Making Sense of Tender Documents: A Guide for Subcontractors
How to read, extract, and price a tender PDF set without burning a weekend on document hunting before the real pricing even starts.
The expensive part of tendering is often the reading, not the pricing.
Why tender packs eat time
A tender usually arrives as a ZIP full of PDFs and spreadsheets, most of which are not written for your trade. Somewhere in that pile are the rooms you need to price, the products you need to allow for, the exclusions you need to protect yourself with, and the deadline that matters more than anything else.
That is the real grind. Not the final rate. The hunt.
What is usually in the pack
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 |
A practical extraction workflow
Whether you use software or do it by hand, the workflow is roughly the same.
1. Triage
Work out which documents actually matter to your trade. A tiling subcontractor probably does not need the mechanical services spec, but they absolutely need the floor plans, finishes, details, and BoQ.
2. Pull scope
For each relevant section, identify:
- Rooms or areas in scope
- Product specifications (tile size, type, grade, standard)
- Quantities (area in m², lineal metres, lump sums)
- Special requirements (waterproofing, anti-slip ratings, warranties)
3. Cross-check the BoQ
The Bill of Quantities should line up with the specification and drawings. It often does not. Common problems:
- BoQ quantities that don't match drawing take-offs
- Specification calling for a product grade not in the BoQ
- Rooms mentioned in specs but missing from BoQ (and vice versa)
4. Flag risks and RFIs
Before you price anything, pull out the items most likely to bite later:
- Ambiguous specifications (e.g., "or equivalent" without defining what's equivalent)
- Missing information (substrate condition, access constraints)
- Unrealistic timelines
- Liquidated damages clauses
5. Price and submit
Only now does the quoting part really start.
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 does not include wastage, make the allowance explicit. There is no safe universal percentage: tile format, pattern, room geometry, batch matching, breakage, and the project specification all change the number.
Compliance certificates: Check what certificates are required at handover. Waterproofing evidence, electrical certificates, and height-safety records may be required at handover and are easily missed when they sit outside the trade scope pages.