Awarding a multi-year commercial landscape contract to the wrong contractor is one of the most expensive mistakes a facilities team can make. The cost shows up in scope disputes, defect remediation, staff turnover, stakeholder complaints and — eventually — re-tendering the contract years ahead of schedule.
This 12-point checklist is the framework Element Queensland recommends to commercial, council and developer clients evaluating landscape maintenance partners across South East Queensland and Northern NSW.
The 12-point checklist
1. Insurance
$20M public liability, current workers comp, motor vehicle and professional indemnity where applicable.
2. Prequalification
CM3 (or equivalent), ISO 14001 environmental management, ISO 9001 quality system for major contracts.
3. Crew & qualifications
Cert III in Horticulture, qualified arborists (AQF Level 3+), playground inspectors, traffic-control accreditations.
4. In-house fleet
Fleet age, capacity, equipment list — including specialised gear like remote slope mowers, water trucks, EWPs.
5. Reporting capability
GPS-tagged photo reporting, asset register integration, KPI dashboards, monthly performance reports.
6. Service area & depots
Depots within 60 minutes of your sites — minimises mobilisation cost and improves response time.
7. Capability statement
Documented case studies across portfolios similar to yours — commercial, council, body corporate or developer.
8. References
Three current contracts of similar scale, with permission to contact operations leads.
9. Pricing transparency
Itemised scope, indicative breakdown by site and task, clearly defined exclusions and variation rates.
10. Defect & quote turnaround
Demonstrable median resolution times — typically <72 hrs for non-critical defects, <3 days for variation quotes.
11. Sustainability credentials
Recycling programs, low-emission equipment, water-efficient irrigation design, biodiverse plant palettes.
12. Cultural fit
Site visit during evaluation — meet the operations manager and crew supervisor who'd run your contract.
How to weight the criteria
Most well-structured commercial tenders use a weighted evaluation matrix. Here's a starting point we've seen work well for portfolios in the $250k – $2M annual range.
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Capability & experience (cases, fleet, crew) | 30% |
| Methodology & reporting | 15% |
| Compliance & safety record | 10% |
| References & cultural fit | 5% |
| Pricing | 40% |
Red flags to walk away from
Run the evaluation in three stages
- Capability prequalification. Insurance, CM3, fleet, references — yes/no gates before pricing review.
- Site walk & methodology. Walk one or two representative sites with each shortlisted contractor; assess thinking and questions, not pitch quality.
- Pricing & cultural fit. Apply the weighted matrix, then meet the operations manager who'd run the contract day-to-day.
Where Element Queensland fits in
Element Queensland is CM3 prequalified, ISO 14001 certified, carries $20M public liability and operates a 30+ vehicle in-house fleet across Brisbane, Moreton Bay, the Sunshine Coast and beyond. Explore our commercial landscaping services or our core competencies page, or get in touch for a sample tender response and capability statement.
Need this work delivered on your site?
Element Queensland delivers commercial landscape services across Brisbane, Moreton Bay, the Sunshine Coast and beyond. Talk to our team about scope, scheduling and reporting.
Request a Quote
