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Last edited 26 Dec 2019

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Tender documentation for construction projects Invitation to tender for construction contracts

Form of tender
A tender is a submission made by a contractor in response to an invitation to tender. It makes
Typical tender process for construction projects
an offer for the supply of goods or services. Tender documents are prepared to seek offers.
Specification for construction
Tender documents may be prepared for a range of contracts, such as equipment supply, the Tender pricing document
main construction contract (including design by the contractor), demolition, enabling works, etc.
How to prepare tender documents

Ideally, tender documents should be broken down into a series of packages (even if there will Tender processes for construction contracts
only be one main contract) each with its own design drawings and specifications suitable to be Construction contract
issued by the main contractor to potential sub-contractors. This makes the tender easier for the
contractor to price and easier for the client to compare with other tenderers.

It is important, when this is done, to ensure that the interfaces between packages are properly
identified and clearly allocated to one package or another. Having too many packages
increases the number of interfaces and so the potential problems. The cost plan (pre-tender
estimate) should also be re-assembled package by package to allow easy appraisal of tenders
received.

See also: Common mistakes in construction tenders.

Tenders documents may include:

A letter of invitation to tender.

The form of tender.
Preliminaries: including pre-construction information and site waste management plan (if
required).
The form of contract, contract conditions and amendments. This might include a model
enabling amendment for building information modelling (BIM), making a BIM protocol a
contractual document.
A tender pricing document (or contract sum analysis on design and build projects).
Employer's information requirements for BIM.
Design drawings, and perhaps an existing building information model.
Specifications.
Tender return slip.

Copies of the tender documentation should be kept for records.

See also: Things to avoid when tendering.

It is good practice to send relevant documents direct to sub-contractors named in bills of

quantities and to tell tendering contractors that this has been done, so they know they do not
have to.

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NB: On construction management contracts, tender documentation for trade contracts might Featured articles and news
include the construction manager's master programme.
Value in the view

Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

Invitation to tender for construction contracts

Form of tender
Typical tender process for construction projects
Specification for construction
Tender pricing document
How to prepare tender documents
Tender processes for construction contracts
Construction contract
Preliminaries in construction
Conserving historic urban views. IHBC book
Design drawings
Bill of quantities BOQ review.
Construction contract conditions
Main contract.
Employer's information requirements EIR Conserving designed landscapes
Contract documents for construction
Pre-construction information
Tender submission.
Tender works programme
Pre-tender estimate for contracts
Construction work packaging
Bid writer

External references
A complex assortment of organic, built, natural
CPIC the Construction Project Information Committee, responsible for providing best and modified features.
practice guidance on the content, form and preparation of construction production
information.
Condensation

Comments

1) What are the alternative tender pricing documentation formats used for different
procurements available.Also in your opinion and experience what are the advantages and
disadvantages of each type?

Answering this question is not straight forward and would take a lot of research.

There are number of articles on the site that might be useful to you, in particular; Contract sum Why it occurs and how it can be prevented.
analysis, Tender pricing document and Schedule of rates. Others may also be of interest, such
as; Bills of quantities, Pre-tender estimate, Measurement contract, Procurement route and so
Marketing heritage assets
on.

Sorry not to be of more help.

/
2) In which tender package (TP) would one put "Sliding automatic doors"? Is it
Electromechanical (EM), like lifts and escalators? Who specifies them? The architect or the EM
engineer?

Generally we would expect them to be in their own separate package with the builders work in
the electrical package. Specified by the architect probably using a closed specification based
on a preferred manufacturer.

3) Is there a publication of some sort that associates 'work results' (WR) with the corresponding
generally expected TP? (although one realises that the allocation of WRs to TPs is to some
degree project specific).

IHBC publish an updated guidance note.

Not to our knowledge. A good client team ought to provide tender feedback to unsuccessful
bidders.
BREEAM guidance
4) What are the advantages and disadvantages of including detailed information in a tender
document on the types of inspections the Engineer will carry out on the Contractor's
workmanship and marterials?

Encouraging the use of contractors who operate

environmental management systems.

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