Tender terminology glossary: 50+ terms decoded
Understanding procurement language helps you respond accurately and avoid costly mistakes.
Why terminology matters
Tender documents are full of jargon. Misunderstand a term and you risk missing a requirement, answering the wrong question, or failing compliance. Some mistakes disqualify you before evaluation even starts.
This glossary decodes 50+ essential terms you’ll encounter in UK health and social care procurement.
Core tender documents
Tender pack
The complete set of documents you download from the portal: instructions, questions, evaluation criteria, pricing schedules, attachments, and terms.
Specification (Spec)
The buyer’s detailed requirements for what, how, when, and where the service must be delivered. Usually the most important document.
Invitation to Tender (ITT)
The formal document inviting your full response, with detailed questions, evaluation criteria, and submission requirements.
Selection Questionnaire (SQ)
Standard UK pre-qualification assessment of suitability: financial standing, technical capacity, policies, experience.
Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ)
Older term for SQ; still used by some commissioners.
Procurement routes
Framework Agreement
Pre-approved supplier list for specific services. Work awarded via direct call-off or mini-competition during the framework term (2-4 years typical).
Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS)
Ongoing open supplier list. New suppliers can join anytime. Work awarded via mini-competition among DPS members.
Lot
A subdivision within a tender (by geography, service type, or cohort). Bid for one or multiple lots.
Mini-Competition
Competition between existing framework/DPS suppliers for a specific contract.
Call-Off
Awarding work under an existing framework/DPS without full tender process.
Restricted Procedure
Two-stage tender: pre-qualification first, then invited bidders submit full tenders.
Open Procedure
Single-stage tender open to all qualified bidders (most common in care).
Scoring and evaluation
Evaluation Criteria
Standards used to assess and score bids. Usually quality + price weightings.
Weighting
Percentage importance of each component (e.g., Quality 70%, Price 30%).
Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT)
Evaluation balancing quality and price to select best overall value (standard in care).
Pass/Fail
Mandatory requirements with no scoring — meet them or be eliminated.
Compliance
Meeting all instructions: deadlines, word counts, documents, declarations, formatting.
Method Statement
Structured explanation of “how you will deliver” aligned to tender requirements.
Quality Response
Narrative section scored against criteria (vs pricing section).
Price Response
Financial offer, usually separate from quality.
Organisations and roles
Contracting Authority / Buyer / Commissioner
Organisation procuring the contract (NHS, local authority, housing association).
Economic Operator
Legal term for bidder (company, charity, individual).
Evaluator
Person scoring responses against criteria.
Stakeholders
Internal people providing evidence and sign-off (operations, HR, finance, quality).
Tender stages and process
Market Engagement
Pre-tender consultation with potential bidders to shape specification.
Clarification Questions
Pre-deadline questions to buyer about requirements; answers usually published to all bidders.
Standstill Period
10-day pause between award notification and contract signature (allows challenges).
Contract Award Notice
Public announcement that contract has been awarded.
Contract Notice
Public announcement that tender opportunity exists (Find a Tender service).
Mobilisation
Transition period after award: recruitment, training, systems, operational readiness.
Key health and social care terms
Care Quality Commission (CQC)
Regulator of health and adult social care in England. Registration and inspection required for most care services.
CQC Registration Certificate
Proof you’re legally registered to provide specific service types.
CQC Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOEs)
Inspection framework assessing: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive, Well-Led. Note: CQC has transitioned to a quality statements framework. The five key questions remain, but the assessment methodology has changed. Many buyers still reference KLOEs, so the term remains relevant — but newer tender documents may use “quality statements” instead.
Integrated Care Board (ICB)
NHS body (2022+) replacing CCGs, commissioning community health services.
NHS England
National NHS body overseeing commissioning, setting priorities.
NHS Long Term Plan
2019 strategy setting NHS priorities through 2028.
NHS Standard Contract
Mandatory contract template for NHS-funded services.
Local Authority
Council commissioning adult/children’s social care.
Adult Social Care
Services for adults needing support (elderly, disabled, mental health, etc.).
Children’s Services
Services for children in need or care (social care, fostering, residential).
Supported Living
Housing-related support for people to live independently.
