TENDER

TENDER selection criteria and process

Tender–to invite bids for a project, or to accept a formal offer such as a takeover bid. Tender usually refers to the process whereby governments invite bids for large projects that must be submitted within a finite timeline.

Tender request documents; also referred to as invitations to tender, request for tender (RFT), request for proposal (RFP) etc. outline what is required, that is, what the requesting organizations needs are. These documents also outline the particular requirements, criteria and instructions that are to be followed.

Tender process for any government building consists of Tender notice; checklists and instruction for the consultant/firm/company for submission of tenders, general conditions, site conditions and additional conditions, specifications, reporting procedure are mentioned. Before considering the detailed stages of the tender process, the tenderer should bear in mind the importance of ethics in the tender process.

The documents themselves will vary between organisation to organisation, but common elements of tender request documents include:

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• Description of work to be procured-   this will include what the work will involve, and any technical specifications or details relating to requirements, deliverable or outcomes of the project.
• Conditions of tender: this stipulates the terms and requirements that must be met in order to be considered for the project or contract. There may be technical qualifications, experience, licensing, legal or financial conditions that ought to be met in order to be eligible.
• Evaluation criteria: this outlines how your submission will be assessed and evaluated. This should be adhered to and used as a guide when preparing your tender submission.
• Submission content and format: details may be provided on how you should present your submission
•  Process rules and information: this may include things such as the deadline for submission; where and when it should be submitted, what should be included in the submission.
• Conditions of Contract: Draft contract conditions: this may indicate the general or standard terms and conditions of the contract, with additions or alterations made when a winning tender is announced. This should also include any non-standard terms and conditions - these should be highlighted within the tender documents.

Tender document also consists of laws, scope, agreement, quality assurance of the work, additional terms and conditions and conditions and specifications for work.  In the end form of performance security has to be filled by the tenderer which are bank guarantee bond and integrity agreement which is an integral part of tender documents, failing which will stand disqualified from the tendering process.

The submitted tenders are then evaluated with regard to defined criteria. In a normal tendering situation, this process should be conducted fairly and honestly, and in a manner that is free from bias or favor. The offer that best meets all of the requirements outlined in the request, and provides value for money should win the contract.

 The Indian government along with state and local government provides many opportunities to tender wide range of projects. Government tendering involves various guidelines and procedures, to ensure that the process is conducted in accordance with ethical, fair and transparent practices. As the government is accountable for tax-payers and the society, they ensure that the tendering process is equitable and non-discriminatory. Government procurement processes are designed to encourage competition and promote the efficient, effective, and ethical use of government resources.