The Procurement Glossary » Tender

Tender

Sourcing & RFx

Definition

A formal, often public, invitation for suppliers to submit competitive offers for a defined contract, common in government and large-enterprise buying.

Explanation

Tendering emphasises fairness, transparency and documented evaluation. It usually follows strict rules on timing, confidentiality and scoring, and produces a clear audit trail showing why the winning supplier was chosen.

Example

A university issues an open tender for its three-year stationery contract and receives eleven sealed submissions.

Related terms

• Bid — A supplier's formal priced response to a sourcing request, stating what it will supply, at what price and on what terms.
• Request for Proposal (RFP) — A sourcing document inviting suppliers to propose how they would meet a requirement, evaluated on approach and value — not price alone.
• Public Procurement — The purchasing of goods and services by government and public-sector bodies, governed by strict rules on fairness and transparency.
• Evaluation Criteria — The defined factors — and their relative weights — used to score and compare supplier bids or proposals.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Tender?

A formal, often public, invitation for suppliers to submit competitive offers for a defined contract, common in government and large-enterprise buying. Tendering emphasises fairness, transparency and documented evaluation. It usually follows strict rules on timing, confidentiality and scoring, and produces a clear audit trail showing why the winning supplier was chosen.

Can you give an example of Tender?

A university issues an open tender for its three-year stationery contract and receives eleven sealed submissions.

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