Procurement glossary
22 definitions of the terms and acronyms that appear in UK tender documents.
- Call-Off Contract
- The individual contract awarded under a framework agreement.
- Clarification
- A formal question to the buyer during the tender window.
- Common Procurement Vocabulary(CPV)
- The classification code system used to categorise procurement notices.
- Compliance Matrix
- A tracker mapping every ITT requirement to a response and an owner.
- Debarment List
- The central register of suppliers excluded from public contracts.
- Dynamic Purchasing System(DPS)
- An open list of qualified suppliers that new entrants can join at any time.
- Find a Tender Service(FTS)
- The UK service publishing higher-value public procurement notices.
- Framework Agreement
- A pre-competed arrangement setting terms for future call-off contracts.
- Invitation to Tender(ITT)
- The formal document inviting suppliers to submit a priced, compliant bid.
- ISO 27001
- The international standard for information security management.
- ISO 9001
- The international standard for quality management systems.
- Key Performance Indicator(KPI)
- A measurable target used to manage contract performance.
- Mobilisation
- The period between contract award and service commencement.
- Most Economically Advantageous Tender(MEAT)
- The combined quality and price assessment used to select a winner.
- Pre-Qualification Questionnaire(PQQ)
- The legacy term for the supplier selection stage.
- Request for Proposal(RFP)
- A request asking suppliers to propose a solution as well as a price.
- Request for Quotation(RFQ)
- A price-led request against a clearly specified requirement.
- Selection Questionnaire(SQ)
- The pre-qualification stage assessing supplier suitability before tendering.
- Service Level Agreement(SLA)
- The agreed performance standards attached to a service contract.
- Social Value
- The wider economic, social and environmental benefit delivered alongside a contract.
- Standstill Period
- A mandatory pause between award decision and contract signature.
- Voluntary Ex-Ante Transparency Notice(VEAT)
- A notice published before a direct award to signal intent.