Guidelines for "Invitation to Tender"

An Invitation to Tender can be defined as a process whereby any supplier can openly submit a tender/bid/quotation after the publication of a tender notice. Such a process can be locally or internationally focused. Before beginning a tender process, donor rules and regulations should be assessed to ensure that organization’s guidelines as listed below are consistent with those of the donor agency.

The following outlines organization’s standard procedure for formal tendering. The steps outlined apply to the procurement of supplies and services whether the tender is a local or international open procedure. The guidelines also apply whether tendering for a specific quantity of material, a fixed term contract or a supply agreement. There are seven core stages involved in a formal tendering process as per the table below. It should be ensured that each stage is fully completed, as per these guidelines, before moving on to the next stage of the process.

  1. Stage 1 Preparation Meeting
  2. Stage 2 Preparation of the Tender Advertisement and Tender Dossier
  3. Stage 3 Tender Advertising
  4. Stage 4 Receipt of Offers
  5. Stage 5 Tender Opening Session
  6. Stage 6 Tender Evaluation
  7. Stage 7 Finalise Tender Process

A minimum of 6 weeks should be allowed for all tender processes however some tenders may require an additional time allocation.

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