How do you prepare a tender submission that isn't rejected?
Many bids are lost before anyone looks at the price: a missing certificate, an unsigned form, the wrong envelope, a late arrival. Under Nigeria's Public Procurement Act 2007, bids are first checked for eligibility, signatures and whether they respond to every requirement (section 32), and the burden of proving you qualify is on you (section 16(10)). This checklist is about getting through that first check.
1. Read the whole advert and bidding document first
Note the deadline, the exact submission address, how many copies, how bids must be packed and labelled, the bid security, and every document asked for. Evaluation can only use the criteria stated in the bidding documents (section 33), so the document is your marking scheme.
2. Gather the company documents
Federal tenders commonly ask for CAC documents, tax clearance for three years, pension (PenCom), ITF and NSITF compliance, the BPP Interim Registration Report and audited accounts (for example, this 2024 PenCom tender). State tenders may want state registration instead. See what federal tenders ask for.
3. Prove you can do the job
Works and service tenders ask for evidence: similar jobs with award letters and completion certificates, key staff with their professional registrations, and the equipment you own or lease. A 2025 works tender asked for three similar jobs in five years, staff CVs with COREN and other registrations, an equipment list with proof of ownership or lease, and a bank reference.
4. Use the forms provided
Fill in the bidding document's own forms: bid form, price schedule or bill of quantities, declarations. BPP's Director-General said in 2026 that there is one Standard Bidding Document from BPP; federal tenders follow it. Price every line, and make sure the totals add up.
5. Sign, seal and label
- Bids must be in writing, signed by an authorised official, sealed and in English (section 27).
- If the tender asks for separate technical and financial envelopes, keep the price out of the technical bid.
- Label every envelope exactly as the advert says.
6. Bid security
Where it's required, the bid security is a bank guarantee of not more than 2% of the bid price (section 26). Ask your bank early, and check the amount, validity and wording against the bidding document.
7. Deliver on time, to the right place
Late bids are not opened; they are returned (section 27). Tender notices also warn that a bid delivered to the wrong place will be disqualified. Get a receipt, and attend the public bid opening (section 30): each bidder's name and price are read out, which tells you a great deal about the competition.
Common reasons bids are rejected: late or wrongly delivered, unsigned, a missing or expired certificate, no bid security, a price in the technical envelope, or a form left blank.
How TendaRadar helps
The best protection against a rushed, incomplete bid is time. TendaRadar sends new tenders in your trades and states to WhatsApp when they're published, and every tender page shows how many days are left. If you're bidding now, see tenders closing this week.
Official sources
- Public Procurement Act 2007, full text (copy published by NERC)
- Example federal invitation to tender: PenCom, 2024
- Example works tender: University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, 2025
- BPP on the Standard Bidding Document (NAN, May 2026)
This guide is general information, not legal or professional advice. Rules change, and each tender's own advert and bidding documents set its requirements: always read them, and check with the buyer or a professional if you're unsure.