3.1.2 Invitation to tender  Guidance 60, 61

Preparation of the tender documents will usually have begun during the last steps of the project preparation phase but to be time-efficient, finalisation often takes place during the prequalification period.

The invitation to tender documentation should contain all the information that bidders will need to bid. It is important that advisers devote sufficient time and effort to develop the documentation in enough detail to ensure comparability of the bids and reduce the need for debate and clarification before the PPP contract is signed.

The tender documentation, which is usually extensive in detail and volume, will normally include (but not be limited to) information such as:  Guidance 62, 63

•  detailed information memorandum about the project;

•  a summary of the key commercial principles, including the obligations of each party and risk allocation;

•  detailed output specifications and the minimum required technical design and technical features;

•  a full draft PPP contract (which, in some countries, would be based on mandatory standard contract terms or on required guidelines of some kind);

•  instructions to bidders concerning all the information they must submit and the detailed procedures for submission;

•  the evaluation criteria; and

•  requirements for bid bonds or equivalent security.