What happens to bids that are delivered late?

Bids that are delivered late are rejected and not considered for a few important reasons rooted in fairness and the integrity of the bidding process. The primary objective of a bid submission deadline is to ensure that all bidders have a level playing field, and late bids can disrupt this balance. Accepting late submissions could give certain bidders an unfair advantage and undermine the competition's integrity.

Additionally, public procurement processes often have strict rules and regulations to maintain transparency. Allowing late bids could lead to perceptions of favoritism or corruption, compromising the trust stakeholders place in the procurement process.

By rejecting late bids, the contracting authorities uphold the established timeline and requirements as stated in the bid documents, ensuring that all bidders adhere to the same rules and have their bids evaluated under identical conditions. This maintains the competitive nature of the procurement process and ensures that all participants are treated equally.