Tender documents use a vocabulary that needs translating. Learn it once.
- EOI — Expression of Interest: show you are interested and capable
- RFQ — Request for Quotation: prices for a relatively clear requirement
- ITT / IFT — Invitation to Tender: formal competitive tender
- RFP — Request for Proposal: method, team, solution and price
- Procuring entity — ministry, council, parastatal or public body buying
- Bidder / tenderer — the company submitting an offer
- Mandatory requirement — fail it and you are normally out
- Technical proposal — how you will do the work
- Financial proposal — your price
- Bid security — protection the buyer may demand from bidders
- Performance security — often required after you win
- Clarification — formal question or request for missing information
- Addendum — official change to the documents; ignore it and lose
Read the full document, not only the advert. Download common tendering mistakes and keep the stack clean before you write the story.