What is a Variant Bid?
A Variant Bid (Nebenangebot) is an alternative offer that deviates from the specifications in the tender documents and proposes a different solution. Unlike the main bid, which offers the service exactly as specified, a variant bid contains technical, organizational, or conceptual alternatives.
Prerequisites
Variant bids are only permissible when:
- The authority has expressly allowed them in the notice
- Minimum requirements for variants have been defined
- The award criterion is the best price-quality ratio (not lowest price)
- The bidder typically also submits a main bid
Types of Variant Bids
- Technical: Alternative materials, technologies, or construction methods
- Organizational: Different scheduling, logistics, or staffing concepts
- Financial: Alternative payment or financing models
- Combined: Mix of different types of deviations
Advantages and Risks
Variant bids allow bidders to showcase their strengths and innovations, differentiate from competitors, and potentially achieve better margins. For authorities, they provide access to innovative solutions. However, they complicate comparability and increase evaluation effort.
Evaluation
Variant bids are generally evaluated using the same award criteria as main bids. The authority must ensure transparent and traceable evaluation, with direct comparison between main and variant bids possible.