Evaluation
Evaluation Criteria
The published basis on which bids will be assessed and compared, including how technical merit and price are combined.
Evaluation criteria set out exactly how a winner will be chosen: which requirements are mandatory, which are scored, how scored criteria are weighted, and how technical scores and price are combined into a final ranking.
Public buyers are generally bound by what they publish. They cannot introduce new criteria after bids close, and they must apply the stated method. That constraint works in a supplier's favour — the evaluation is knowable in advance, which means a proposal can be written directly against it.
Reading the criteria before the requirement itself is a useful habit. It tells you what the buyer will actually reward, which is not always what the scope description emphasises.
Related terms
- Rated CriteriaScored criteria that measure the relative quality of compliant bids, usually on a points scale.
- Mandatory RequirementA condition a bid must satisfy to remain in the competition. Failing even one normally eliminates the bid.
- Best ValueAn award method that combines technical merit and price rather than selecting on price alone.
- Lowest Compliant BidAn award method selecting the cheapest bid that meets every mandatory requirement.
See this term in a real tender
Search current federal opportunities and read a live notice with this definition in mind.
This definition describes general Canadian federal practice and is not legal advice. Always confirm requirements against the official solicitation.