Winning the tender is not the end of the process but the beginning of the engagement. At this stage, the agreement, the performance guarantees, the insurances, the milestones, the mechanisms of change, the fines and the distribution of risks are examined.
Many businesses invest effort in winning, then sign documents that produce operational, financial and legal exposure that are not priced in advance.
What to check after a win
- Whether the text of the contract matches what was published in the tender or expanded beyond that.
- What are the performance guarantees, insurance policies and mandatory schedules.
- How to handle changes, irregularities, job additions and delays.
- What mechanisms of offset, agreed compensation or uncommunication have been determined.
Why is it wrong to see a formality signature
Because in many cases, the bulk of the financial risk was born in the execution stage. Proper legal guidance helps to identify pre-exposures, request corrections when possible, and build a work track that protects the business while fulfilling the obligations.
When is service especially important?
- When it comes to the first tender of the business in front of a public body.
- When the financial scope is high or the profitability is borderline.
- When there are suppliers, subcontractors or complex execution milestones.
- Where there are fines, guarantees or irregular insurances.