Bidders’ conference

A meeting, in person or online, where the buyer walks interested suppliers through a tender and answers questions. Some are mandatory: miss one and you cannot bid.

Also called: Pre-bid meeting, Industry day

Related terms

Mandatory requirement

A pass-or-fail condition a bid must meet to be scored at all, such as a certification, insurance level or minimum years of experience. Missing one means the bid is rejected unread.

Site visit

A scheduled visit to the buyer’s premises before bids close, common for networks, hardware and on-site support. When it is mandatory, only firms that attend can bid.