Bid or no-bid? Tender scorecard

How the score works

Each answer carries the points shown in brackets. The ten questions add up to a maximum of 100. Fit with what you deliver and the mandatory requirements carry the most weight (15 points each), then past similar work (12), contract value, time to deadline and capacity (10 each), the incumbent and cash flow (8 each), and location and small-business friendliness (6 each).

Deal-breakers: the work isn't what you do, you can't meet a mandatory requirement, you can't provide a required on-site presence, or you couldn't deliver it. These weights are our judgement, not an official formula. The buyer's published award criteria always come first.

How buyers decide who wins

UK: the Procurement Act 2023

Since 24 February 2025, new procurements by most UK public bodies run under the Procurement Act 2023. It doesn't apply to devolved Scottish authorities such as Scottish councils, which follow Scottish procurement rules: see our guide to the Act for small suppliers. Under the Act:

• Contracts go to the most advantageous tender, judged against the award criteria (section 19). That isn't necessarily the cheapest. The buyer must publish the criteria, how it will assess them and their relative importance in the tender notice or documents (GOV.UK guidance on assessing competitive tenders). Read those weightings before you score question 1.
• Tenders that don't meet the conditions of participation must be disregarded (section 19). Conditions can only cover legal and financial capacity and technical ability, and must be proportionate. Buyers can't insist on contract-specific insurance being in place before award, or on audited accounts the Companies Act doesn't require, and suppliers can rely on consortium members or subcontractors (GOV.UK guidance on conditions of participation).
• Cyber Essentials is required for central government contracts with higher cyber risk, such as handling citizens' personal data, and must be shown before award. It has to be renewed every 12 months, and ISO 27001 doesn't automatically count instead (PPN 014).
• Social value is scored in central government contracts using the social value model in PPN 002. Only claim commitments you'll really deliver.
• Small businesses: buyers must have regard to the barriers small and medium-sized enterprises face and consider whether they can be removed or reduced, and must treat suppliers the same unless a difference justifies different treatment (section 12).
• Payment: most public contracts carry an implied term that valid, undisputed invoices are paid within 30 days (section 68). That helps cash flow, but you still fund the work until the first invoice is paid.

Notices are published on Find a Tender and Contracts Finder, and Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own procurement websites (GOV.UK: different ways to sell). Our guide on finding and winning council contracts covers where to look, and this week's matches are on Tender Radar.

US: federal contracts

• Registration: to bid as a prime contractor you need an active SAM.gov entity registration, which gives you a Unique Entity ID. It's free and must be renewed every 365 days (SAM.gov).
• Evaluation: in negotiated procurements, the award decision is based on evaluation factors stated in the solicitation, with their relative importance. Price is evaluated in every source selection, and quality through factors such as past performance, technical excellence, management capability and experience. Past performance is normally evaluated above the simplified acquisition threshold (FAR 15.304).
• Set-asides: contracts can be set aside for small businesses, and under the “rule of two” many smaller acquisitions are set aside when the contracting officer expects offers from at least two capable small businesses. On set-aside service contracts, you generally can't pay more than 50% of the amount paid to you to subcontractors that aren't similarly situated (FAR subpart 19.5).

For where to look and how to respond early, see our guides to finding federal contracts on SAM.gov and Sources Sought notices, or this week's Tender Radar US list.

Before you score: three habits that save wasted bids

1. Read the whole pack first. Mandatory requirements and pass/fail questions are often buried in an appendix.
2. Use the clarification window. If something is unclear, ask through the channel the notice gives, before the clarification deadline.
3. Get in early. The best time to shape your chances is before the tender, when buyers run market engagement. Our guide to responding to preliminary market engagement explains how.

FAQ

What is a bid/no-bid decision?

It's the decision, made before you start writing, about whether a tender is worth your time. Writing a public-sector bid can take days, so checking fit, mandatory requirements, timing, competition and capacity first stops you spending that time on contracts you're unlikely to win or couldn't deliver well.

What score means I should bid?

On this scorecard, 70 or more out of 100 with no red flags points to bidding, 45 to 69 means think hard, and under 45 means walk away. Any deal-breaker answer means walk away whatever the total. The weights are our own rule of thumb, not an official formula, so use the score to structure your thinking, not to replace it.

Can I bid if I don't have every accreditation or insurance yet?

Sometimes. Under the UK Procurement Act 2023, conditions of participation must be proportionate, and GOV.UK guidance says buyers can't insist that contract-specific insurance is in place before award, though they can ask you to commit to having it from the start of the contract. Where Cyber Essentials applies under PPN 014 (central government contracts that carry higher cyber risk), you must show it before the contract is awarded. In the US you need an active SAM.gov registration to bid as a prime contractor. Check each notice's own requirements.

Can a small business bid for a contract bigger than its turnover?

It's risky but not always ruled out. UK guidance allows suppliers to rely on the capacity of consortium members or subcontractors to meet conditions of participation, and many contracts are split into lots. On US small-business set-asides for services, the limitations on subcontracting generally mean you can't pay more than 50% of the amount paid to you to subcontractors that aren't similarly situated, so you need to do most of the work yourself.

Is it worth bidding against an incumbent supplier?

It can be. UK buyers must treat suppliers the same unless a difference justifies different treatment (Procurement Act 2023, section 12), and the award goes to the most advantageous tender against the published criteria, not to whoever holds the contract now. Use clarification questions to find out what the buyer wants to change, and score the incumbent question honestly.

Does this tool save or send my answers?

No. The scorecard runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you tick is sent to us or stored. You can also print it and use it on paper.

Can this scorecard tell me whether I'll win?

No. Nobody can honestly tell you that. The scorecard helps you decide whether a bid is worth your time; the buyer's evaluation of the actual tenders decides who wins.

Official sources

• Procurement Act 2023, section 19 (award of public contracts after a competitive tendering procedure), section 12 (covered procurement: objectives) and section 68 (implied payment terms), legislation.gov.uk
• GOV.UK: Guidance: conditions of participation (Procurement Act 2023)
• GOV.UK: Guidance: assessing competitive tenders (Procurement Act 2023)
• GOV.UK: PPN 014, Cyber Essentials scheme
• GOV.UK: PPN 002, Taking account of social value in the award of contracts
• GOV.UK: Sell goods or services to the public sector: different ways to sell
• SAM.gov: Entity registration
• FAR 15.304, Evaluation factors and significant subfactors and FAR subpart 19.5, Set-asides for small business (acquisition.gov)

Checked 1 November 2026. Laws and guidance change, so check the sources above and the documents for each opportunity. This page is general information, not legal advice. Built with help from AI tools and checked against the official sources listed.