Post a tender
The buyer writes what is needed, adds drawings or files, sets the closing time and picks which suppliers to invite. Open tenders can also be shown to any approved supplier.
Procurement, without the email chase
Run tenders and sealed bids online
Buyers post a tender and invite suppliers. Bids stay sealed until closing, can be compared side by side and turn into purchase orders.
- Sealed bidsBids stay locked until closing time. Two approvers open them, and the record shows who did.
- Side-by-side comparisonSet weights for price, delivery, quality and terms, then compare the bids with a score.
- Purchase ordersThe winning bid turns into a purchase order and a clear timeline through to payment.
✕ The old way
Requests go out by email, one supplier at a time, each with a slightly different note.
✓ With Bidharbor
Buyer dashboard: tenders open for bids, with a count down and bids received
The old way vs With Bidharbor
What changes when tenders move online
The old wayWith Bidharbor
Sending the request
Requests go out by email, one supplier at a time, each with a slightly different note.
One tender page. Every invited supplier reads the same needs and gets the same answers.
Collecting offers
Replies come back in different formats, and someone retypes them into a spreadsheet.
Suppliers fill in one form: price, delivery time, terms and documents.
The deadline
A supplier says the bid was sent on time. A price leaks before the deadline.
Bids stay sealed until closing time. Late bids are not accepted.
Choosing a supplier
The cheapest price wins, even when the delivery time or terms are poor.
Weighted scores for price, delivery, quality and terms, side by side.
A month later
Nobody can say why one supplier was chosen.
Every question, bid, opening and award note is saved with a time and a name.
Bidharbor
Three rules that keep bids fair
1.
Sealed bids
Bids stay locked until closing time. Two approvers open them, and the record shows who did.
2.
Side-by-side comparison
Set weights for price, delivery, quality and terms, then compare the bids with a score.
3.
Purchase orders
The winning bid turns into a purchase order and a clear timeline through to payment.
Features
Everything from tender to order
Supplier workspace
Suppliers read the tender, upload documents, fill in price, delivery time and terms, and ask questions. They see a clear list of what is still missing before they send.
Sealed bids
Bids are locked until the closing time. Opening needs two approvers from the buyer, and the platform records who opened them and when.
Bid comparison
Bids appear side by side with a score. The buyer sets the weights for price, delivery, quality and terms, and can see why the cheapest bid is not always the best.
Award and purchase order
The buyer picks a winner and writes a short note. The platform creates a purchase order, sends it to the supplier and tracks acceptance, delivery and invoice.
Audit trail
Every question, answer, bid, opening and decision is saved with a time and a name, ready to show to a manager or an auditor.
Screens
The platform, screen by screen
Who uses it
Three sides, one record
Buyers
Post what you need, invite suppliers and pick the best offer with a reason.
Suppliers
Read the tender, ask questions, upload documents and send a sealed bid.
Approvers
Open bids together after closing and check the record of who opened them.
How it works
A tender, start to finish
Post a tender
A buyer adds the needs, invites six suppliers and sets the closing time. The suppliers get an alert.
Send a bid
A supplier reads the tender, asks a question, uploads documents, fills in the offer and sends it sealed.
Compare and award
After closing, two approvers open the bids. The buyer compares them, notes the reason and awards the best one.
Track the order
The supplier accepts the purchase order, delivers, and the buyer checks the goods and pays the invoice. Each step shows on one timeline.
FAQ
Common questions
What is a procurement bidding platform?
It is software where a company posts what it wants to buy, suppliers send their offers, and the company compares them and picks one. It replaces long email chains and spreadsheets.
What should a first version of a tender platform include?
Start with tender posting, supplier invites, questions and answers, sealed bids, a comparison screen and purchase orders. Reverse auctions, supplier ratings and contract renewals can come later, once buyers trust the basic flow.
Can you build a bidding platform like this for my business?
Yes. We can build the buyer and supplier sides as one web platform and connect it to your accounts software, email and document storage.
How are bids kept fair?
Bids are sealed until the closing time. All suppliers get the same answers to questions, late bids are not accepted, and every action is saved in an audit trail.
Can the buyer set how bids are scored?
Yes. The buyer picks weights for price, delivery, quality and payment terms. The comparison screen shows a score for each supplier and the reason behind it.
✕ The old way
Nobody can say why one supplier was chosen.