Knowledge base › Submitting, award and objections
What the award decision notice must at least contain, how to ask for an explanation and how to use the letter for next time.
Checked on 15-09-2026
An unsuccessful bidder receives the notification of the award decision, in practice the rejection letter. According to PIANOo it contains at least the reasons for the decision, the characteristics and relative advantages of the chosen tender, the name of the bidder to whom the authority intends to award, and the duration of the standstill period.
The words relative advantages matter. They concern the differences between the winning tender and yours, not only your own weak points. A letter with only final scores gives little insight into that. Do not expect full access to the winner's tender, however: the authority may not disclose confidential information from bidders.
If the reasoning is unclear, you can ask for an explanation. An unsuccessful party is entitled to the reasons for rejection; the authority provides them no later than 15 days after receiving a request. PIANOo advises authorities to also inform unsuccessful bidders by phone or in a meeting and to name points for improvement. Keep an eye on the standstill period in the meantime.
A lost tender is learning material. Put your score for each award criterion next to the winner's and read the assessors' comments alongside your own text. See where the assessors gave points and where they did not: for measurable commitments, a clear schedule or a risk section tailored to this contract. Look at the price as well: if it was far from the winner's, that says something about your cost price or about how you read the contract.
What this means for you: read the rejection letter on the day you receive it, note the last day of the standstill period and request a meeting within a few days if the reasoning does not tell you enough. Record what you learned from each tender, so the next one builds on it. If you think a mistake was made, this is the moment to have it assessed quickly whether an objection makes sense.
These articles explain how public tendering works; they are not legal advice. If you are unsure about a specific tender, ask your question through the clarification round or consult a lawyer.
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