What is a Bid Letter?
A Bid Letter (Angebotsschreiben) is the central document of a bid in the procurement process. It constitutes the bidder's formal declaration of intent to perform the tendered services at the stated conditions.
Function
The bid letter serves multiple legal and practical purposes: binding declaration of intent, summary of the overall bid with total price, statement of the binding period, identification of the bid with the specific procurement, and legal commitment through signature.
Content
A complete bid letter typically includes header data (procurement number, tender title), bidder information, total price (net and gross), binding period, any discounts, notes on variant bids, planned subcontractors, acknowledgment of tender documents, legally binding signature, and date.
Standard Forms
Germany's procurement handbook provides standardized bid letters: Form 213 for supplies and services, and Form 633 for construction works. These are pre-filled by the authority and completed by the bidder.
E-Procurement
In electronic procedures, the bid letter is submitted through the procurement platform with a qualified electronic signature or text form, encrypted and only opened after the submission deadline.
Common Mistakes
Missing signature, incorrect total price, expired binding period, unauthorized modifications to tender documents, and late submission are the most frequent errors leading to bid exclusion.