Bidding
Pre-bid meeting: how to send pre-bid queries, a sample format, and how corrigenda work
Pre-bid meeting explained: when it is held, how to send pre-bid queries, a sample query format, how corrigenda bind bidders, and what not to do.
By GovtTenderHub editorial teamUpdated 11 min read
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In short
- A pre-bid meeting (or pre-bid conference) is a session the buyer holds after publishing a tender to answer bidders' questions on its specifications and terms. The tender says if there is one. Attending is not compulsory.
- Under the central government's procurement manuals, it is normally held 15 to 21 days after the tender is issued. Written queries and registration are due 7 days before the meeting unless the tender says otherwise. It can be held online.
- No meeting? You can still send pre-bid queries in writing before the clarification end date, or, if none is given, 7 days before the bid deadline.
- Answers come as minutes (within 7 days) and a corrigendum or addendum, which becomes part of the tender and applies to every bidder. If the change is significant, the deadline is extended by at least 3 days.
- If you neither attend nor ask, the buyer will assume you have no issues with the terms. Raise problems now, not after the bids open.
A pre-bid meeting is your one formal chance to question a tender before you price it. A clear, well-argued query can get an eligibility condition relaxed, a brand name opened up to "equivalent", or payment terms made workable, and the change then applies to everyone. This guide explains how the pre-bid meeting works under the Department of Expenditure's procurement manuals, how to send pre-bid queries, a sample query format you can copy, and what to avoid.
What is a pre-bid meeting?
A pre-bid meeting is a meeting between the buyer and prospective bidders, held after the Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) is published and before bids are due. Its purpose is to clear doubts about the specifications and the technical and commercial terms, and to keep the field level for all bidders.
GFR 2017, Rule 173(x), asks for a provision for "one or more rounds of pre-bid conference" in turnkey contracts, purchases of sophisticated and costly equipment, or wherever needed. The date, time and place must be in the tender, "sufficiently ahead of bid opening date", and the record of the conference must go to all bidders and be put on the website where the tender was published.
Names you will see:
- Pre-bid meeting, pre-bid conference: the same thing.
- Pre-proposal conference: the consultancy version, for RFPs.
- Pre-NIT conference: a different meeting, held before the tender is published, to collect industry views on complex purchases.
The buyer may limit it to prospective bidders who have downloaded the tender document. Your representative must bring photo identity and an authorisation letter from your firm, in the format given in the tender, or they won't be allowed in.
When is a pre-bid meeting held?
Which tenders have one
The Manual for Procurement of Goods (2024) says the tender should provide for a pre-bid conference in turnkey contracts, sophisticated and costly equipment, large works and complex consultancy assignments. The Manual for Procurement of Works (2025) makes a pre-bid meeting compulsory for "quality oriented" works tenders evaluated on quality and cost, where the technical criteria and marking scheme are discussed with bidders. The Consultancy Services manual (2025) provides for pre-proposal meetings in large or complex assignments.
Many smaller tenders have no meeting. The manuals also warn that a pre-bid conference, where many competitors meet in one place, can help them form a cartel, so buyers may avoid it or hold it online. Where there is no meeting, you still have the written clarification route.
The usual timeline
| Step | When (if the tender doesn't say otherwise) |
|---|---|
| Tender published | Day 0 |
| Written queries and registration | 7 days before the meeting |
| Pre-bid meeting | Normally 15 to 21 days after the tender is issued |
| Minutes published | Within 7 days of the meeting |
| Corrigendum, if needed | After the minutes, with more time if the change is significant |
The tender's own dates always come first. Look for the pre-bid meeting date, place and time, and the clarification start and end dates, in the NIT or the tender information summary. GovtTenderHub shows the pre-bid meeting date, place and address on a tender's page when the portal (such as a state NIC portal) publishes them, and our tender alerts help you catch new tenders early enough to ask.
How to send pre-bid queries
- Find the deadline and the channel. The tender names a contact person or office and a clarification end date. If it doesn't give one, the manuals and the model tender document set it at 7 days before the bid submission deadline. The deadline is not extended for holidays.
- Use the tender's query format if it gives one. Many tenders include a table for pre-bid queries. If not, use the sample below.
- Tie every query to a clause. Quote the section, clause and page, say what the problem is, and propose the exact wording you want.
- Send it in writing or electronically, as the tender asks, and keep proof of sending.
- Register for the meeting, if there is one, and send someone who knows the product and the costs, with an authorisation letter and photo ID.
- Watch the portal for the replies, the minutes and any corrigendum.
How the buyer replies: the Manual for Procurement of Goods says replies should go out at least 5 days before tender opening, and the model tender document says within 5 working days of receiving a request. Only material queries and their answers are published, without naming the bidder who asked.
On GeM, questions go through the bid's own representation process instead; our GeM bidding guide explains it.
Pre-bid query format (sample)
Start with a short covering note:
- To: the officer named in the tender, with their designation
- Subject: Pre-bid queries for Tender No. [number], [name of work or item]
- From: firm name, address, contact person, phone and email
- Date and number of pages
Then list the queries in a table. Here is an example for an imaginary tender to supply 40 water purifiers with installation at district hospitals, estimated at ₹60 lakh:
| Clause | Tender says | Our query and request |
|---|---|---|
| Sec. III, 2.1 (p. 9): turnover | Average turnover ₹3 crore | This is 5 times the estimate. Please reduce it to not more than 80% of the estimate. |
| Sec. IV, item 1 (p. 14): make | "Brand X, Model Y" | Please add "or substantially equivalent" and list the required capacity, purification stages and certifications. |
| Sec. IV, item 4 (p. 15): installation | "At all sites" | Please give the number and addresses of sites, and say who provides the water and power connection. |
| GCC 9.2 (p. 22): payment | 100% after all sites are installed | Please allow payment for each site on installation and acceptance. |
| ITB 12 (p. 6): EMD exemption | Only NSIC-registered firms | Please extend to MSEs under the MSE Procurement Policy and DPIIT startups, as per GFR Rule 170. |
Keep each row to one issue. Number the rows so the buyer's reply and the minutes can refer to them.
