Q&A round

The official channel bidders use to clarify points in the tender before the deadline.

The Q&A round is the official way to clarify points in the tender documents, usually through a SIMAP forum and within a published deadline. Questions and answers are visible to all bidders at the same time.

Other participants generally see each question in anonymized form. Bidders should therefore avoid details, such as specific product names or internal references, that could reveal their company or strategy.

Informal requests outside the Q&A round, such as emails or calls to the contracting authority, risk undermining equal treatment. Many authorities leave them unanswered for that reason.