# What a compliance matrix is, and how to build one for a tender > What a tender compliance matrix is, the columns to include, a worked example and a free compliance matrix template for GeBIZ quotations and tenders. Source: https://www.fyadvisers.com/blog/tender-compliance-matrix/ Author: Fiona Wang, FYAdvisers Published: 2026-10-05 Last updated: 2026-10-05 A compliance matrix is a table that lists every requirement in a tender, one per row, and records how and where your bid meets it. It is the working document that stops you missing a mandatory item, and it turns a long, dense tender pack into a list your team can divide up and check off. If you want to skip ahead, our free [compliance matrix tool](/tools/compliance-matrix/) gives you a ready-made template. The rest of this article explains how to fill it in properly. ## Why a compliance matrix matters for government tenders Singapore government agencies evaluate bids against published criteria. MOF's [summarised supplier guide](https://www.gebiz.gov.sg/docs/Supplier_Guide_Summarised.pdf) explains that agencies typically have two sets of evaluation criteria: - **Critical criteria**, which must be met for a bid to be considered for award. - **Criteria not defined as critical**, where a supplier who misses them is still considered but may lose out to one who meets them. The same guide tells suppliers to address each criterion and show how the bid meets each requirement. A compliance matrix is the practical way to do exactly that. If a requirement is not in your matrix, there is a good chance it is not in your proposal either. ## The columns to include Keep it simple. These columns cover what most quotations and tenders need: | Column | What goes in it | |---|---| | Ref | The agency's own clause or paragraph number, so anyone can find the source | | Requirement | The requirement in the agency's words, or a faithful short version | | Type | Mandatory (critical), scored, or informational | | Source document | Which document it came from: specification, instructions, conditions, forms | | Our response | Comply, partially comply, or not comply, plus a one-line note | | Evidence and location | The proposal section, attachment or form where you answer it | | Owner | Who is responsible for this row | | Status | Not started, drafted, reviewed | Two rules make the matrix useful rather than decorative: 1. **One requirement per row.** If a clause says the supplier shall deliver by a date and provide a sample and include a warranty, that is three rows. 2. **Keep the agency's numbering.** It lets reviewers trace every row back to the source, and it lets you mirror the agency's structure in your proposal. ## How to build one, step by step ### 1. Collect every document in the pack Download everything from GeBIZ: the instructions to suppliers, conditions of contract, specifications or requirements, evaluation criteria, forms and any clarifications or addenda issued later. Requirements are often scattered across these, not just in the specification. ### 2. Read once without writing Read the whole pack from start to finish. You will understand the shape of the procurement, the deliverables, timeline and evaluation, before you start breaking it apart. ### 3. Extract the requirements Go back through each document and pull out every sentence that asks you to do, provide, state or submit something. Words to watch for: - shall, must, will, is required to - supplier is to, tenderer is to - submit, provide, include, attach, state, declare - no later than, within, at least, not exceed Add each one as a row with its clause reference. ### 4. Classify each row Mark each requirement as mandatory, scored or informational. The evaluation criteria section usually tells you which items are critical. When in doubt, treat it as mandatory. ### 5. Decide your response For each row, decide whether you comply, partially comply or do not comply. A "not comply" on a critical criterion usually means you should not bid. A partial compliance needs a clear, honest explanation in the proposal. ### 6. Map each row to your proposal Write down the exact section, page or attachment where the answer will sit. This becomes the outline of your proposal. If a scored criterion has no home in your proposal, you will see the gap straight away. ### 7. Assign owners and review Give each row to one person. Before submission, one reviewer who did not write the answers should go down the matrix row by row and confirm each answer is really there. ## Worked example Below is an illustrative matrix for a made-up quotation for printing and binding a school publication. The clauses are invented to show the method; they are not from a real tender. | Ref | Requirement | Type | Source | Our response | Evidence and location | Owner | Status | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 2.1 | Print 600 copies, A4, full colour, 120 pages | Mandatory | Specification | Comply | Proposal s.3.1; price schedule line 1 | Production lead | Reviewed | | 2.3 | Provide a printed proof for approval before the full run | Mandatory | Specification | Comply | Proposal s.3.4, workflow timeline | Production lead | Reviewed | | 2.5 | Deliver all copies by the date stated in the schedule | Mandatory | Specification | Comply | Proposal s.4, delivery plan | Project manager | Drafted | | 3.2 | Hardcover binding with laminated cover | Mandatory | Specification | Comply | Proposal s.3.2; sample photos, Annex B | Production lead | Reviewed | | 4.1 | Describe design and layout approach | Scored | Evaluation criteria | Comply | Proposal s.2, with past samples | Design lead | Drafted | | 4.2 | Provide examples of similar past work | Scored | Evaluation criteria | Comply | Annex C, three past projects | Account lead | Not started | | 5.1 | Fill in the price schedule without altering items or quantities | Mandatory | Instructions to suppliers | Comply | Price schedule form | Director | Reviewed | | 5.4 | Quotation validity of at least 90 days | Mandatory | Instructions to suppliers | Comply | Cover letter; online form | Director | Reviewed | | 6.2 | Sign and return the declaration form | Mandatory | Forms | Comply | Form 2, signed | Director | Not started | Reading this matrix, a reviewer can see in seconds that two items are not started, one of them a mandatory form. That is the kind of gap that ends a bid if it is found after the deadline instead of before. ## Mistakes that make a matrix less useful - **Only listing the specification.** Requirements in the instructions, conditions and forms matter just as much. Price schedule rules and signed declarations are often where bids fall over. - **Paraphrasing too loosely.** If your short version changes the meaning, you will answer the wrong question. When in doubt, quote the agency's words. - **Ignoring clarifications and addenda.** Agencies may issue changes after publishing. Add or update rows every time a clarification comes out. - **No location column.** Without it, "comply" is a promise, not a check. - **Treating it as paperwork.** The matrix is most useful as the plan for the proposal, not as a form completed at the end. ## Using the matrix to write the proposal Once the matrix is complete, the proposal outline mostly writes itself. Order your sections the way the evaluation criteria are ordered, use the agency's own headings where you can, and answer each scored criterion directly before adding supporting detail. Our [first-timer's guide to GeBIZ tenders](/blog/how-to-bid-for-gebiz-tenders/) covers the rest of the response and submission. ## Can AI build the matrix for you? AI tools can extract requirements from tender files and produce a first-draft matrix quickly. That is useful, because extraction is the slowest part. The risk is that a model misses a requirement buried in the conditions or misreads a "shall not". The draft needs checking against the documents by someone who understands the bid. We cover this in more detail in [using AI for tender writing without losing compliance](/blog/ai-tender-writing/). This is the approach FYAdvisers took with Chromatic Media. The tender preparation workflow we built produces a compliance matrix and proposal drafts from uploaded files, and Chromatic's team reviews the requirements, proposed response, design and prices before deciding what to submit. Chromatic went on to win its first government contract, a S$7,140 yearbook project for Dunman Secondary School, awarded on 5 August 2026. The [Chromatic Media story](/work/chromatic-media/) explains what the workflow does and where the team stays involved. If you would rather start by hand, open the [compliance matrix tool](/tools/compliance-matrix/) and add your first row from clause 1 of the documents. If you would like help with the whole preparation process, see [tender preparation support](/services/tender-signals/). ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the difference between a compliance matrix and a requirements checklist? A checklist records whether you have done something. A compliance matrix also records the source clause, whether the requirement is mandatory, how you respond and where in your proposal the evidence sits, so an evaluator can trace every answer. ### Should I submit my compliance matrix with the bid? Only if the documents ask for one or provide a compliance schedule to fill in. Otherwise keep it as an internal working document and use it to check the proposal before you submit. ### Can I build a compliance matrix in Excel or Google Sheets? Yes. A spreadsheet works well because you can filter by mandatory items, owner and status. Use one row per requirement and keep the agency's own clause numbers. ### Can AI create a compliance matrix from tender documents? It can produce a first draft by extracting requirements from the uploaded files, but a person still needs to check it against the documents, because a missed or misread requirement can rule a bid out.