Tender Documentation for Construction Projects - An Overview

The tender documents form the basis of the contractor’s offer to construct the works. The tender documents are the means by which the employer’s design and/or works requirements are communicated to the tendering contractors. These inform the contractor of the scope and detail of the project, the conditions under which the work will be executed, and they identify the rights and obligations of the various participants under the proposed contract. The tender documents enable contractors to price the works requirements and submit an offer (bid) which, if accepted by the employer becomes a binding contract. Some of the tender documents will, in turn, become contract documents. Many, if not most, of the financial problems in building originate in inadequate or unclear tender documents, culminating in disputes between employers and builders over what is included in the price for the work. It is important therefore, that quantity surveyors have a clear understanding of the nature and purpose of the various documents used for tendering purposes. This study examines these documents in the context of ‘mainstream’ Irish procurement approaches.