How Tenders Are Scored: Price vs Quality, Points and Weights

Start with the numbers: how much competition

As of November 1, 2026, TenderLabs data shows 11,376 open lots. In the last week, 15,671 new ones were added; in the last month, 37,080. Competition for each lot is high. To win, you need to know exactly how the buyer will score your bid.

Two approaches: price only or price plus quality

In a tender, bids are scored on criteria. There may be two or more, but price and quality (or qualification) are always there.

If the tender is price-only, the lowest price wins. But even here, a bid can be rejected for non-compliance. So first they check eligibility, then they score.

If the tender has quality criteria, price is only part of the score. For example, price may weigh 60% and quality 40%. Or the other way around. The exact weights and formula are in the tender documents. Read them before you prepare your bid.

How price points are calculated

Usually one of two methods is used.

1. 1Proportional: points = (lowest price / your price) × maximum points for the criterion. If you offer the lowest price, you get the maximum. If your price is twice as high, you get half the points.
2. 2Inverse: points are reduced for each percentage above the lowest price. The step and cap are in the documents.

In some tenders, price is not scored at all; bids above the starting price are simply rejected. Then quality decides everything.

How quality points are calculated

Quality criteria include product characteristics, experience, staff qualifications, delivery time, warranty. For each criterion, the buyer sets a scale. For example, delivery in 10 days gets 10 points, 20 days gets 5 points, over 30 days gets 0.

Important: the buyer cannot invent criteria after bids are opened. All scales and weights must be in the documents beforehand. If you see a vague criterion (“quality must be high”), ask a question before the bid deadline.

Criterion weights: what to look at first

Weight is the maximum points for a criterion. The sum of weights usually equals 100. Look at the distribution. If price weighs 30 and quality 70, cutting your price to the minimum is almost pointless. Better to invest in quality: confirm experience, offer better terms.

If price weighs 70 and quality 30, the fight is for every percent of reduction. Here you need to calculate your cost precisely.

Some tenders have a minimal quality weight (e.g., 10). Then even perfect quality won't save you if your price is higher than competitors'.

Example calculation

Suppose a tender for equipment supply. Price weight is 60, quality weight 40. Quality is scored by experience: 10 points per similar contract, maximum 40.

You offer 120 million soum, a competitor offers 100 million. You have 5 contracts, the competitor has 2.

Price points: competitor gets 60 (lowest), you get 60 × (100/120) = 50.
Quality points: you get 40 (maximum), competitor gets 20.
Total: you 90, competitor 80. You win even though your price is higher.

If price weight were 70 and quality 30, the result would change: you 70 × (100/120) + 30 = 58.3 + 30 = 88.3; competitor 70 + 15 = 85. You still lead, but the gap is smaller.

What to check in the documents

• The formula for calculating points for each criterion.
• The scales for quality criteria: how many points for what value.
• The list of documents that confirm quality. Without them, no points will be awarded.
• Rounding rules and number of decimal places.
• The possibility to request clarification. Do so if anything is unclear, before the bid deadline.

Common supplier mistakes

1. 1Cutting price without looking at the quality weight. In tenders with high quality weight, dumping doesn't help.
2. 2Not attaching supporting documents for quality criteria. The bid gets zero where it could have gotten maximum.
3. 3Preparing documents with errors. The bid is rejected before scoring.
4. 4Not checking the score calculation after the protocol. If you see an arithmetic error, file a complaint within the deadline.

How to prepare a bid considering weights

1. 1List the criteria and weights.
2. 2Estimate how many points you can get for each criterion with your available documents.
3. 3Estimate competitors' price points: how much you can lower your price without a loss.
4. 4Calculate the total score for several scenarios. Choose the one where your score is highest.
5. 5Check that all documents for quality criteria are attached and properly formatted.

Where to find tenders with suitable weights

TenderLabs collects thousands of lots from open sources. As of November 1, 2026, most open lots are in Tashkent — 2,180, Tashkent region — 874, Karakalpakstan — 868. Filter by industry and region, review the documents, and assess weights before spending time on a bid. The service helps you not miss new tenders: 15,671 were added in a week, and 37,080 in a month.

The bottom line

Bid evaluation is arithmetic. The winner is not the one with the lowest price, but the one who scores the most points considering weights. Read the documents, calculate your points in advance, and confirm quality with documents. Then the tender stops being a lottery.