In short
A capability statement is the 12–16 page document a buyer reads before deciding whether to invite you to quote. TenderBuilt writes and lays out the whole thing — plant register, project portfolio, personnel, accreditations, insurances and referees — and hands over editable source files. From $1,950 + GST.
The most reused document you own
It goes everywhere your tenders go.
The capability statement opens prequalification applications, lands you on panels, gets you past Tier 1 procurement teams, and sits behind half the bids you’ll lodge this year — which is exactly why a tired, brochure-style PDF quietly costs work. Evaluators skim for evidence: scope, value, client and outcome on every project, current prequal levels, real plant, named people.
TenderBuilt builds the document from your actual delivery record — written, structured and set in a format designed to be read, then handed over with editable source files so it stays yours.
What you get
Every section an evaluator looks for.
- Company snapshot — structure, leadership, key personnel CVs
- Capability matrix — trades, project values, geographies
- Plant & equipment register with photographs
- Project portfolio — 8–12 case-study tiles with metrics
- Accreditations & prequalifications, ISO statements
- Insurances summary & certificates appendix
- Editable InDesign / Word source files, with an annual refresh
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Document | 12 – 16 pages |
| Project tiles | 8 – 12 case studies |
| Handover | Print + digital + editable source files |
| Refresh | Annual — projects, prequal levels, plant |
Fees are fixed at scoping and confirmed in a written work-order — see the pricing page or raise it on the call.
How it runs
From working session to handover.
Working session
One structured session on your projects, plant, people and the work you actually want to win — the document is positioned around that, not around everything you’ve ever done.
Evidence gather
Project records, photos, completion details, insurances, accreditations and prequal levels collected against a checklist, so nothing stalls at draft stage.
Write and set
The full document written and laid out in a format built for skim-reading evaluators — capability matrix, project tiles with metrics, systems and insurance summaries.
Review and handover
Your mark-ups worked through, then print and digital versions delivered with the editable source files — and an annual refresh to keep projects, prequal levels and plant current.
See the standard
What a working capability statement looks like.
The worked example below is an illustrative, section-by-section build on a representative civil contractor — the same structure every TenderBuilt capability document follows.
What separates them
The difference between a capability statement that works and one that doesn’t.
| Element | Weak version | What evaluators actually want |
|---|---|---|
| Opening | “Established in 2009, we pride ourselves on…” | What you build, where, at what contract size — in the first two lines |
| Projects | A logo wall or a list of client names | Named projects with value, scope, date, outcome and a contactable referee |
| Plant | “Extensive modern fleet” | An actual register — make, model, capacity, owned or hired |
| People | Org chart with job titles | Named personnel with tickets, years and the projects they ran |
| Systems | “Fully compliant with all standards” | Certificate numbers, or an honest statement of a documented system |
| Safety | A policy statement | Evidence — LTIFR, incident history, what changed after |
| Length | 40 pages of brochure | 12–16 pages a buyer will actually finish |
See a complete worked example on the capability statement worked example, and the structural guide at how to write a capability statement. An annual refresh is $997 + GST — projects, plant, insurances and accreditations brought current.
Questions
Before you brief us.
Do you write it or design it too?
Both. The document is written from your delivery record and set in a layout built for evaluators, then handed over as print and digital versions plus the editable InDesign and Word source files — it stays yours to update.
We already have one — can you rework it?
Yes. Existing content, photos and project records all feed the build; in practice most reworks become a restructure around evidence, because that’s usually what the old document is missing.
How often should it be refreshed?
Annually as a baseline — new projects, current prequal levels, updated plant — or straight after a significant win or a new registration worth showing. The annual refresh is built into the service.
Will one document work for every bid?
The base document is designed to carry you through panels, prequalification and general enquiries. For a specific RFT, the tender response service tailors the capability content to that brief — a stock attachment is never the ceiling.
What does it cost?
A fixed fee agreed at the scoping call and confirmed in a written work-order before anything is written — the pricing page covers how fees are structured across every service.
How long does it take?
Two to three weeks from the day we have your source material. The writing is not the constraint; assembling a current plant register, referee consents and project data usually is.
Do we get the source files?
Yes. You get editable files, not just a PDF, so your team can update a project or a certificate without coming back to us. Most clients still take the annual refresh, because the thing that ages fastest is the project portfolio.
How is this different to a tender response?
A capability statement is generic and reusable — it answers “who are you”. A tender response is specific and single-use — it answers “why you for this job”. You need the first before you can write the second efficiently.
Is it worth it if we mostly do quote work?
That is exactly when it is worth it. Below the formal tender threshold, buyers select from who they already rate. The capability statement is often the only document in that decision — there is no evaluation panel to persuade, just a procurement officer with a shortlist.
Last updated 20 August 2026. Fees shown are current published prices and exclude GST; the pricing page is canonical.