definition
What Is an Invitation to Tender (ITT)?
7 min readBy Helen MarshReviewed by David OkonjoPublished 2026-02-11Last reviewed 2026-07-08
In short
An invitation to tender (ITT) is the formal document a buyer issues to shortlisted or open-market suppliers, setting out the requirement, the contract terms, the evaluation criteria and the exact response format needed to submit a compliant bid.
What an ITT actually contains
An ITT pack is rarely a single document. Expect a covering instruction, a specification, a pricing schedule, draft contract terms and a response template that dictates word counts and question order.
- Instructions to tenderers: deadlines, clarification windows, submission portal and formatting rules
- Specification or statement of requirements: what the buyer needs delivered
- Award criteria and weightings: how quality, price and social value are scored
- Pricing schedule: the fixed structure your costs must be entered into
- Terms and conditions: the contract you will be bound by if you win
Where the ITT sits in the process
In an open procedure the ITT is published at the start and anyone may respond. In a multi-stage procedure a selection questionnaire filters the market first, and only shortlisted suppliers receive the ITT.
Either way, the ITT is the point at which the buyer's requirement becomes fixed. Changes after issue normally arrive as formal clarifications or addenda that apply to every bidder equally.
How to respond without losing marks
Most lost bids fail on process, not capability. Build a compliance matrix from the ITT before writing a word, and map every requirement to the person who owns the answer.
- Read the award criteria first and write to the scoring language
- Answer inside the stated word or page limit; evaluators stop reading at the cut-off
- Submit clarification questions early, in writing, through the portal
- Upload at least 24 hours before deadline: portals fail, extensions rarely follow
Frequently asked questions
Is an ITT the same as an RFP?
No. An ITT usually presents a defined requirement and asks for a priced, compliant offer. An RFP is more common where the buyer wants suppliers to propose the solution as well as the price.
Can a buyer change an ITT after publishing it?
Yes, but changes must be issued to all bidders as a formal clarification or addendum, and material changes usually come with a deadline extension.
Do I have to answer every question?
Yes. Unanswered mandatory questions typically score zero and can make the whole submission non-compliant.
Sources