# Nine ways good bids get thrown out > Most disqualified public bids fail on avoidable details: arriving late, missing a signature, not acknowledging an addendum, skipping a mandatory site meeting, leaving pricing cells blank, giving the wrong form of bid security, adding conditions, or missing a required certificate. A compliance checklist built from the tender's "must" and "shall" lines prevents nearly all of them. By James DeGreef. Updated 2026-10-24. Facts checked 2026-10-24. Source page: https://crewbid.tech/articles/why-bids-get-disqualified 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](https://crewbid.tech/articles/contract-a-tender-law) 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](https://crewbid.tech/guides/tender-questions-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](https://crewbid.tech/guides/how-to-get-bonded-bc). ## 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](https://crewbid.tech/guides/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. _Live bid numbers for this topic are on the web page: https://crewbid.tech/articles/why-bids-get-disqualified_ 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. ## Sources - [Legal basics of competitive bidding and procurement in Canada (AHBL)](https://www.ahbl.ca/legal-basics-of-competitive-bidding-and-procurement-in-canada/)