Form of tender
A tender is a submission made by a prospective supplier in response to an invitation to tender. It makes an offer for the supply of goods or services. An invitation to tender might be issued for a range of contracts, including: equipment supply, the main construction contract (perhaps including design by the contractor), demolition, enabling works, and so on.
An invitation to tender might include:
- A letter of invitation to tender.
- The form of tender.
- Preliminaries.
- The form of contract.
- A tender pricing document.
- A drawing schedule.
- Design drawings.
- Specifications.
The form of tender is prepared by the client or their consultants and completed and signed by the tenderer. It is a formal acknowledgement that the tenderer understands and accepts the terms of conditions of the tender documents and any other requirements that are stipulated.
Items that might be appear on a form of tender could include:
- Latest return time and date.
- Date, name and address.
- Tender reference number.
- The price for which they are to do the works and any adjustments prices that have been agreed should the scope of the work or period of time change (or a reference to documents providing this information).
- The date until which the price remains valid.
- The period of time that is allocated for the works, or an actual completion date if required.
- Acceptance of terms and conditions.
- Confirmation of the country’s law that will govern the contract.
- References to other documents containing information.
- Any qualifications that apply.
- Who will bear the costs of preparing the tender.
- Any alternative proposals (or a reference to documents providing this information).
- Confirmation of the tender being genuine and bona fide.
- Signature and tenderer details.
Some of these items may be filled out by the client or their consultants in advance, so that the tenderer only has to agree and sign.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Bid strategies.
- Common mistakes in construction tenders.
- Contract documents for construction.
- Construction contract.
- Contract conditions.
- Contract engrossment.
- Contract execution.
- Contractual documents.
- Negotiated contract.
- Schedules of work.
- Specifications.
- Tender.
- Tender documents.
- Tender negotiations.
- Tender processes.
- Tender return slip.
- Tender settlement meeting.
- Tender submission.
- Things to avoid when tendering.
- Variant bid.
[edit] External references
- Felp - Sample form tender
Featured articles and news
Buildings that changed the future of architecture. Book review.
The Sustainability Pathfinder© Handbook
Built environment agency launches free Pathfinder© tool to help businesses progress sustainability strategies.
Government outcome to the late payment consultation, ECA reacts.
IHBC 2025 Gus Astley Student Award winners
Work on the role of hewing in UK historic conservation a win for Jack Parker of Oxford Brookes University.
Future Homes Building Standards and plug-in solar
Parts F and L amendments, the availability of solar panels and industry responses.
How later living housing can help solve the housing crisis
Unlocking homes, unlocking lives.
Preparing safety case reports for HRBs under the BSA
A new practical guide to preparing structural inputs for safety cases and safety case reports published by IStructE.
Male construction workers and prostate cancer
CIOB and Prostate Cancer UK encourage awareness of prostate cancer risks, and what to do about it.
The changed R&D tax landscape for Architects
Specialist gives a recap on tax changes for Research and Development, via the ACA newsletter.
Structured product data as a competitive advantage
NBS explain why accessible product data that works across digital systems is key.
Welsh retrofit workforce assessment
Welsh Government report confirms Wales faces major electrical skills shortage, warns ECA.
A now architectural practice looks back at its concept project for a sustainable oceanic settlement 25 years on.
Copyright and Artificial Intelligence
Government report and back track on copyright opt out for AI training but no clear preferred alternative as yet.
Embedding AI tools into architectural education
Beyond the render: LMU share how student led research is shaping the future of visualisation workflows.
Why document control still fails UK construction projects
A Chartered Quantity Surveyor explains what needs to change and how.
Inspiration for a new 2026 wave of Irish construction professionals.
New planning reforms and Warm Homes Bill
Take centre stage at UK Construction Week London.






















