How to Run a Better Tender: Getting Clean, Comparable Pricing
A poorly run tender produces numbers you can’t compare and decisions you can’t trust. Here’s how to run one that actually informs your choice.
A tender is meant to give you confidence: clear pricing, comparable bids, and a sound basis for choosing a builder. Too often it does the opposite — producing numbers that can’t be compared and a decision made on incomplete information.
Why tenders go wrong
When documentation is unclear or incomplete, each builder fills the gaps with their own assumptions. The result is a set of prices built on different inclusions, exclusions and qualifications — making the headline numbers effectively meaningless.
The ingredients of a better tender
- Clear, complete documentation that leaves little room for assumption.
- A defined tender scope so every builder prices the same thing.
- A shortlist of suitable builders rather than a scattergun approach.
- Structured Q&A so clarifications are shared consistently.
- Normalisation of returns to a common basis before comparison.
Choosing on value, not just price
Once tenders are normalised, the real differences emerge — scope, risk, programme and capability. The lowest number is rarely the best decision. A well-run tender lets you choose a builder on genuine value, with a clear-eyed understanding of what you’re buying and where the risks sit.
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