For businesses looking to supply to Government, it is important to understand the buyer’s objectives or desired outcomes.

Outside of a tender process, you can engage with Government buyers and find out what business and policy objectives they are looking to achieve. You can also:

• Research what Government’s requirements are likely to be. This includes looking at past tenders for a similar product or service, growing your understanding around industry certifications and standards, legislation and regulation and Government’s policies (for example policies that support indigenous businesses).
• Keep an eye on the media to keep track of future Government projects.
• Resist the temptation to try and fit a square peg in a round hole. If your product or service does not meet Government’s requirements and there are other suppliers within the market who do, consider whether you should bid for the tender on offer. For more information see Module 2 of this guide: Qualifying the Opportunity.
• Remember Government buyers are not buying for themselves, so their purchasing decisions are based on the requirements of their agency and securing the best value for money for the SA Government. Government buyers have an obligation to treat all bids fairly and not introduce any bias or preferencing into the procurement processes they run.