Tender notification

A tender notification is an online service, which in more recent times is provided through the delivery model software as a service. Historically, the service would be provided by basic coding techniques in PHP code, when a new tender had been published. Since then, the industry has grown to provide fully automated systems that deliver various forms of communication to notify users of tendering opportunities. Typically, services are delivered in the form of an e-mail and are commonly for open tenders, which allow any potential supplier to register interest in a tender opportunity.

Some may argue that notification services have become integral to open tenders and the process. Notification services are often the main form of communication to the client that a new tender is available. People closely linked with the providing end user, may receive communication directly, but with the growth of the notification industry, this is becoming unlikely. Procurement software sometimes incorporates the tendering data into packages to make the information more accessible for suppliers interested in various tenders.

Many of the direct notification packages often have a targeted market or segment, often from one or two providers, for example a county council or large government institution. Repacks allow for greater numbers of tenders and often cover multiple countries, segments and markets.

Types of notifications

Direct

These are normally opportunities that are sent direct from the system they were created on. For example if a government institution used a certain brand of tendering software, then this brand would also offer a tender service to notify the user of tenders on that specific system.

Repacks

Repacks are normally provided by external organisations and software as a service providers. Feeds from multiple sources are combined, collated and then sent out. The aim of repacks is normally to give the supplier as many opportunities as possible on a daily basis.

Normally where feeds from multiple sources are combined, collated and then sent out. The aim is obvious here, to give the supplier as many opportunities as possible on a daily basis. However, due to the information often being second or third hand, some data can be lost in the process, or may become inaccurate as it is passed down the line. The collated information tends include a range of sectors, from construction to healthcare tenders.^[1]

Similar processes

A request for tender and request for quotation is a closed tender where people are invited by a buyer to quote for specific work.^[2] A tender notification alerts potential suppliers of open tenders that they then have to register interest in before entering the tendering process.^[3]

Invitation to tender is also a similar process to a tender notification. The major difference is the institution or organisation who created the tender chooses who to invite, often in the form of a closed tender. Tender notification services provide a vast array of people and companies about an open tender that anyone can apply for.

Benefits

Tender notifications (sometimes called tender alerts), provide the client with given tender information that they desire. This is often delivered in the form of an email notification, saving the client visiting multiple websites to check for updates on potential clients. Most repacks provide both private and public sector tender opportunities. The idea is that tender notification systems deliver tender opportunities to the company, dramatically reducing the amount of time spent looking for these tenders.^[4]

References

1. "European Portal for Tendering". Tenders Electronic Daily. European Union.
2. "Request for Tenders Definition". Business Dictionary.
3. "Preparing Request for Tender documentation". Tasmanian Government.
4. "Tender Opportunities and the Benefits of Tender notification". TendersDaily.