The bid opening can be a short or long process, depending on how many bids are submitted and the length of the bid proposal form. Each bid is opened one by one and read aloud; this process happens even if vendors do not show up for the bid opening. The bids are recorded and the administrators in charge sign the records to prove that they were present during the process and followed all of the necessary procedures. After the bid opening, all of the submitted bids are thoroughly reviewed to ensure that the required documents are present, that they are signed and dated appropriately and that the cost calculations included with each bid are complete and accurate. Once all the bids have been reviewed, a bid tally is drawn up in which all of the bids are listed by quoted price, from lowest to highest; an award is then granted to the vendor who submitted the lowest bid and who possesses the required qualifications for the contract.
Once the winning proposal has been selected, a letter detailing the results of the award process is sent to all of the vendors who submitted bids. As a bidder, you will be informed of whether or not you won the contract; if so, you will also be notified about any additional documents you need to fill out, or the documents will be enclosed along with the letter.
If you submitted the winning bid, don’t get frustrated about the additional documents coming your way.