Tender Process

The tender process is how you find the right contractor at the right price. You prepare a tender package — drawings, specifications, bill of quantities, contract conditions — and invite contractors to submit a price. They review the documents, visit the site, ask clarifications, and submit their bid by a deadline.

For small developers, tendering is often informal — you get three quotes and pick the cheapest. But this approach is risky. The cheapest price isn't always the best value, and without a structured evaluation process, you might miss critical differences in scope, exclusions, or programme assumptions that make a "cheap" tender expensive in practice.

A proper tender evaluation considers more than just price. You look at the contractor's track record, their financial capacity, their proposed programme, their key personnel, and their understanding of the project. You might interview shortlisted tenderers. You check references. You compare scope inclusions and exclusions across tenders to make sure you're comparing apples with apples.

The tender process also sets the tone for the entire construction phase. A well-run tender — clear documentation, fair process, reasonable evaluation period — signals to contractors that you're a professional developer who will manage the project properly. A messy tender — incomplete drawings, unrealistic deadlines, constant changes — signals the opposite and often results in inflated prices because contractors price the risk of working with you.