How answers are published: minutes, clarifications and corrigendum
- Minutes of the pre-bid meeting are published on the buyer's portal within seven days.
- If anything in the tender changes, the buyer issues a corrigendum or addendum. In everyday use, a corrigendum corrects or changes something already in the tender, and an addendum adds something new. Either way, it "shall be considered a part of the Tender Document" under the model tender document.
- It must be published the same way as the original tender (GFR Rule 173(iii)), so check the same portal. The model tender document makes it your responsibility to check for corrigenda, even if the portal emails you.
- When the change is significant or little time is left, the bid deadline is extended by not less than 3 days.
- If you have already bid, you can modify, resubmit or withdraw your bid within the extended time.
How to ask questions that change the tender in your favour
The best queries ask for a change that helps you and widens competition, and back it with a rule. Buyers are far more likely to accept those.
Eligibility that is out of proportion
- Turnover and experience. For works, the Manual for Procurement of Works (2025) uses average annual turnover of 30% of the estimated cost, and similar works of 40%, 50% or 80% of it in the last seven years. For goods, the Manual for Procurement of Goods suggests qualifying quantity and turnover at around 40–80% of the tender's quantity or value. Quote these when a tender asks for several times the estimate.
- Vague terms. Ask for "similar work" to be defined and for clear cut-off dates. The CVC has flagged undefined "similar work" as a common problem.
- Startups and MSEs. GFR Rule 173(i) allows prior turnover and experience to be relaxed for startups, and the Works manual says this relaxation "normally has to be ensured". Rule 170 exempts MSEs and DPIIT-recognised startups from EMD.
Read more in our guide to tender eligibility criteria.
Specifications that point to one brand
GFR Rule 144 says specifications should not ask for "a particular trade mark, trade name or brand". The Manual for Procurement of Goods adds that where a brand name can't be avoided, it should always be followed by the words "or substantially equivalent". Ask for that, and for the real functional needs (capacity, output, standard) to be written out, so your product can be judged on them. Offer data sheets or test certificates that show you meet them. On GeM, the terms and conditions let GeM ask a buyer to remove restrictive additional clauses through a corrigendum, or cancel the bid.
Payment terms and money tied up
- Payment stages. Ask for payment per delivery or per site, not only at the end.
- Advance. GFR Rule 172 allows an advance of up to 30% of the contract value for private firms in cases such as fabrication or turnkey contracts, against a bank guarantee.
- Deposits. EMD is ordinarily 2–5% (Rule 170). Performance security is 3–5% for goods and services and 3–10% for works (Rule 171). If a tender asks for more, point to these rules. See EMD and performance security.
Gaps and mistakes
Ask about missing quantities, sites, drawings, or bill of quantities items that don't match the specification. A mistake in the BOQ can sink your price, so check it against our guide on how to fill a BOQ.
What not to do
- Don't skip it and complain later. If you don't attend or write in, the model tender document says it "shall be assumed that they have no issues regarding the techno/ commercial conditions".
- Don't miss the query deadline. It isn't extended for holidays.
- Don't give away your price or strategy. Material queries are shared with every bidder, even though your name is not.
- Don't talk deals with competitors at the meeting. Collusion and bid rigging break the code of integrity under GFR Rule 175 and can lead to debarment.
- Don't approach officials privately or offer anything. If the tender has an Integrity Pact, you have promised not to.
- Don't ask for changes that suit only you. "Accept only my model" will be refused. Ask for open, measurable criteria instead.
- Don't rely on what was said in the room. Only the minutes and the corrigendum count.
- Don't forget the paperwork: the authorisation letter in the tender's format and photo ID.
Common questions
What is the meaning of a pre-bid meeting?
It is a meeting the buyer holds after publishing a tender and before bids are due, to answer prospective bidders' questions about the specifications and terms. Its answers are published as minutes and, where needed, a corrigendum that becomes part of the tender.
Is attending the pre-bid meeting compulsory?
No. But if you neither attend nor send a written query, the buyer assumes you accept the technical and commercial conditions, so you lose the chance to object later.
What is the last date for pre-bid queries?
The clarification end date or query deadline given in the tender. If the tender gives none, the manuals set it at 7 days before the bid deadline, or 7 days before the meeting for meeting queries. Holidays don't extend it.
Are pre-bid clarifications binding?
Changes issued as a corrigendum or addendum become part of the tender document and bind every bidder. A spoken reply at the meeting does not, so ask for anything important to be recorded in the minutes or a corrigendum.
Can I send queries if there is no pre-bid meeting?
Yes. Every tender has a clarification route: write to the contact person named in the tender before the clarification end date. The buyer publishes material queries and answers for all bidders.
Will the bid deadline be extended after a corrigendum?
If the change is significant or little time is left, the manuals say the deadline should be extended by at least 3 days. The new date is announced on the portal.
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