In public procurement almost everything is a deadline. Missing any of them cannot be put right. Here are the deadlines that affect a bidder and where they are counted from.
Deadline for receipt of bids
It is stated in the notice with a date and time. It depends on the type of procedure: longest in the open procedure, shorter in the public competition and shortest in the collection of offers by notice. The buyer may extend it if it changes the documents or does not answer a question in time; the extension is published. Submit at least a day before the end.
Deadline for questions and clarifications
Clarifications of the documents are requested up to a set number of days before the bidding deadline, and the buyer answers within a short time after that. A question asked after that point may go unanswered. Ask your questions in the first half of the period – that way you get the answers in time to reflect them in the bid.
Bid validity
The documents require the bid to stay valid for a set number of months from the deadline. If the procedure drags on, the buyer may ask for the validity to be extended; refusing means dropping out. Plan your prices so that they hold for this period.
Opening and evaluation
The opening of the bids is public and announced in advance. There is no legal deadline for completing the evaluation; in practice for larger procedures it takes from a few weeks to a few months. Meanwhile watch the messages – the committee may ask for clarifications with a short deadline for an answer.
Appeal deadline
The buyer's decision may be appealed before the Commission for Protection of Competition within a short time of receiving it – the law sets the number of days, usually ten. After it expires the decision becomes final and the contract is signed. If you think you were excluded wrongly, do not wait: gather the grounds on the day of the decision.
Deadline for signing the contract
Once the decision is final, the buyer invites the bidder ranked first to present the documents and the performance guarantee and to sign within a set time. A missed deadline or a missing document gives the buyer the right to invite the second-ranked bidder.
Deadlines during performance
The contract sets the performance deadline, interim deadlines, deadlines for acceptance and for payment. Penalties for delay are real and are taken from the guarantee. Offer only deadlines you can meet with a margin.
A practical calendar
- Day 1: tender found, documents downloaded, checklist made.
- First third of the period: questions to the buyer.
- Second third: preparing the documents and the technical proposal.
- Last third: prices, signing, uploading, a final check.
- Day of the decision: checking the grounds for an appeal.
The deadlines of each specific tender are in its notice and documents – they prevail.
Updated on 1 Oct 2026. The article is general information, not legal advice.
