In the government procurement process, consultation documents and bidding documents have significant differences, mainly in the meaning, components and role.
First of all, the meaning, consultation documents are for specific types of projects, such as technical complexity, the price can not be predicted or the market competition is not sufficient, through the competitive negotiation group and suppliers to conduct direct negotiation documents. The tender document, on the other hand, is an open invitation to procurement for the purpose of describing the need for works or services, as well as the rules for tendering, and is the basic document for bidding units to participate in the tender.
Secondly, the constituent elements, the consultation document usually contains the government purchase of service projects and special project needs, such as scientific research projects or art work procurement, without emphasizing the detailed specifications or prices. Tender documents, on the other hand, include tender notices, instructions to bidders, bills of quantities and detailed technical requirements, which form an important part of the contract documents.
In terms of their role, consultation documents guide suppliers in submitting response documents and quotations, and ultimately the purchaser selects the successful party from the results of the consultation, which applies to a particular procurement method. In contrast, the role of the tender documents is more comprehensive, not only to guide the bidding, but also as the basis for the signing of the contract, its rigor and completeness of the entire procurement process is critical.
Therefore, bidders need to ensure that the tender documents are comprehensive, fair and accurate when preparing them, and may need the assistance of experts or consultants to ensure the smooth running of the tender.