You know the feeling when you have spent all week; long days and late nights, working so hard to meet the deadline stated in a tender invitation.
Then a few hours to the deadline, you receive an email from the buyer, notifying you that the deadline has been extended. Like really!
Well there are many reasons why a bid deadline can be extended. Let's consider three common reasons..
Some other bidder has requested for more time. Tender guidelines usually include an allowance for bidders to request an extension of the deadline to enable them return a comprehensive bid submission. Most times, as long as the request is received well before the deadline, it is likely to be granted. And for equity, the buyer is obliged to notify all bidders of the extension.
The technical information provided by the buyer may require clarification or modification. Where the work specifications provided in the tender are being interpreted incorrectly/differently, the buyer will need to provide clarity such that all bidders have a clear, uniform understanding of the bid requirements. The bid may therefore be extended to allow time for clarifications and modifications.
Sometimes the bid deadline is extended to encourage larger participation i.e. have more bidders submit bids, particularly if the initial response observed was not as expected.
What's your experience with bid deadlines? Have you previously requested more time (an extension) on a bid you were working on? Please share your experience in the comments.
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