The Powerhouse Podcast

Winning a Defence contract sounds like a good problem to have. But what happens if delivering that contract puts more pressure on your business than you expected?

In Episode 3 of the Defence Reality Check, Esther Anderson is joined by Tom from RSM to talk about the numbers businesses need to understand before taking on Defence work.

Cash flow, payment terms, upfront costs, additional working capital and the cost of actually winning the work can all look very different once a contract moves from opportunity to delivery.

We also look at the financial questions worth asking before you commit. Can your business fund the work? How long can you carry the costs before getting paid? What happens if the project grows, changes or takes longer than expected? And does a bigger contract necessarily mean a more profitable one?

Because sometimes the biggest financial risk isn’t losing the tender.

It’s winning it without knowing your numbers.

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Finding a Defence tender that looks like a good fit for your business can be exciting. But before you start writing a response, there’s a much more important question to ask: should you bid for it at all?

In Episode 2 of the Defence Reality Check, Esther Anderson is joined by David Lunn from BidWrite to unpack the tender process from a business perspective.

What should you look for before deciding to bid? Do you really understand what the buyer is asking for? Can you demonstrate your capability rather than simply say you can do the work? And what are some of the common mistakes businesses make before they even get to the submission?

This conversation sets the foundation for the episodes ahead, because once you decide to pursue the work, your finances, people, systems, processes and security all start to matter.

Before you spend the time and money chasing a tender, make sure it’s an opportunity worth chasing.

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Defence opportunities are growing across Western Australia, but hearing about billions of dollars of investment and working out what that actually means for your business are two very different things.

In Episode 1, host Esther Anderson introduces Series 2: The Defence Reality Check and sets the scene for the conversations ahead.

From tendering and finance to people, systems, cyber security and DISP, the coming episodes will bring in people with specialist knowledge to answer the questions businesses are asking and explore some of the realities of working in and around Defence.

Because getting an opportunity is one thing. Being ready when it arrives is something else entirely.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WA is on the cusp of a wind energy revolution, with both onshore and offshore wind projects gaining momentum. In this episode, Chris Kearney from Wind with Purpose breaks down the future of wind power in WA, the potential of industrial energy-sharing, and why wind turbines could be a key tool in protecting the Western Trade Coast buffer zone.

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WA is on the cusp of a major transformation, with billion-dollar projects set to reshape the state. In this episode, we cover Westport, AUKUS, hydrogen energy, green steel, and key mining expansions, breaking down what they mean, when they’ll happen, and how they’ll impact WA’s economy and workforce.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.