Tendering Guide
Fitness & Personal Training
Fitness professionals and personal training businesses tender for corporate wellness programs, council and community fitness initiatives, school sports coaching contracts, aged care exercise programs, rehabilitation facility partnerships, military fitness training, and gym management agreements. These contracts require certified qualifications, first aid competency, insurance coverage, program design expertise, and the ability to work safely with diverse populations including those with chronic health conditions, injuries, or disabilities.
What evaluators look for
- Nationally recognised fitness qualifications and current registration with industry bodies
- First aid, CPR, and AED certification (current, not expired)
- Specialist certifications — older adults, pre/postnatal, disability, chronic disease, youth
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Program design methodology with evidence-based progression models
- Experience working with the target population (corporate, aged care, schools, rehabilitation)
- Outcome measurement and participant progress tracking systems
Tips for a winning bid
Design a program specifically for the contract population
A corporate lunchtime fitness program looks completely different from an aged care falls prevention class. Don't submit your standard personal training packages. Design a program that addresses the specific goals, constraints, and demographics of the client's population. Include session plans, progression pathways, modification options for different fitness levels, and how you'll manage participants with pre-existing conditions.
Show your screening and risk management process
Describe your pre-exercise screening questionnaire (e.g., Adult Pre-Exercise Screening System), how you handle medical clearance requirements, your emergency action plan for each venue, and your process for modifying exercises for participants with injuries or chronic conditions. This is critical for aged care and rehabilitation contracts where participant safety is the primary concern.
Demonstrate measurable outcomes from previous programs
Evaluators want evidence that your programs actually work. Present data from previous contracts: participant retention rates, fitness assessment improvements, participant satisfaction scores, and any health outcome data (reduced sick days, improved mobility scores, weight management results). "87% participant retention over 12 months with an average 23% improvement in functional fitness scores" is powerful evidence.
Address logistics and scheduling flexibility
Detail your availability, how you handle cancellations and make-up sessions, your equipment needs (and what you'll supply vs what the client provides), venue requirements, and how you scale the program for seasonal fluctuations in attendance. Corporate clients especially need flexibility around public holidays and busy business periods.
Include your continuing professional development commitment
Show that you stay current with exercise science. List recent CPD courses, workshops, and conferences attended. Mention any specialisations you're working toward. This reassures evaluators that your programming is based on current evidence, not outdated methods — particularly important for contracts involving clinical populations.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Submitting expired first aid or CPR certificates
- Not addressing pre-exercise screening and medical clearance procedures
- Failing to design a program specific to the contract population and environment
- Omitting professional indemnity insurance or providing insufficient coverage levels
- Not demonstrating measurable outcomes from previous comparable programs
The winning edge
Fitness tenders are won by demonstrating that you're a health professional, not just an enthusiastic trainer. The response that includes evidence-based program design, robust screening and safety protocols, measurable outcome data, and specialist qualifications for the target population will always outperform a flashier bid that lacks substance. Show evaluators you take participant safety and outcomes as seriously as they do.
Sources & further reading
- AusTender — find & respond to Australian Government tendersOfficialAustralian Government — Department of Finance
- AUSactive — exercise & active health peak bodyAUSactive (formerly Fitness Australia)
- Awards, pay rates and workplace obligationsOfficialFair Work Ombudsman
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