Important Sections that are Included in a Typical Tender Document

Tendering is basically a widely used transactional model through which organizations across the world aim to find the most qualified suppliers and contractors for particular projects or procurements. Be it any country, India, Kenya, Zambia or Tanzania, tenders are typically issued to find the best suppliers and contractors for the completion of large scale projects.

A successful tendering procedure usually involves elaborate paperwork and record keeping. Therefore, tender documents are known to be quite an integral part of the tendering process. They usually are a part of the invitation that is sent to potential contractors by the client organization.

Here are few of the important sections that are included in a typical tender document:

• Conditions for participation: This section provides a brief outline of the most vital conditions that the supplier or the contractor should meet to be considered eligible for the project. The crucial records and documents that prove the overall qualification and eligibility of the bidder are usually included here. The availability of past project records, financial records, insurance documents, as well as relevant licenses are usually some of the key conditions set for participating in the tender bidding procedure.

• Accreditation and quality standard: This is one of the most important sections of the tender document as here the prospective bidders are required to demonstrate that they have the capability to meet all the needs and requirements of the client, to successfully complete the relevant project. The supplier or the contractor must try to provide the clients with a few certifications of quality or authority accreditations here, such as ISI or ISO certificate. They can even choose to provide a summary of various processes or procedures that are followed by their company and can provide assurance of superior quality of product or service.

•  Specifications: In this section, the bidder can underline all the specific details about the goods or services that they would have to provide to the clients. It would also feature the expected time frame for the completion of the project. Any kind of details associated with the pricing, delivery and performance of the project should be mentioned in this section. All of the details provided here typically have a major role to play in the final evaluation made by the client.

• Conditions of contract: In this section of the tender document, all the vital information about the rights and responsibilities of both the client and the contractor are usually provided. It partly marks the various terms and conditions of the work that is to be assigned. This section is incredibly crucial as it provides complete clarity, ensures transparency in the process of tendering.

• The conditions of offer: As the bidders are ultimately submitting their distinct offers they would have to provide their official agreement to the proposed terms and conditions of the contract. In this section, the rough timeline of the tendering process, location wherein the submission must be made, the evaluation process and other key elements are noted.

These are some of the key sections contractors can expect to find in the documents of tenders issued by various organizations across the globe. To acquire all the relevant information about the latest tenders issued in Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia, India or any other country across multiple industries, people can easily check out some of the most prominent online tendering portals available.

The steps involved in tender preparation

Every year, governments call upon the private sector to provide competitive bids for the supply of goods and services. The tender requests from governments attract small, medium, and large businesses across several sectors, from office supplies to major construction projects. Tender processes in the government sector have many common elements. So, here are some of the important steps involved in preparing a competitive tender.

Register your interest
This is the first step involved in the process. You should follow the instructions in the tender document to register your interest with the purchasing agency. This vital step will assist you in keeping you up to date on any tender information session.

Attend tender information sessions
In case you have registered through a tender website, closely follow the website for updates about the tender. You can also attend tender information sessions. These provide you with good opportunities to ask questions and make contact with the agency. However, it has to be remembered that government agencies are under no obligation to make available copies of information, presentations, etc., that may be given at an information session.

Prepare your tender response strategy
In case you are bidding for a big tender, you need to plan your tender carefully and consider the requirements and resources involved. For example, if you are eyeing tenders in Poland,then you need to consider certain things like the cost involved, information to gather, competition, chances of winning, etc.

Analyzing the tender request
The chief element involved in developing a tender response is to examine the tender request. You need to take a call as to whether the opportunity is a good one for your business or not. Is it worthwhile to invest time, money and resources into developing a competitive tender response? For example, if you get some Poland tenders, will you be logistically and practically able to fulfill it?

How to analyze a tender request
Now you need to decide whether or not to make an official tender response. This is a very significant decision to make. It is to be remembered that developing a tender will require money and usage of valuable resources, and leaving the development of the tender for a later stage can have serious ramifications for your business.

Check for recently awarded contracts
If you have any doubts regarding any requirements in the tender request, you should contact the tender coordinator for clarification. Also, review recently awarded contracts. The details of recently awarded government contracts can be found on tender websites. There you can find out which type of companies won similar tenders in the past? What is the contracting agency looking for? What can you do to live up to the expectations?

Write a compelling bid
Prepare your tender proposal carefully. This involves a lot of planning, drafting, and refining. Make sure that you use the response forms provided and answer all questions. Think of various propositions through which you can set your tender apart from others. Assess the evaluation criteria to get a good understanding of things the government agency is particularly looking for and will be evaluating your offer against.

Understand the payment terms
While preparing your tender, ensure that you are aware of the payment schedule specified. Government payment schedules will vary from agency to agency and procurement to procurement. You might not get paid as soon as the job is finished or goods are delivered. So, in case you require a different payment method to what has been specified, you should mention the same in your bid.

Present your bid
Tender panels involved in high-value contracts may ask for a formal presentation from bidders. If you are required to present your bid to an evaluation panel, then be careful about the key messages in your proposal. So, plan your presentation wisely, rehearse,if possible, and if you feel presentation is not your forte,then get some coaching for the same.