Document structure
- Volume 1 — Instructions to bidders, timetable, submission format, clarification rules
- Volume 2 — Conditions of contract, payment terms, guarantees, liquidated damages
- Volume 3 — Technical specification, drawings, utility data, site conditions
- Volume 4 — Price schedule template with mandatory line-item breakdown
- Volume 5 — Forms: bid bond, declarations, references, compliance matrix
The compliance matrix is the most useful document in the set. Requiring each bidder to answer comply / partially comply / deviate against every specification clause turns a 200-page proposal into a two-page comparison and makes deviations visible before award instead of after.
Evaluation model
| Criterion | Weight | Scored on |
|---|---|---|
| Technical compliance | 35% | Compliance matrix, deviations, engineering quality |
| Total cost of ownership | 30% | Price plus 5-year energy, spares and maintenance |
| Delivery and schedule | 10% | Committed dates, capacity evidence, penalty acceptance |
| Service and support | 15% | Local presence, SLA, spare parts availability |
| Experience and references | 10% | Comparable installations, verified |
Evaluate total cost of ownership, not price
A five-year TCO model including energy, spares, labour and expected downtime routinely reorders a bid table. Publish the TCO methodology inside the tender so bidders optimise for the right thing.
Tender governance checklist
Keep the award defensible
- Evaluation criteria and weights published before bids are received
- Single clarification channel with written answers circulated to all bidders
- Two-envelope submission separating technical and commercial content
- Evaluation committee with documented conflict-of-interest declarations
- Scores recorded with written justification per criterion
- Post-award debrief offered to unsuccessful bidders
- Full audit trail retained for the contract lifetime
Questions & answers
Frequently asked questions
How many bidders should a machinery tender have?
Five to eight qualified bidders. Below three, price tension disappears; above ten, evaluation quality falls and good suppliers decline to bid because their win probability is too low.
Should the specification name a preferred brand?
Specify performance and interface requirements rather than brands. Where a brand is genuinely required for standardisation, state it explicitly with 'or approved equivalent' and justify it in the evaluation record.
How long should a tender period be?
Four to six weeks for standard equipment and six to ten weeks for a complete plant, with a clarification deadline at least ten days before submission.
Can Global B2B Group support a formal tender?
Yes, on the buyer side: specification structuring, bidder identification, compliance matrices and TCO evaluation models — independently, and free for buyers.
Industrial financing
Financing routes for buying & procurement
Financing is scoped alongside the RFQ, not after supplier selection — the funding route changes the optimal supplier, currency, incoterms and delivery schedule. Global B2B Group never lends, never takes a success fee from buyers and is not tied to any institution. Below are 7 routes buyers commonly compare; amounts, tenors and eligibility are set by each institution.
Export Credit Agencies
State-backed cover (Euler Hermes, SACE, EKF, UKEF, Atradius, K-Sure) on equipment exported from the supplier's country, usually combined with a commercial bank loan.
Best for: Imported production lines and turnkey plants from EU, UK, Korea or Japan
- Eligible country content
- Equity contribution
- Bankable feasibility study
Development Banks & DFIs
IFC, EBRD, AfDB, ADB, IDB, FMO, Proparco and bilateral development windows funding industrial capex with concessional pricing and long grace periods.
Best for: Food security, cold chain, energy efficiency and job-creating projects in emerging markets
- ESG / E&S compliance
- Audited financials
- Development impact case
Commercial Lending
Bank term debt and capex facilities secured against project cash flow, equipment and corporate balance sheet, in local or hard currency.
Best for: Established operators expanding proven capacity
- Debt-service capacity
- Security package
- Sponsor equity
Equipment Leasing
Operating and finance leases that keep machinery off the balance sheet, preserve working capital and align payments with production ramp-up.
Best for: Single machines, packaging lines, handling fleets and phased upgrades
- Asset resale value
- Insurance
- Upfront deposit
Vendor Financing
Supplier-supported deferred payment and instalment structures negotiated inside the RFQ, before supplier selection narrows your leverage.
Best for: Buyers who want a single contractual counterparty for supply and payment terms
- Supplier credit appetite
- Bank guarantee or LC
- Milestone schedule
Project Finance
Limited-recourse SPV structures where the facility's own cash flow repays the debt, with independent technical and market due diligence.
Best for: Greenfield plants, integrated processing complexes and utility-scale infrastructure
- Offtake agreements
- EPC contract
- Independent engineer report
Government Programmes
Industrial localisation incentives, capex grants, interest subsidies, free-zone benefits and agri-processing schemes that reduce effective project cost.
Best for: Projects in priority sectors, special economic zones or import-substitution plans
- Local registration
- Job creation targets
- Application windows
How financing is structured
1. Scope & budget
Technical scope and realistic capex band are fixed first — lenders price the project, not the wish list.
2. Route selection
We map which of these routes may fit your country, sector, project size and sponsor profile.
3. Bankable package
Feasibility, offtake, DSCR model and equipment quotations assembled into a lender-ready file.
4. Introductions
Independent introductions to ECAs, DFIs, banks, lessors and equity partners — no exclusivity, no success fee to buyers.
Get a funding route assessment
Human-led, with no paid placement and 100% free for buyers. We return the routes that realistically fit your project, with the requirements and documentation checklists each institution publishes.
Next steps
Put this into practice
Request machinery quotes
No paid placement · Human-led · No cost to buyers
Related
Continue reading
Continue with our commercial resources
Hand-picked next steps for this topic — special purpose machinery and industrial project financing.
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