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Tender Readiness Checklist for SMEs
5 min readInvitationToTender editorial teamPublished 2026-07-01Last reviewed 2026-07-26
In short
Before bidding, assemble three years of accounts, current insurances, core policies, relevant accreditations, two or three contract case studies with measurable outcomes, and named owners for each tender question type.
The core evidence pack
Assemble it once, keep it version-controlled, and review it quarterly.
- Three years of accounts or a credible alternative for young companies
- Employers, public and professional indemnity insurance certificates
- Health and safety, equality, environmental, data protection and modern slavery policies
- Accreditations: Cyber Essentials, ISO, sector schemes
- Three case studies with named clients, values and measurable outcomes
- Carbon reduction plan where contracts exceed the published threshold
Frequently asked questions
We are a new company. Can we still bid?
Yes. Buyers must consider proportionate alternatives to a three-year trading history, such as management accounts or a parent guarantee.
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