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.

Also called: Mandatory criteria, Must-have

Related terms

Rated requirement
A part of the bid that earns points, such as approach, team experience or project plan. Rated requirements decide who wins among bids that pass the mandatory checks.
Evaluation criteria
How the buyer will score bids: the questions or factors, how many points each is worth, and how price is weighed against quality. They are published in the tender and must be followed.