When an invitation to tender is issued, the local government generally knows exactly what it wants and how it wants to achieve its goals. Most often the tender is issued and the lowest bidder is awarded the contract.
In the process of establishing goals and objectives and determining the costs of providing infrastructure, the project team can sometimes define exactly what needs to be accomplished. This determination usually includes a definition of the needs of the local government and how these needs are to be met. In these instances, it may be advantageous for the local government to consider an invitation to tender. This will reduce the cost involved in developing a public private partnership. However, this may limit the local government's opportunities to view other, more efficient cost-saving options for delivery of the service.