Domiciliary Care
Care provided in people’s own homes.
Patient Transport Services (PTS)
Non-emergency transport for NHS patients.
Core20PLUS5
NHS approach reducing health inequalities: focus on most deprived 20% + 5 priority areas.
Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS)
Legal framework authorising restrictions on liberty for people lacking capacity in care settings. Still the current framework — Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) was legislated as a replacement but implementation remains pending.
Health Inequalities
Differences in health outcomes between groups; NHS priority.
NMDS-SC (National Minimum Data Set for Social Care)
Skills for Care database tracking workforce data. Care providers use it for benchmarking staff retention, vacancy rates, and pay against sector averages — valuable evidence in tender responses.
Nominated Individual
Senior person in a care organisation responsible for supervising management of regulated activities. Required for CQC registration.
PIR (Provider Information Return)
Information CQC requests from registered providers before inspection. Includes data on service delivery, staffing, outcomes, and complaints.
Place-Based
Commissioning focused on local geography and partnerships.
Provider Selection Regime (PSR)
New NHS procurement framework (from January 2024) replacing the previous approach to arranging healthcare services. Gives commissioners more flexibility to continue existing arrangements, use competitive processes, or select providers based on most suitable criteria.
Registered Manager
Named individual registered with CQC as responsible for the day-to-day management of a regulated service. Must meet fit person requirements.
Regulated Activity
Activities that require CQC registration: personal care, accommodation with nursing/personal care, treatment of disease/disorder/injury, and others defined in the Health and Social Care Act 2008.
Skills for Care
Sector body supporting adult social care workforce development. Sets standards (including the Care Certificate), provides workforce data, and supports training frameworks.
Legal and compliance
Public Contracts Regulations (PCR) 2015
UK procurement law governing how public contracts must be awarded.
Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) - TUPE
Rules protecting staff when services transfer between providers.
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
Criminal record checks required for staff working with vulnerable people.
Enhanced DBS
Higher-level check including barred list for regulated activity with children/vulnerable adults.
Safeguarding
Protecting vulnerable people from abuse, neglect, harm.
Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA)
Law governing decision-making for people lacking capacity.
Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS)
Planned replacement for Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) for care restrictions. LPS was legislated but the implementation date remains pending — DoLS is still the current framework. Expect references to both in tender documents during the transition period.
GDPR / Data Protection
Law governing handling of personal data.
Social Value Act 2012
Law requiring public sector to consider social value in procurement.
Financial and pricing
Cost Model
Breakdown showing how you calculated your price.
Rate Card
List of prices for different staff types/services.
Abnormally Low Tender (ALT)
Bid significantly lower than others, triggering investigation into sustainability.
Abnormally High Tender
Bid significantly higher, usually uncompetitive.
Whole Life Cost
Total cost including maintenance, disposal, etc.
Value for Money (VfM)
Optimal balance of quality and cost.
Performance Bond
Financial guarantee ensuring contract delivery.
Prompt Payment
Paying suppliers quickly (typically 30 days, 14 for SMEs).
Service delivery terms
Service Level Agreement (SLA)
Specific measurable commitments within contract.
Key Performance Indicator (KPI)
Metric measuring contract performance.
Outcome
Result or change achieved for service user (not just service delivered).
Person-Centred
Approach focusing on individual preferences, needs, goals.
Co-Production
Service users and families involved in designing/delivering services.
Continuity of Care
Consistent staff and relationships over time.
Key Worker
Named consistent worker coordinating someone’s care.
Case Study
Example of past delivery proving capability (scope, actions, outcomes).
Evidence Library
Organised collection of case studies, KPIs, policies, testimonials for reuse.
Workforce terms
Safer Recruitment
Vetting process ensuring staff suitability to work with vulnerable people.
Right to Work Check
Verifying staff can legally work in UK.
Competency Assessment
Evaluating staff ability to perform specific tasks safely.
Supervision
Regular 1:1 meetings supporting and developing staff.
Appraisal
Annual review of performance and development.
Mandatory Training
Required training (safeguarding, health & safety, etc.).
Continuous Professional Development (CPD)
Ongoing learning and development.
