The tender document problem
A typical government or commercial tender lands in your inbox as a ZIP file containing 3-8 PDFs, totalling 100-300 pages. Somewhere in those pages are the rooms you need to price, the products you need to specify, the compliance certificates you need to hold, and the deadline you need to hit.
The problem: finding the relevant 15 pages in a 200-page document set takes longer than actually pricing the work.
What's in a tender document set
Most tender packages follow a similar structure, regardless of the issuing authority:
| Document | What it contains | What you need from it |
|---|---|---|
| Request for Tender (RFT) | Formal invitation, submission requirements, evaluation criteria | Deadline, format requirements, mandatory certificates |
| Specification | Technical requirements, materials, standards | Product specs, installation methods, compliance standards |
| Drawings | Architectural and detail drawings | Room dimensions, quantities, site conditions |
| Bill of Quantities (BoQ) | Itemised scope with quantities | Line items to price, quantities to verify |
| Conditions of Contract | Legal terms, insurances, liquidated damages | Risk items, insurance minimums, payment terms |
The extraction workflow
Whether you use software or do it manually, the process is the same:
1. Triage (10 minutes)
Scan the document set. Identify which documents are relevant to your trade. A tiling subcontractor doesn't need the mechanical services specification - but they do need the architectural spec, the floor plans, and the BoQ.
2. Extract scope (30-60 minutes manually)
For each relevant section, identify:
3. Cross-reference the BoQ (15-30 minutes)
The Bill of Quantities should match the specification. In practice, it often doesn't. Common discrepancies:
4. Identify risks and RFIs (15 minutes)
Before you price, flag anything that could blow up:
5. Price and submit (30-60 minutes)
Apply your rates, add margins, calculate GST, and format for submission.
Common gotchas
Waterproofing scope ambiguity: Many tender specs mention waterproofing but don't clarify whether the tiling subcontractor or a specialist waterproofer is responsible. Always clarify via RFI.
Wastage assumptions: If the BoQ doesn't include wastage, you need to add it. Standard tile wastage is 10% for rectangular layouts, 15% for diagonal, and up to 20% for complex patterns.
Compliance certificates: Check what certificates are required at handover. AS 3740 waterproofing certification, electrical certificates of compliance, and height safety documentation are commonly required but easily missed in the conditions.
How Foxspec helps with tenders
Foxspec's tender extraction reads the full PDF set and produces a structured bill of quantities with:
The goal isn't to replace your trade knowledge - it's to replace the 4-6 hours of reading and spreadsheet assembly with a 30-minute review.
Note: Tender extraction is available as a usage-based add-on (credits). 1 credit = 1 tender PDF set up to 250 pages.