What's in this guide
What a capability statement is and why buyers ask for one
A capability statement is a short document, usually 2 to 4 pages, that summarises who you are, what you do, and why an agency should trust you with their work. Think of it as your business resume.
It is not a proposal for a specific job. It is a general document you can attach to tender submissions. Some agencies ask for it as part of the submission. Others want it upfront when you register as a supplier. Either way, having one ready to go saves you time every time you apply.
Agencies use it to quickly assess whether your business has the experience, qualifications, and capacity to deliver the work. An evaluator reviewing many submissions may need to filter fast. Your capability statement helps them decide whether your business looks relevant and credible.
You can use the same base document across multiple tenders, tweaking it each time to match what the specific tender is asking for.
A practical structure
Capability statements vary depending on the buyer, format, and opportunity. This seven-part structure is a practical starting point for a small business version. Keep each section short and factual.
Two to three sentences covering who you are, how long you have been operating, where you are based, and what you specialise in. No marketing speak. Just the facts.
A bullet list of your core services. Be specific. "Commercial electrical maintenance, switchboard upgrades, data cabling, emergency fault repair" is better than "all electrical work."
Three to five past projects. For each one, include the client name (if you can), the scope of work, and the value if possible. This is the section evaluators spend the most time on.
Trade licences with numbers, ISO certifications, safety cards (Working at Heights, Confined Spaces, Asbestos Awareness), security clearances. List them all.
Public liability amount, professional indemnity (if applicable), and workers compensation. Include the insurer name and policy expiry date. Evaluators check these against the tender requirements.
Brief bios (2 to 3 sentences each) for the people who would actually work on the contract. Qualifications, years of experience, and relevant project history.
ABN, business address, phone, email, and website if you have one. Make it easy for the evaluator to reach you if they have questions.
Worked example: electrician
Here is a fictional composite capability statement for an electrical business. Use the structure as a template and swap in your real details.
[Your Electrical Business Pty Ltd]
ABN [your ABN]
Business Overview
[Your Electrical Business] is a [your region]-based electrical contracting business established in [year]. We employ [number] electricians and specialise in commercial electrical maintenance, switchboard upgrades, data cabling, and emergency fault repair for public-sector and commercial clients across [service area].
Key Capabilities
- Commercial and industrial electrical maintenance
- Switchboard upgrades and replacements (up to 800A)
- Structured data cabling (Cat6/Cat6A)
- Emergency fault finding and repair (24/7 call-out available)
- LED lighting upgrades and energy efficiency audits
- Fire detection and emergency lighting systems
- Solar PV installation and maintenance (CEC accredited)
Relevant Experience
Recent school maintenance contract
Switchboard replacement across [number] school sites. Scope included isolation, removal of existing boards, installation of new switchboards with RCD protection, and compliance testing. Completed [month/year]. Project value: [contract value].
Community health facilities maintenance contract
Ongoing electrical maintenance across [number] community health centres. Quarterly testing and tagging, emergency lighting testing, switchboard thermal imaging, and 24/7 emergency call-out. Contract held since [year]. Annual value: [annual contract value].
Council facilities lighting upgrade
LED lighting upgrade for [number] council-owned community centres. Scope included lighting design, supply and install of LED panels and drivers, emergency lighting upgrades, and certification. Completed [month/year]. Project value: [contract value].
Qualifications and Certifications
- Licensed Electrical Contractor, [state regulator] (Licence No. [licence number])
- AS/NZS 3000 Wiring Rules certified
- CEC Accredited Solar Installer ([accreditation number])
- Working at Heights (all staff current)
- Asbestos Awareness (all staff current)
- Construction Induction Card (White Card, all staff)
Insurance
- Public Liability: [cover amount] ([insurer], expires [date])
- Workers Compensation: current ([state scheme or insurer])
- Motor Vehicle: fleet policy covering [number] work vehicles
Key Personnel
[Director Name], Director / Licensed Electrician
[number] years experience in commercial electrical contracting. Holds a Diploma of Electrical Engineering and manages all public-sector contract delivery. Previously supervised comparable public-infrastructure electrical works.
[Operations Manager Name], Operations Manager
[number] years experience in project coordination for electrical contractors. Manages scheduling, compliance documentation, and client reporting for all active contracts.
Contact
[Director Name], Director
Phone: [business phone]
Email: [business email]
Address: [business address]
ABN: [your ABN]
Worked example: cleaning company
Here is a second fictional composite example for a cleaning business. The structure is the same, but the details reflect a different trade.
[Your Cleaning Business Pty Ltd]
ABN [your ABN]
Business Overview
[Your Cleaning Business] is a [your city]-based cleaning company established in [year]. We employ [number] cleaners and specialise in commercial office cleaning, medical facility cleaning, and end-of-lease cleaning for government agencies, healthcare providers, and corporate tenants across [service area].
