How to push back on bad tenders
When a government tender is poorly structured, overly burdensome or unfair, architects are not obliged to accept it silently. The Queensland Procurement Policy 2026 (QPP 2026) gives practices legitimate grounds to raise concerns – professionally and constructively. This guide outlines when to push back, how to do it, and what language to use.
While this guide has been written in response to the QPP 2026, the following advice may be useful for architects navigating procurement environments around the country.
1. Know when a tender Is “Bad” (policy red flags)
A tender may warrant challenge when it shows one or more of the following:
- Unreasonably short timeframes (especially across shutdown periods)
- Excessive documentation for low-risk or early-stage services
- Fee-dominant evaluation weighting
- Ambiguous scope, deliverables, or risk transfer
- Consultant procurement is treated like goods procurement
- Disproportionate BIM or digital requirements
- No meaningful opportunity for clarification
Key point: These are not commercial preferences – they are policy compliance issues.
ACA members can access the full guide below (log in to access).
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