What is a Clarification Meeting?
A Clarification Meeting is a discussion between the contracting authority and a bidder during bid evaluation. It serves to clarify ambiguities or contradictions in the bid without changing the bid content.
Purpose
Clarification meetings can address bid ambiguities, unusual pricing, technical solution concepts, and eligibility questions.
Limits
- No renegotiation: Price negotiations or substantive bid changes are not permitted
- No new bid: The bidder may not retroactively improve their offer
- Equal treatment: All bidders must be treated equally
- Documentation: The meeting must be documented in the procurement record
Process
- The authority requests clarification in writing
- A reasonable response deadline is set
- The meeting takes place orally or in writing
- Content and results are recorded
- The authority considers the clarification in bid evaluation
Price Clarification
Particularly relevant is price clarification for abnormally low tenders: if a bid appears unusually low, the authority must request clarification before excluding the bid. The bidder receives the opportunity to explain their pricing.
Practical Tip
Bidders should take clarification meetings seriously and prepare carefully. Insufficient or contradictory clarification can lead to bid exclusion, but it is also an opportunity to highlight the bid's strengths.