Bid submission

Pay special attention to the text of the tender notice or invitation: it probably will set out requirements for submitting the bid that are not repeated elsewhere in the documentation. In particular, note the following points:

• the precise wording used in the title of the notice to denote the contract: use the same form of words in communicating with the client and in titling the bid;

• the client's contract reference, if stated;

• the date of publication of the notice: an urgent response may be necessary if there has been a delay in seeing the notice or receiving the invitation; moreover the deadlines for procedures such as obtaining detailed tender documents, requests for clarification and the submission of bids may be expressed in terms of numbers of days after the date of publication;

• any requirement to acknowledge receipt of the invitation, to inform the client whether or not you will be submitting a bid, and to give prior notice of the date and mode of delivery;

• any details of enclosures or attachments: check that you have received all the material referred to in the invitation to tender; look in particular for forms that have to be completed and returned with the bid;

• the details of your address, if an invitation has arrived by post, fax or e-mail, and the person for whose attention the invitation is addressed: has the client got the details right?

• the name and post of the signatory of the notice or invitation: is this the person to whom you should address the bid?

• information on whether the bid is to be produced as hard copy or in digital form - for example, on CD ROM - or both;

• instructions for submission of the bid, including date, time and location and the number of copies required; instructions about packaging and labelling and whether you need to obtain an official receipt: clients may specify how bids can be delivered - for example by hand, registered post or recorded delivery courier - and they may veto submissions by fax or e-mail;

• instructions on identification of bids: some clients require that the sealed package in which the tender is delivered must give no indication of the identity of the bidder; others want this information to appear on the package; clients may also provide a reference label to be attached to the package.

Depending on the procurement context and the approach taken by the client, the notice or invitation may also include information on other matters, such as:

• the contracting procedures under which the proposed contract is to be awarded;

• rules governing the eligibility of tenderers, consortium bids and use of subcontractors;

• requirements for tenderers to provide a bid bond, performance bond or both;

• whether a tendering certificate declaring that the tenderer has not colluded with any other bidder has to be completed;

• whether bidders are required or expected to have quality accreditation - for example to ISO 9000 series or comparable quality management standards;

• required period of validity of tenders;

• specific requirements that have to be met if the bid is to be accepted as compliant;

• admissibility of variant or qualified solutions;

• whether there is any provision to modify the tender before the formal submission date;

• a contact in the client organization to whom bidders can refer for factual information;

• whether bidders are forbidden to have any contact with the client, other than in writing or in the context of a formal clarification meeting, before submitting their tender;

• arrangements for briefing meetings or visits to project locations;

• the required format of the tender - for example, a set of forms and cost schedules that bidders have to complete;

• whether there is a limit on the page length of the bid, eg 'no more than 25 A4 sides';

• whether price information has to be submitted in a separate financial bid (Chapter 20);

• the date, hour and place of the tender opening;

• the criteria to be applied in evaluating bids, including their weighting and the proportionality of quality and price criteria;

• names of other firms invited to tender.