Navigating the complexities of ASDEFCON tenders: How Systematiq helped On Track Meals

On Track Meals, a leading food manufacturer of non-refrigerated meals for the outdoor adventure market, had a strong track record in this area but lacked experience in responding to Commonwealth tenders and fulfilling the Australian Defence Force (ADF)'s specific needs. To expand its offerings and supply ration packs for the ADF, the company turned to Systematiq for support in responding to a Commonwealth request for tender.

The Australian Standard for Defence Contracting (ASDEFCON) tenders are known for their strict guidelines and requirements, which can make them challenging for companies to respond to effectively. The tenders are requests for proposals from businesses to supply goods or services to the Australian Department of Defence and require a high level of compliance. To help On Track Meals navigate these requirements and increase their chances of success, Systematiq provided expert guidance and support throughout the process.

Systematiq provided a bid manager and specialist consultants to On Track Meals to develop and submit a high-quality response to the ASDEFCON tender. The bid manager was responsible for setting a project plan, allocating resources, and ensuring that the response was ready for submission on time.

Developing the Australian Industry Capability Plan

One key area of support provided to On Track Meals was in the development of an Australian Industry Capability (AIC) plan, sometimes known in other industries as a Local Industry Development (LID) plan. This is a requirement for many ASDEFCON tenders and involves demonstrating how a company will incorporate Australian industry and suppliers into their operations. Systematiq worked closely with On Track Meals to identify potential partners and develop a plan for integrating them into its supply chain.

Articulating the value proposition

In addition to this, Systematiq assisted On Track Meals with the development of its win themes and value proposition. This involved identifying the unique selling points of On Track Meals' products and services and developing a clear and compelling message for the tender submission. Systematiq provided expert guidance and support to On Track Meals throughout this process to ensure that its submission was as strong as possible.

Systematiq also supported On Track Meals with the preparation of an executive summary, which is a key part of any tender submission. This summary provides an overview of the company's capabilities, experience, and proposed approach to the project. It is centred on conveying the company's unique value proposition, which includes the key discriminators of its offering.

Systematiq senior consultant Sam Duncan said: “Through various workshops, we identified that it was the quality and innovation in On Track Meals’ products that we needed to really emphasise in the bid, as they didn’t have the scale and previous Defence experience to match the likely competitors. We weaved that win theme in across the whole response, and it made for a truly compelling submission.”

Integrating with On Track Meals

Throughout the process of working with On Track Meals, Systematiq demonstrated several key capabilities that helped to make the project a success. Its ability to quickly integrate with the client and understand their needs was essential in providing the right level of support. The Systematiq team was also able to mobilise quickly, which was important given the tight timeline for the tender submission.

Systematiq's culture and values were also closely aligned with those of On Track Meals, which helped to build a strong working relationship between the two companies. It was flexible in its approach, supporting changes to the scope and timeline as needed, and was able to work both remotely and on site as required.

A valuable experience, despite the result

Despite not being successful in its bid, On Track Meals benefited significantly from the process of working with Systematiq to develop a compliant and compelling ASDEFCON tender response. As Ian Lumb, Chief Operating Officer at On Track Meals, said: "From the moment we started working together on the response to our last meeting, it has been a pleasure for our team to have worked with all of you in some capacity. The education you have given us, and the continual guidance will assist our business regardless of the path it takes."

Systematiq is a defence and ASDEFCON tender writing specialist. It provides support at any stage of your project, with scalable resources to suit your needs – from project procurement and bid management, to writing, editing and design services.

Contact one of our business development managers today to talk about your specific project and how we can help you move forward.