A request for tender (RFT) is an invitation to suppliers to provide goods and services to the issuer, often used by government entities. It differs from a request for proposal as it invites a wide range of potential suppliers and provides specific information about the goods required. Responding to an RFT may require a request for information (RFI) submission. The final document is highly detailed and reflects current regulations and standards.
Sometimes simply referred to as an RFT, an RFT is a document that serves as an invitation to suppliers and various types of suppliers to provide goods and services to the issuer of the document. Most often, this type of invitation is used by government entities ranging from the local to the national level. An RFT provides a similar function to the Request for Proposal or RFP in the private sector.
One of the distinguishing features of a request for tender is that the invitation is not issued to a select group of potential suppliers. This differs from a request for proposal, where the document can be somewhat broad or highly detailed and is directed only to vendors that the company believes can meet its needs. Instead, governments focus on providing very specific information about the types of goods they want and invite a wide range of potential suppliers to provide. Any company or individual that meets the criteria set out in the text of the document is free to apply and may be granted authorized supplier status.
In some countries, responding to a request for bids requires the potential supplier to submit what is known as a request for information or RFI. This document essentially provides information about the potential supplier, including details of the number of years in business, information about the financial stability of the business, and any other factors that may be relevant to qualification as an authorized government supplier. A copy of the document may be sent with the RFT submission, or the supplier may be required to state that an RFI was previously submitted, referencing the date and government entity that received the request for information.
There is no standard template for preparing a tender request. The final document will reflect current regulations and standards that the government must observe. This means that the final draft is likely to be highly detailed and provide all potential vendors with adequate information to determine whether or not to respond to the solicitation. Requirements of this type prevent suppliers who do not meet government standards from spending time crafting a response that is highly likely to be considered, as well as minimizing the number of responses that must be reviewed by the entity that issued the original request.
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