes a scope and contract review. We read the drawings, specification and contract conditions together so that scope gaps, discrepancies between documents and contractual risks are flagged before you commit to a price. The findings are written into the tender as clear inclusions, exclusions and qualifications.
- Monitoring EstimateOne invitations and shortlisting tenders that suit your trade and capacity
- Quantity take-off and mark-up of the tender drawings
- Pricing at the rates agreed with you at the initial meeting
- Scope and contract review with written inclusions, exclusions and qualifications
- Preparation and lodgement of the tender submission on EstimateOne
- Liaison and negotiation with the builder after submission
- Tender tracking and follow-up through to award or close-out
Who This Is For
Who uses our tendering services?
Tendering support suits two groups: subcontractors who want a steady pipeline of priced work, and builders who need extra estimating capacity at tender time.
Subcontractors
You deliver well on site, but tenders compete with running the job and deadlines slip. We tender on EstimateOne with our network of builders on your behalf, so you can focus on delivery and on growing the business.
Learn moreBuilders and head contractors
Your estimating team is at capacity, or you have no in-house estimator and tenders are landing on the project managers. We integrate with your existing team or represent your company through the tender process, usually after proving ourselves on ad-hoc estimating work.
Learn moreHow It Works
How does construction tendering support work?
The engagement follows a short set of steps, with a slightly different path for subcontractors and for builders.
Initial meeting
We meet to discuss your business, the trades and project types you want to target, your current rates and how you tender today. For builders, this meeting also covers your current estimating process and how we integrate with your team.
Agreement
We sign an agreement that confirms commencement of working together and sets out the scope of the partnership, how tenders are handed over and how we communicate.
Tendering on EstimateOne
For subcontractors, we start tendering on E1 with our network of builders. Each tender is measured, priced at your rates, reviewed for scope gaps and risks, and lodged before the closing date.
Handing over tenders
Builders who have used our ad-hoc estimating and want a long-term partnership begin handing tenders over to us. We work hand in hand with your team so that your estimators and ours are pricing to the same standard.
Liaison, negotiation and follow-up
After submission we liaise with the builder, respond to queries, negotiate where there is room to, and track each tender to its outcome. Feedback from won and lost tenders feeds into the next one.
What You Get
What do you receive from our tender management service?
Each engagement produces a consistent set of outputs that you can see and check.
Tender submissions prepared and lodged on EstimateOne
A complete, priced submission lodged on E1 before the closing date, with the quantities, rates and qualifications set out so you can see how the price was built. Copies are kept for your records.
Scope and contract review
A review of the drawings, specification and contract conditions that flags scope gaps, discrepancies and risks such as unclear exclusions, retention, liquidated damages and defects liability terms. The findings are written into the tender as inclusions, exclusions and qualifications.
Builder liaison and negotiation
We handle the conversation with the builder after submission, including post-tender clarifications, pricing of addenda and negotiation of scope and terms before award.
Tender tracking and follow-up
A running record of every tender lodged, its status and its outcome, with follow-up on open tenders so that no opportunity is left to lapse.
Scope And Cost
What affects the cost of tendering support?
Fees depend on the shape of the engagement. The main drivers are below.
- Number of tenders you want priced each month
- Size and complexity of each trade package
- Quality and completeness of the tender documents issued by the builder
- Whether we represent your company fully or integrate with an existing estimating team
- Time available between the invitation and the closing date
- Level of post-tender negotiation and follow-up required
Why Sami Strategy
Why choose Sami Strategy for tendering services in Melbourne?
EstimateOne specialists
EstimateOne is our primary tendering platform. We know how builders issue packages, addenda and clarifications through it, and how to lodge submissions in the format they expect.
Scope and contract review on every tender
Our estimating background means each tender is checked for scope gaps, discrepancies and contractual risks before a price goes out. You price with a clear picture of what is included and what is excluded.
A network of builders and a relationship-driven approach
We tender with our network of builders and stay in contact with them after submission. Clear communication during negotiation builds the relationships that lead to repeat invitations.
I had the pleasure of dealing with Sandra and the team at Sami Strategy Co on a large multi-unit apartment building in Blackburn, VIC. Being a structural engineer, it was a delight to speak to someone who actually understands building.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How does EstimateOne tendering work?
EstimateOne is an Australian online tendering platform where builders list projects and invite subcontractors to quote on trade packages. Each listing carries the drawings, specification and a closing date. We review the invitation, measure and price the package at your rates, and lodge the submission on EstimateOne before the deadline.
Can you tender under our company name?
Yes. We can represent your company through the tender process so that the builder deals with your business while our team does the measuring, pricing and submission behind the scenes. Builders can also choose to integrate us with their existing estimating team.
What does tender management involve for a Melbourne subcontractor?
Tender management covers everything from watching for suitable invitations through to the outcome of each submission. We shortlist tenders that suit your trade, prepare and lodge each one, liaise with the builder afterwards and keep a record of status and results. The aim is a steady, tracked pipeline of priced work.
How quickly can you price a tender?
Our ad-hoc estimating turnaround is one to five working days and is currently averaging three days. Tender closing dates are set by the builder, so we plan each submission around that date and raise it early if the timeframe is tight.
What does the scope and contract review cover?
We read the drawings, specification and contract conditions together and flag anything that could cost you later. Typical findings are scope that is drawn but not specified, items that sit between trades, unclear exclusions, and contract terms such as retention, liquidated damages and defects liability periods. The findings are written into the tender as inclusions, exclusions and qualifications.
Do you provide construction tendering support for builders as well as subcontractors?
Yes. Builders and head contractors use us to price tenders when their own estimating team is at capacity or when they have no in-house estimator. The long-term partnership path starts with ad-hoc estimating and moves to a standing arrangement where tenders are handed over to us.
Do you only work with Melbourne businesses?
We are based in Melbourne and serve Victoria first. Tendering on EstimateOne is done remotely, so we also consult Australia-wide for subcontractors and builders outside Victoria.
What happens if a tender is unsuccessful?
We follow up with the builder for feedback where it is available and record the outcome against the tender. The feedback and the pricing record are then used when the next similar package comes up.