| S.No. | Field / Checkpoint | Reference | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. QUERY DETAILS | |||
| A1 | Query S.No. + bidder name + date received Acceptance: Cut-off date per NIT | All queries logged before pre-bid meeting | OK NC NA |
| A2 | Tender reference + clause / drawing referred Acceptance: Query unambiguous | Specific NIT clause / drawing | OK NC NA |
| A3 | Bidder query — exact text Acceptance: Original email / letter retained | Verbatim from bidder communication | OK NC NA |
| B. EMPLOYER RESPONSE | |||
| B1 | Internal review by design / project team Acceptance: Reviewed by PM + technical head | Technical + commercial implications considered | OK NC NA |
| B2 | Official response — clarification / addendum Acceptance: Addendum number + date | Issued as addendum / corrigendum if affects price | OK NC NA |
| B3 | Response distributed to all registered bidders Acceptance: Published on portal + emailed to all | Equality of information | OK NC NA |
| C. ADDENDUM TRACKING | |||
| C1 | Addendum no., date, summary, items modified Acceptance: All bidders acknowledge receipt | Sequential addendum numbering | OK NC NA |
Before submitting a bid, prospective contractors review the tender documents — scope, technical specifications, BOQ, drawings, conditions of contract. Inevitably, ambiguities, missing information, or unclear clauses emerge that affect pricing or commitment.
The Pre-Bid Meeting (typically held 30-45 days after tender publication, 15-30 days before bid submission) is the formal forum for contractors to raise queries. The client / consultant responds — clarifications, modifications, deletions to tender. All bidders receive the same answers.
The Pre-Bid Query Register is the documented record: every query raised, by whom, what response given. After the pre-bid meeting, this becomes part of tender documents via formal Addendum — superseding original tender provisions on those points.
Without this register, queries answered verbally / informally; bidders bid on different assumptions; later disputes about 'what was clarified'.
Step 1 — Query Collection: - Tender document publication - Bidders raise queries in writing within specified period (typically 7-14 days before pre-bid meeting) - Queries collected by procurement team; consolidated by topic
Step 2 — Pre-Bid Meeting: - All prospective bidders + client + consultants attend - Queries discussed; responses given by appropriate technical / commercial team - Some queries lead to scope changes or BOQ revisions
Step 3 — Formal Addendum: - Within 7-15 days of pre-bid meeting - All queries + responses published as Addendum - Distributed to all bidders - Becomes part of tender documents
Step 4 — Bid Submission: - Bidders submit per tender + addendum - Bid response addresses all clarified points
Register fields: - Query number + topic - Bidder raising query (anonymized in published addendum) - Original specification reference - Query text - Client/consultant response - Modification to tender (yes/no) - Inclusion in formal addendum (yes/no)
1. Vague responses — 'as per existing practice' or 'per industry standards'; not specific enough for bid pricing. 2. No written response — verbal answers at meeting; bidders interpret differently. 3. Late addendum — released within days of bid submission; bidders cannot incorporate. 4. Conflicting responses — different consultants give different answers; tender ambiguous. 5. Major scope change without contract amendment — pre-bid response implies significant scope addition; original tender's price assumption doesn't apply; bidder confused. 6. Queries from one bidder, response benefits all — competitive intelligence concerns; some bidders feel disadvantaged. 7. No bid extension — major addendum issued near bid deadline; bidders need more time; deadline not extended; quality bids suffer. 8. Inadequate participation — only few bidders attend pre-bid meeting; rest miss clarifications. 9. No archive — register not preserved post-award; later disputes lack evidentiary basis.
Companion formats: - Letter of Award (FMT-TND-014) — final award - Financial Bid Percentage Rate (FMT-TND-004) — bid pricing - Deviation Sheet Technical (FMT-TND-011) - Deviation Sheet Commercial (FMT-TND-012)
Procurement standards: - GFR (General Financial Rules) 2017 — government procurement - Manual for Procurement of Works 2022 (CPWD) — pre-bid procedures - NHAI / MoRTH / Railway / Metro standard tender documents - CVC (Central Vigilance Commission) guidelines — transparency in pre-bid responses - Public Procurement (Preference to Make in India) Order 2017