tendering

Meanings

1. 1noununcountablebusiness

   The process of formally asking companies to offer prices for a job or contract, or of making such an offer.

   Grammar: Used without 'a' or a plural: 'Tendering starts next week.'

   Patterns

   • tendering for something
   • the tendering process
   • put work out to tendering

   The city council has opened the tendering for the new bridge.

   Several firms are taking part in the tendering for the hospital contract.

   The tendering process can take several months.

2. 2verbintransitivebusiness

   Present participle of 'tender': offering something formally, or making a formal offer for work.

   Grammar: No object here; often followed by 'for': 'They are tendering for the contract.'

   Patterns

   • tendering for something

   Three companies are tendering for the railway project.

   She is tendering her resignation today.

   They have been tendering for government work for years.

3. 3verbtransitiveformal

   Present participle of 'tender': offering or giving something formally.

   Grammar: Takes an object: 'tendering an apology'.

   Patterns

   • tendering something
   • tendering an apology
   • tendering one's resignation

   He is tendering his resignation at the end of the month.

   The company is tendering an apology to affected customers.

   She insisted on tendering her thanks in person.

Common combinations

tendering process

The tendering process must be fair and open.

tendering for a contract

They are tendering for a contract to build the new school.

put something out to tendering

The government put the project out to tendering last month.

competitive tendering

Competitive tendering helps keep costs down.

Synonyms and how they differ

bidding

Similar, but 'bidding' often focuses on the price offered, while 'tendering' stresses the formal process.

offering

More general; 'tendering' is the formal, business or legal word.

Word family

tender verb

To offer something formally, or to make a formal offer for work.

tender noun

A formal offer to do work or supply goods at a stated price.

tenderer noun

A person or company that makes a formal offer.

Commonly confused: tendering or tender?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “tendering”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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