The tender changed at the last minute. Did the estimate change too?
The final submission contains an extra obligation
Suppose a customer revises the tender documents shortly before closing. The office updates the written submission, but the estimating sheet still reflects the earlier programme. Your price is accepted and everyone celebrates the win.
Before treating the result as a successful estimate, check whether the final offer and costing describe the same job. A late change can create a gap even when the original estimate was carefully prepared.
Identify what changed between versions
Compare the final scope, drawings, programme and qualifications with the versions used for costing. List changes that affect quantities, method, access, supervision or timing. Keep the revision notice that introduced them.
Do not assume a revised document is purely administrative because its filename changed only slightly. Equally, avoid repricing unchanged items without a reason. The comparison should identify the actual difference.
Trace each material change into a cost or explanation
Ask the estimator where the new requirement is allowed for. It may affect an existing line, need a separate allowance or have no material cost effect. Record the reasoning rather than accepting a general statement that it is included.
business.gov.au's pricing guidance calls for relevant costs to be included. A final revision check helps establish whether the work described in the offer is the work the price actually covers.
Check the qualifications in the submitted version
Confirm which exclusions and assumptions remained in the offer that was sent. A qualification in an earlier draft is not evidence that the customer received or accepted it.
If the tender has already become a contract, get advice on the actual agreement before asserting a right to change the price. An internal estimating omission does not by itself establish a recoverable variation.
Keep a controlled submission record
Retain the final documents, estimate version and authorisation used at submission. Identify who checked changes and who approved the final amount. Avoid allowing a later working file to overwrite the record of what was priced.
For the next tender, allocate time and responsibility for the final comparison. If a late revision cannot be assessed properly, decide on an appropriate response rather than letting the deadline quietly remove the review.
Use the finding to protect delivery decisions
Tell the project team about any cost or scope gap discovered after acceptance, and assess its impact promptly with the relevant adviser. Do not leave it hidden until the first supplier invoice arrives.
If repeated submission gaps are creating debts or loss-making work, bring the examples to CRP when discussing the business pressure. The correction should change the handover and approval process, not merely add another reminder to “check carefully”.