Nine ways good bids get thrown out

Every public buyer has seen it: a strong bid, from a good firm, at a competitive price, that can't be considered because of something small. It feels harsh. But in Canadian tender law, accepting a non-compliant bid can expose a buyer to claims from the bidders who did comply, so buyers generally can't make exceptions. Contract A explains why.

Here are the nine most common ways it happens, and how to avoid each.

1. It arrived late

Late is late, by a minute or a second. Portals timestamp uploads; email servers delay messages; couriers get lost. Electronic bids that are still uploading at the deadline can fail.

Avoid it: aim to submit a day early. Check the time zone. If it's by email, confirm the size limit. Never plan to finish at the last hour.

2. A signature is missing

Many tenders require a signed submission form, form of tender or certification by someone with authority to bind the company.

Avoid it: list every form that needs a signature on your checklist, and check the final file, not your draft.

3. An addendum wasn't acknowledged

Addenda change the tender. Most submission forms ask you to list or acknowledge each one. Miss one and your bid may be non-compliant, or priced on the wrong scope.

Avoid it: register on the official posting, check it on closing day, and tick each addendum off. See how to handle addenda.

4. You missed a mandatory site meeting

If attendance is mandatory, the buyer records who came. Bids from firms that didn't attend usually aren't accepted.

Avoid it: put mandatory meetings in your calendar the day you find the tender, and sign the attendance sheet.

5. The pricing form has gaps or changes

Blank cells, prices written outside the form, changed quantities or a different unit of measure can all make a bid non-compliant or impossible to compare.

Avoid it: use the latest pricing form, fill every cell (enter $0 or "included" if that's what you mean and the form allows it), and don't edit the structure.

6. Conditions or exceptions were added

"Price valid for 30 days", "excludes Saturday work" or "subject to our standard terms" can turn your bid into a counter-offer the buyer can't accept.

Avoid it: if you can't accept a term, ask about it during the question period. Don't add conditions to the bid unless the tender explicitly allows it.

7. Bid security was wrong

The wrong amount, the wrong form (a cheque when a bond was required), the wrong buyer name or a missing original can all be fatal where bid security is mandatory.

Avoid it: send the tender's exact wording to your surety or bank early. See how to get bonded.

8. A required document was missing

A WorkSafeBC number, insurance letter, licence, reference form or certification that the tender lists as mandatory.

Avoid it: keep your standard documents current in one folder, and build the checklist from the tender's "must" and "shall" lines. See how to read a tender.

9. The bid went to the wrong place

The wrong email address, the wrong portal (an aggregator instead of the buyer's), or a paper bid to the front desk instead of the named office.

Avoid it: submit exactly where the tender says, and keep proof: the portal confirmation, the email delivery record, or a stamped receipt.

Not every mistake is fatal

Some tenders distinguish between mandatory requirements and minor irregularities the buyer may waive or let you fix, such as a missing page that doesn't affect price. Don't count on it: what counts as minor is the buyer's call, and the safest bid is one that needs no favours.

The requirements box above shows what BC public notices in CrewBid most often asked for over the last year, which is a good starting list for your standard documents folder.