What is Bid Opening (Submission)?
Submission (bid opening) is the formal act of opening received bids at a predetermined time and documenting their essential contents. It marks the transition from the bidding phase to the evaluation phase.
Process
The submission follows a structured process: verification of timely receipt, opening of bids (electronic decryption in e-procurement), documentation of bidders and prices, and creation of an opening protocol.
Electronic Submission
In electronic procurement, bids are submitted encrypted on the platform. At the submission deadline, decryption occurs under the four-eyes principle. The platform automatically documents receipt times and generates the protocol. Late bids are automatically excluded.
Key Deadlines
The bid submission deadline (minimum 35 days for Open Procedures under VgV), the submission date (bid opening), and the award period (binding period, typically 30-60 days) form the timeline framework.
Formal Requirements
Strict formal requirements apply: bids must remain sealed/encrypted until opening, all bids are opened simultaneously, at least two persons must be present, and all steps must be fully documented. Non-compliance can lead to exclusion.