Guides · The bid process
What is a pre-bid meeting and should I attend?
A pre-bid meeting is a session, often online, the buyer holds before the closing date so that bidders can ask about specifications, terms and quantities; the answers are issued to all bidders, usually as a corrigendum. Attend when you intend to bid: it is the only moment a term can still be changed, and the questions others ask tell you who the competition is.
What happens there
- The buyer explains the requirement and answers questions submitted in advance or raised in the meeting.
- Answers that change the bid are issued as a corrigendum; answers that only clarify may be minuted.
- Attendance is normally not mandatory, but the bid document says if it is.
How to use it
- Send your questions in writing before the meeting, in the form the bid specifies; oral questions may not be recorded.
- Ask about the things that decide your price: delivery point, inspection, payment milestones, the meaning of an ambiguous specification.
- Note who else attends. A meeting with three OEM representatives tells you how the pricing will go.
Where iBid.Win helps
The pre-bid meeting date, when the mirror has it, appears on the bid page and in alerts, so a team can decide early whether to attend.
Frequently asked
Is the pre-bid meeting compulsory?
Rarely. When it is, the bid document says so and attendance is recorded.
Are pre-bid answers binding?
Answers issued as a corrigendum are binding. Minuted clarifications carry weight but read the bid's terms on which prevails.
Can I still bid if I missed the meeting?
Yes, unless the bid makes attendance a condition.
Last checked 08 September 2026. Written from GeM's published process and this platform's own rules; the bid document and the GeM portal are the authority on any date or amount.