What is Shortfall documents?
Shortfall documents are missing or unclear papers in a bid that the buyer may ask a bidder to clarify or supply during evaluation, if the tender allows it.
What are shortfall documents?
Shortfall documents are documents that are missing, incomplete, unsigned, unreadable or unclear in a submitted bid. During evaluation, the buyer may write to the bidder asking for clarification or for the missing papers. This is often called a shortfall letter or clarification request.
A clarification can only explain or support what the bid already contains. It cannot be used to change the price or the substance of the bid, or to meet a condition the bidder did not meet when the bid was submitted.
How it works
Whether shortfalls can be asked for at all, and which documents qualify, depends on the tender and the buyer’s procedures.
- Evaluators list the shortfalls found in each bid
- The buyer issues clarification requests through the portal or in writing, with a deadline
- Bidders reply within the time given
- Evaluators record how each shortfall was resolved, and the bid is evaluated on that basis
Tips for bidders
Do not rely on the shortfall stage to complete your bid. Many buyers do not ask for shortfalls at all, and a bid missing a key document may simply be rejected.
If you receive a request, reply within the deadline, answer only what is asked, and send documents that existed before the bid due date where the tender requires that.
Tips for buyers
Treat all bidders alike, ask for the same kind of shortfall from everyone in the same position, and keep a record of each request and reply for the committee file.
Common questions
Common questions about Shortfall documents in government tenders.
Only if the buyer asks for them and the tender allows it. Even then, they usually must support a claim already made in the bid, not add a new qualification.
It is a formal request from the buyer listing documents or details missing from a bid and asking the bidder to clarify or supply them by a stated date.
Yes. GeM generally lets buyers seek clarification from sellers on their technical documents through the portal, with a time limit to respond.
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