Tendering in India is a highly competitive affair. Around 10,000-15,000 tenders are released daily, which are issued by several government entities like the central and state governments, public sector undertakings (PSUs), municipalities etc. The sheer size of India’s economy and numerous capable businesses operating across the country ensure a robust level of competition characterised by a large number of participants. In order to stay ahead in the game, one must submit a strong bid. The bid must comply with all the tender requirements and should be devoid of any error to avoid disqualification.

Criteria for Tenders in India

Indian tenders are the backbone of public and several private procurements. Procurement in India is governed by a set of well-defined criteria for tenders that emphasise eligibility, technical capability, previous experiences and financial strength. Indian tenders can be broadly classified into three categories: goods, services and works. With thousands of Indian tenders floating around, the criteria for tenders are set forth to ensure a fair and transparent procurement process, while selecting the most capable and reliable vendors. The criteria for tenders have several key categories:

  1. Eligibility Criteria
  2. Technical Evaluation Criteria
  3. Financial Evaluation Criteria
  4. Other Criteria depending on the Nature of Indian Tenders

Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for tenders define the basic requirements for a potential bidder for Indian tenders. Go through the essentials of tender documents carefully and prepare your documentation accordingly. Some of the commonly asked documents are listed below. Failing to provide any of these may lead to disqualification –

  1. Legal Status – Company’s registration details like registration number, PAN and GSTIN to prove their legal standing.
  2. Financial Documents – Proof of financial stability (financial statements or bank solvency certificates) that demonstrate a specified annual turnover over the past few years.
  3. Previous Experiences – Prior Experience in similar Indian tenders along with completion certificates for projects of similar or specified value.
  4. Technical Qualifications – Proof of technical capabilities like infrastructure, equipment and qualified personnel with details like number of engineers and technicians.

Technical Evaluation Criteria

One of the essentials of tender documents includes a section that gives details about the technical evaluation criteria. The aim is to assess the bidder’s technical proposal and how well they understand the project’s technical aspects. Some common technical evaluation criteria for tenders include –

  1. Methodology – Proposed work plan, project approach, execution plan and timelines.
  2. Technical Compliance – Compliance with technical specifications and whether the proposed solution meets the requirements of specific Indian tenders.
  3. Quality Assurance – Compliance to required quality stands accompanied by corresponding certifications like ISO.
  4. Sector-Specific – Depending on the category or sector of Indian tenders, there could be specific requirements involved. For example, the technical criteria for construction tenders will be different from supply tenders.

Financial Evaluation Criteria

The technically qualified bidders make it to this stage where their financial bids are assessed primarily based on their quoted price including taxes and duties and whether they comply with the schedule as planned in the Indian tenders.

Other Criteria

Depending on the nature of the Indian tenders, other essentials of tender documents may include preference to local businesses under the Make in India initiative. If you are an MSME, you will receive certain benefits like exemption from EMD. You will have to submit necessary certifications like Udyam registration to avail the same.

Any oversight can lead to disqualification of your bid. BidAssist recommends you go through the essentials of tender documents carefully before submitting your bid.

Checklist for a Perfect Bid Submission of Indian Tenders: BidAssist picks the Top 10 Points

  1. Choose Right – Make sure you choose the right Indian tenders. Choose a tender that aligns with your company’s capabilities.
  2. Review the Tender Documents – Understand the essentials of tender documents well. Stick to the selection criteria.
  3. Prepare the technical bid well – Include documents to demonstrate your technical compliance like product specifications, methodologies, timelines and project plans. 
  4. Financial Bid – For the financial bid, make sure you have included the price breakdown and validity of your price for the specified period, aside from the price quotation.
  5. Quote a Feasible Price – A common mistake made in Indian tenders is quoting the wrong price. Do your homework, analyse your capabilities and quote a price after thorough research. Be realistic.
  6. Experience Credentials – Provide your experience credentials, past project details, completion certificates and testimonials from previous clients. 
  7. Qualifications & Certifications – Fetch the team’s qualifications and provide the company’s technical certifications like ISO, BIS etc. 
  8. Quality of Writing – One of the criteria for tenders often ignored is the quality of writing in the bid documents. They should be precise, free of grammatical errors and relevant. 
  9. Timely Submission – Submit your bids well in time, as late submissions will be rejected. Note the closing date while selecting the Indian tenders. The closing date is mentioned clearly, just below the tenders on BidAssist.
  10. Other Payments – Pay the tender fees and Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) on time and submit a proof for the same to the tender issuing authority.

Crack the Code for Indian Tenders with BidAssist

Eprocurement of Indian tenders can be a lengthy process and some may find it complicated. Get professional assistance from the experts at BidAsisst. We will not only help you choose the right Indian tenders for your business, but also explain the criteria for tenders and help you comply with them from A to Z.

Why Businesses Rely on Us!

BidAssist has over 4.4 crore Indian as well as international tenders sourced from more than 50,000 sources globally. Typically, there are 180,000 active Indian tenders and another 315,000 active global tenders. BidAssist features lakhs of Indian tenders, and its content base is double of other leading players in the field. It’s easy to find Indian tenders relevant to your business on BidAssist using the desired filters. There are 13.2 million tender results in India and 5.8 million tender results globally. So what are you waiting for? Start searching for Indian tenders that align with your niche only on BidAssist, today!