Why is the discount trigger different from its percentage?
The World Bank's March 2025 plant procurement document distinguishes multi-contract conditional discounts from unconditional discounts and specifies their treatment in that document. Its ITB 17.10 excludes the stated multi-contract conditional discounts from evaluation, while ITB 17.11 addresses disclosure of unconditional discounts and how they apply.
This is a dated procurement-document example, not a rule for every Australian or UK tender. Tender Glossary is independent and is not affiliated with the World Bank. This article is not legal advice. Read the actual issued instructions and obtain qualified review of the live offer.
What should a discount review extract?
Keep the bidder's offer wording and buyer's evaluation instructions as separate references. A percentage alone does not show when a reduction applies, which lines it affects or whether the buyer may use it in evaluation.
| Field | Record | Review |
|---|---|---|
| Offer type | Unconditional or exact conditional trigger | Do not drop the condition |
| Price base | Named lots, items or subtotal | Exclude unsupported extensions |
| Calculation | Percentage or amount and application order | Preserve currency and basis |
| Evaluation rule | Actual issued provision and amendments | Do not import another buyer's rule |
| Award scenario | Conditions met, unmet or unresolved | Avoid assuming a combined award |
| Approval | Commercial disposition and final offer text | Keep the original evidence |
How does a two-lot trigger change the arithmetic?
Illustrative example. Fictional lot A is 100 cost units and lot B is 150. An offer states a 10 percent reduction on their combined 250 only if both lots are awarded together. Under that stated offer scenario the reduction is 25 and the combined amount is 225.
That arithmetic does not authorize reducing a single-lot A offer to 90, and it does not prove the buyer may count the conditional discount during evaluation. A separate unconditional reduction has its own wording and base. All amounts are abstract and synthetic, not bid prices or an award recommendation.
What should remain open before submission?
Raise unclear triggers, conflicting schedules or an undefined application order through the permitted clarification process. Do not assume that a discount can be added or rewritten after closing. The bidder's commercial owner approves the final wording and the actual procurement rules determine permitted treatment.
Keep discount interpretation separate from arithmetic error correction, lot award limits and eligibility. A mathematically correct reduction can still be inapplicable to the scenario or unavailable for evaluation. Preserve the issued provision and reviewed decision beside the calculation.
Common questions
What else should the bid team know?
Does a conditional percentage apply if its trigger is absent?
Do not assume it does. Preserve the actual offer condition.
Can the example determine the buyer's evaluated price?
No. The issued evaluation instructions control permitted treatment.
Is the March 2025 document a universal tender rule?
No. It is a specific dated example that must not replace the live instructions.