What does a capability statement cost in Australia?

How much does a capability statement cost in Australia?

A capability statement costs between $250 and $1,200 in Australia. Design only, where you supply finished copy, runs $250 to $350. Write and design runs $350 to $550. A full build runs $600 to $1,200. Page count and whether copywriting is included are the two biggest price factors.

The three pricing tiers

What moves the price

• Page count. The single biggest factor.

• Copywriting included. Writing takes longer than designing.

• Source material. An old statement and a project list speeds everything up.

• Project detail. Ten documented projects means that section writes itself.

• Named schedule. Mapping to a tender requirement is extra work.

• Version count. Government, head contractor and private each need different emphasis.

What is the difference between a capability statement and a company profile?

A company profile is a marketing document about who you are. A capability statement is a procurement document about what you can be trusted to deliver. Procurement teams read capability statements to check eligibility, compliance and past project evidence.

How many pages should a capability statement be?

Four to six pages suits most small and medium Australian businesses. Longer works against you, because procurement teams read dozens of these and skim for eligibility. Past eight pages usually signals the business has not worked out what matters to the reader.

How to prepare one

1. Gather your evidence. ABN, licences, certifications, insurance certificates of currency and five to ten completed projects with client names, values, scope and dates.

2. Decide who is reading it. A head contractor, a council procurement officer and a private client each want different things on page one.

3. Lead with eligibility. Who you are, what you do, where you work and what you are licensed and insured for, in the top half of page one.

4. Prove it on page one. Named projects, client types, years operating and certifications.

5. Put compliance where it is found. Certificates, CM3 or equivalent and WHS system reference on a dedicated page with current-to dates visible.

6. Keep it to four to six pages. Then set a reminder to review it yearly or whenever your insurance renews.

How long does a capability statement take to produce?

Five to ten business days is typical for a write and design project, assuming questions are answered promptly. The delay is almost never the design. It is waiting on project details, insurance certificates and sign off on the copy.

Do I need a capability statement for my trades business?

You need one if you are chasing head contractor panels, council or government tenders, or prequalification systems such as CM3. If you are a sole trader doing domestic work off word of mouth, spend the money on your Google Business Profile instead.

Which situation fits which service

There is a floor below which this stops being worth doing. A $99 capability statement is a template with your name in it, written by someone who did not ask what you do. The problem is not that it looks cheap. It is that procurement teams read a lot of these and can tell within a page whether a business understands the process. One missed opportunity on a $40,000 job costs more than the difference between a cheap document and a proper one, several times over.