An invitation to tender is a formal, structured procedure for generating competing offers from different potential suppliers or contractors looking to obtain an award of business activity in works.
The term tender refers to an invitation to bid for a project. Tendering usually refers to the process whereby governments and financial institutions invite bids for large projects that must be submitted within a finite deadline. The word tender can also refer to the acceptance of a formal offer, such as a takeover bid.
Tender Process
Publication of Tender
Botswana Railways publishes advertisements of available tenders in the national, regional, and international press and on this website. Potential suppliers are advised to regularly consult newspapers and this website for available tenders. The potential supplier will be required to pay a fee to obtain a copy of the tender document from the Procurement Section at Botswana Railways Headquarters in Mahalapye, Botswana.
Tender submission
Tenders, sealed and marked clearly with the corresponding tender number, must be put into the prescribed tender box to the address specified in the invitation to tender before the closing time on the closing date. Late tenders will not be accepted.
Tender Opening
Received tenders are kept secure and unopened until the closing date when they are opened in the presence of five internal officers and tenderers. Late tenders are rejected without being opened.
Tender evaluation and award
Opened tenders are passed to the properly constituted committee for evaluation, which may take a few days or several weeks. All tenderers are notified of the outcome in writing and the successful tenderer will be issued with a contract. We offer to debrief unsuccessful tenderers on request.
Contract
The successful suppliers will be offered a contract. Botswana Railways expects the supplier to deliver according to the specifications in the tender document and ensure that superior service and quality product is delivered to the organization.
What are the main steps of tendering?
Tenders are usually conducted in four stages: Prequalification; the issue of tender documents; receipt and review of tenders; award of contract.
How is a tender process done?
The tendering process is a structured process, in order to be fair and transparent, including a stringent selection process, expressions of interest from bidders, the request for tender, and the evaluation process.
What is a full tendering process?
An invitation to tender is issued to prospective suppliers, tenders are prepared and returned, a preferred tenderer is selected and following negotiations, they may be appointed.
What are the 4 major documents involved in a tender submission?
Which documents do I need to tender?
- Standard Bidding Document 4 (SBD 4) – Declaration of interest. The declaration of interest records any existing relationship and/or acquaintance with the organ of the state’s employees.
- Standard Bidding Document 6.1 (SBD 6.1) – Preference Points.
- B-BBEE Certificate.