Key Capabilities
- Daily and periodic commercial office cleaning
- Medical facility cleaning (infection control compliant)
- End-of-lease and make-good cleaning
- Carpet steam cleaning and hard floor maintenance
- Window cleaning (internal, up to 3 storeys)
- Washroom consumables supply and restocking
Relevant Experience
Community clinic cleaning contract
Daily cleaning of [number] community health clinics. Scope includes clinical area disinfection, waiting room cleaning, washroom servicing, and clinical waste area maintenance. Infection control protocols followed in line with the contract requirements. Contract held since [year]. Annual value: [annual contract value].
Government office cleaning contract
After-hours office cleaning for a [size] government office. [frequency], including kitchen cleaning, bin servicing, vacuuming, and scheduled carpet steam cleaning. Completed a [term] contract in [month/year]. Contract value: [contract value].
Library facilities deep clean
Periodic deep clean of [number] library branches. Scope included carpet extraction, hard floor strip and seal, high dusting, and upholstery cleaning. Completed over [period] in [month/year]. Project value: [contract value].
Qualifications and Certifications
- Certificate III in Cleaning Operations (CPP30316), all staff
- Infection Control Training (healthcare cleaning module)
- QLD Blue Card (Working with Children), all staff
- Chemical Safety and SDS handling training
- Construction Induction Card (White Card), 4 staff
Insurance
- Public Liability: [cover amount] ([insurer], expires [date])
- Workers Compensation: current ([state scheme or insurer])
Key Personnel
[Owner Name], Owner / Operations Manager
[number] years experience in commercial cleaning operations. Manages all client relationships, quality inspections, and staff training. Holds Certificate IV in Cleaning Management.
[Team Lead Name], Team Lead
[number] years experience. Supervises the healthcare cleaning team. Trained in infection control procedures and clinical waste handling. Holds Certificate III in Cleaning Operations.
Contact
[Owner Name], Owner
Phone: [business phone]
Email: [business email]
Address: [business address]
ABN: [your ABN]
Common mistakes that make yours harder to assess
If your capability statement is 10 or 20 pages, the evaluator may skim it and miss the good parts. Two to four pages is a practical target unless the tender asks for more. Use clear headings and bullet points so the key information is easy to find.
"We do everything" tells the evaluator nothing. Be specific about what you actually do. If you are an electrician, say which types of electrical work you specialise in. If you are a cleaner, say whether you do offices, medical, industrial, or all three.
Claims without evidence are usually weak. "We have extensive experience" means little on its own. "We completed a $180,000 switchboard replacement across 12 NSW school sites" gives the evaluator something concrete to assess. Include project names, values, and outcomes where you can.
These are often mandatory requirements. If you do not include required insurance details and licence numbers, your submission may be excluded before detailed evaluation.
Evaluators can tell when you have not tailored the document. If the tender is for electrical maintenance and your capability statement leads with solar installations, you are making them work to find the relevant information. Put the most relevant experience first.
This can signal carelessness to an evaluator. If your capability statement has typos, they may wonder what your work quality is like. Get someone else to proofread it, or run it through a grammar checker.
If the tender is for cleaning services, the evaluator does not need to know you also do landscaping. Every line in your capability statement should be relevant to the work being tendered. Remove anything that dilutes your message.
How to tailor it for each tender without rewriting everything
You do not need to start from scratch every time. The trick is to keep a master version and adapt it for each submission.
Keep a master version
This is your complete capability statement with all your experience, all your services, and all your qualifications. It might be 5 or 6 pages. You generally do not submit this directly. It is your source document.
For each tender, copy and adjust
When you find a tender worth applying for, copy the master and make these changes:
- Reorder your experience so the most relevant projects are listed first. If the tender is for electrical maintenance, put your maintenance contracts at the top, not your solar installations.
- Remove capabilities that are not relevant to this particular tender. A focused 2-page document beats a scattered 4-page one.
- Add any specific certifications the tender asks for. If they require Asbestos Awareness, make sure it is listed prominently, not buried at the bottom.
- Update project values and dates. Nothing looks worse than a capability statement with projects from 5 years ago when you have done more recent work.
Read the evaluation criteria first
The tender document should tell you what the evaluators are looking for. Many tenders have a section called "Evaluation Criteria" or "Assessment Criteria." Read it carefully. Your capability statement should directly address each point they say they are scoring on.
Tips for writing yours faster
Writing a capability statement from scratch can feel like a big job, but most of the work is reusable. Once you have a solid base document, you only need to tweak it for each tender.
Build a base document first
Start with the structure from the examples above and fill it in with your real details. A base version gives you reusable content for common questions. For each new submission, adjust the project examples, remove anything irrelevant, and tailor the overview to the specific contract.
Keep a project library
Every time you finish a job, write up a short project summary while the details are fresh: client, scope, value, outcome. Store these in a simple document. When a tender asks for "three relevant projects," you pick the best matches from your library instead of writing from memory.
Your capability statement is ready. Now find the tenders.
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