Where eligibility sits in a tender
On the NIC portals used by central and state departments, the tender page itself gives you the headline facts: organisation, value, EMD, key dates and covers. The eligibility conditions are in the tender documents; where exactly varies, so search them for the eligibility or qualification section. On GeM, the bid document has sections for experience and for documents required from the seller.
Read the latest corrigendum first. If a date, document or condition has been amended, that version is the one that counts.
Financial turnover
Turnover clauses come in a few shapes. The ones Operavity is built to read ask for an average annual turnover, with the minimum written either as a fixed amount or as a percentage of the estimated cost. The tender document sets the figure and the years.
Illustrative Illustrative: “Average annual financial turnover during the last three financial years should be at least 30% of the estimated cost.”
What to check
- Which years count, and whether the current year is included.
- Whether it is an average or a minimum in each year.
- What proof is asked for; refer to the NIT for the exact documents and format.
- Whether a fixed-amount clause and a percentage clause both apply.
Similar work experience
This clause asks for completed works of a similar nature. The shapes Operavity is built to read are one, two or three similar works, each costing not less than a stated amount or a stated percentage of the estimated cost. The tender document sets the values and the period.
Illustrative Illustrative: “The bidder should have completed similar works during the last seven years ending the previous day of the last date of submission.”
What to check
- How the tender defines “similar”; read the definition in the NIT closely.
- When the look-back period starts and ends; check the wording in the NIT.
- Whether ongoing works count, or only completed ones.
- Which certificates are accepted, and who must sign them.
EMD, security deposit and performance security
These are not eligibility tests in themselves, but they decide whether the bid makes financial sense. The EMD is the deposit with your bid. Security deposit and performance security clauses state a percentage; refer to the NIT for what it applies to and when.
- EMD: the amount, the accepted mode and whether any exemption is allowed are stated in the NIT and on the portal page. Check what proof an exemption needs.
- Security deposit and performance security: note the percentage, and check the tender document for the form and period.
- Liquidated damages: note the percentage stated, and check the tender document for exact terms.
Net worth, registration and other conditions
Some tenders add a minimum net worth, which Operavity is built to read. Tenders can set other conditions too, so read the full eligibility section in the tender document, not just the first table.
Dates and validity
The tender page lists the key dates: publication, document download, clarification or pre-bid, submission end and bid opening. Bid validity is also a field on the tender page; refer to the NIT for exact terms. Work period tells you how long you will have to deliver.
- Put the submission end date and any pre-bid meeting on a shared calendar with one owner.
- Leave time for EMD arrangements and document signing before the cut-off.
- Check whether the bid is in one cover or several, and what goes in each.
Bid/no-bid checklist
Run this checklist before anyone starts on the BOQ. If any line is a clear no, record the reason and move on.
- I have read the latest corrigendum.
- The work or item is within our trade, as the tender defines “similar”.
- Our average turnover meets the clause for the stated years.
- We have completion certificates for similar work inside the look-back period.
- We meet any net worth, registration or enlistment condition.
- We can arrange the EMD in the accepted mode, or we qualify for and can prove an exemption.
- We can carry the security deposit and performance security for the contract period.
- The work period and location are realistic for our team.
- Every required document is available and in date.
- Someone owns the submission, with time to spare before the closing date.
A “no” you can fix in time, such as a missing certificate, is a task, not a no-bid. Record the reason for every decision.
Where Operavity helps
Operavity reads turnover, similar work, EMD and date clauses from the tender documents, links each to the page it came from, and compares turnover and experience with your company profile as Pass, Fail or Unknown. Your team still reads and decides; it just starts from the right page. It works across GeM, CPPP and state portals such as Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir.
Questions
What are NIT eligibility criteria?
They are the conditions a bidder must meet to be considered, such as financial turnover, similar work experience or net worth. Each tender sets its own conditions and figures, so read the NIT.
Where do I find the eligibility criteria in a tender document?
In the tender documents; where exactly varies by tender, so search for the eligibility or qualification section. On GeM, check the experience and documents-required sections of the bid document.
How do I decide whether to bid on a tender?
Check turnover and similar work first, then EMD and post-award security, then dates and documents. Use a bid/no-bid checklist and record the reason for each decision.
Can software check tender eligibility for me?
It can do the first read. Operavity extracts the clauses with page references and compares them with your profile as Pass, Fail or Unknown, but the decision and final check are yours.