Conflict of interest

A situation where a supplier, or someone involved in the evaluation, could gain unfairly from the outcome. Bidders must declare any conflicts, for example having helped write the tender.

Related terms

Exclusion grounds

Reasons a supplier must or may be barred from bidding, such as fraud convictions, unpaid taxes or serious past failures. Bidders declare against them in a questionnaire.

Early market engagement

Talks a buyer holds with suppliers before a tender to understand the market, such as RFIs, demos and supplier days. It is the best time to influence a tender’s requirements.