Which route fits you?
Most firms use more than one route. The World Bank points below come from its two-envelope works document (September 2025 edition).
| Route | How it helps | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Bid smaller tenders | Each tender sets its own thresholds, so small works may ask for less. | Keep a completion certificate from every job. |
| Work as a subcontractor | The Bank's similar-contract test counts contracts completed as a subcontractor (Section III). | Get written proof of your scope and value from the main contractor. |
| Join a joint venture | Section III sets what all members together, each member and one member must meet. | All members are jointly and severally liable for the whole contract (ITB 4). |
| Use a specialized subcontractor | Their specific experience can count, but only for parts the tender allows (ITB 17). | Their general experience and finances are not added to yours. |
| Use local relief | Some countries ease the rules for new or small firms. | Read the current rule and the tender itself. |
What counts as experience?
The tender defines this, and you should read it word by word. In the World Bank document, these rules apply.
- Similar means similar in size, complexity, method, technology or other key features the tender lists.
- A contract can count if you completed it as prime contractor, joint venture member, management contractor or subcontractor.
- Evaluators ignore other firms, including your parent, subsidiaries and affiliates (ITB 31).
- Your staff's past work belongs in the personnel forms. It does not replace the firm's own contract record.
What relief exists for new firms?
These are two examples. Ask your national procurement authority what applies to you.
- India: Startup India lists rules that relax prior experience and turnover for recognised startups. They include Rule 4.5.2 of the works manual. They bind central government buyers, and states may differ.
- South Africa: cidb grades set the contract values you can bid for. Grade 1 covers work up to R200,000. Grades depend on track record and financial capability, so confirm the current rules with the cidb.
What proof should you collect now?
A record only helps if you can prove it. Start a file for each job, however small.
- The signed contract or subcontract.
- A completion certificate that states the scope and the value.
- Payment certificates, which also support your turnover figure.
- A reference from the client or the main contractor.
- Dated photographs of the work.
Why should you never stretch the record?
Evaluators may check your claims. The World Bank can sanction firms for misrepresenting experience. See can software write a tender response for the rules on false claims.
How can Bidligence help?
Bidligence does not create experience. Its Company Vault holds your records and warns you before documents expire. It drafts from that evidence and marks a gap when the evidence is missing. Before you spend money, its Bid Score gives a bid or no-bid recommendation.
Questions
- Can I use my director's past projects?
- Usually they support the key staff section, not the firm's contract record. The tender decides. Ask the buyer in writing if it is unclear.
- Do I need a joint venture to win my first tender?
- No. Many firms start with small works or subcontracts. A joint venture helps when the tender is above your own record.
- Which tenders suit a new company?
- Look for small works with low thresholds, and read the qualification section first. A bid or no-bid check stops you paying for bids you cannot win.
Sources
Rules and portals change. Check the tender’s own documents and the official source before you rely on any of this.