Risk and business continuity
Risk Register
Structured list of risks, mitigations, owners, review dates.
Business Continuity
Plans to maintain service during disruption.
Contingency
Backup plan if primary approach fails.
Mitigation
Action reducing likelihood or impact of risk.
Force Majeure
Unforeseeable circumstances preventing contract performance.
Technology and systems
Electronic Call Monitoring (ECM)
System tracking staff arrival/departure at visits (GPS, phone app).
Care Management System
Software for records, scheduling, reporting.
Electronic Patient Record (EPR)
Digital health/care records.
Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT)
NHS self-assessment for data security compliance.
Cyber Essentials
Government-backed cyber security certification.
Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs)
Feedback from patients on their health outcomes.
Patient Reported Experience Measures (PREMs)
Feedback on care experience (not just outcomes).
Portal and submission
Delta eSourcing
Common local authority/NHS e-procurement portal.
Jaggaer
NHS Supply Chain and large framework portal (formerly BravoSolution).
In-Tend
Modern local authority procurement portal.
Find a Tender
UK government service publishing contract notices.
Contract Finder
Database of awarded public contracts.
Character Limit
Maximum characters allowed in portal text field.
Attachment
File uploaded with tender response.
Key abbreviations quick reference
| Abbreviation | Full Term | Context |
|---|---|---|
| ALT | Abnormally Low Tender | Evaluation |
| BAFO | Best and Final Offer | Negotiation stage |
| CCS | Crown Commercial Service | Central procurement |
| CPC | Certificate of Professional Competence | Driver qualification |
| CPD | Continuous Professional Development | Staff development |
| CQC | Care Quality Commission | Care regulation |
| DBS | Disclosure and Barring Service | Staff vetting |
| DG11/12 | Medical fitness standards | Driver medical |
| DoLS | Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards | Care restrictions |
| DPS | Dynamic Purchasing System | Procurement route |
| DSPT | Data Security and Protection Toolkit | NHS data security |
| ECM | Electronic Call Monitoring | Visit tracking |
| EOI | Expression of Interest | Early stage |
| EPR | Electronic Patient Record | Digital records |
| GDPR | General Data Protection Regulation | Data law |
| ICB | Integrated Care Board | NHS commissioning |
| ITT | Invitation to Tender | Main bidding stage |
| ITQ | Invitation to Qualify | Alternative to ITT |
| KLOE | Key Lines of Enquiry | CQC inspection |
| KPI | Key Performance Indicator | Measurement |
| LPS | Liberty Protection Safeguards | Planned DoLS replacement (pending) |
| MCA | Mental Capacity Act | Legal framework |
| MEAT | Most Economically Advantageous Tender | Evaluation method |
| NEPTS | Non-Emergency Patient Transport | NHS service |
| NHS | National Health Service | Health system |
| NMDS-SC | National Minimum Data Set for Social Care | Workforce data |
| PCR | Public Contracts Regulations | Procurement law |
| PIR | Provider Information Return | CQC reporting |
| PSR | Provider Selection Regime | NHS procurement |
| PQQ | Pre-Qualification Questionnaire | Pre-qualification |
| PREMs | Patient Reported Experience Measures | Feedback |
| PROMs | Patient Reported Outcome Measures | Outcomes |
| PTS | Patient Transport Services | NHS transport |
| Q&A | Questions and Answers | Clarification |
| SLA | Service Level Agreement | Contract terms |
| SME | Small and Medium Enterprise | Business size |
| SQ | Selection Questionnaire | Pre-qualification |
| TUPE | Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) | Staff transfer |
| ULEZ | Ultra Low Emission Zone | Environmental zone |
| VfM | Value for Money | Assessment |
| WAV | Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle | Transport |
Using this glossary
When you see an unfamiliar term:
- Check this glossary — quick reference
- Check tender definitions — some tenders define terms in the spec
- Ask for clarification — submit a question if it’s critical
- Research online — Gov.uk, NHS, CQC websites
Critical terms to never misunderstand:
- MEAT vs Lowest Price — Different strategies
- TUPE — Legal obligations
- Compliance/Threshold — Pass/fail consequences
- Mobilisation — Often heavily weighted
- Weighting — Determines bid strategy
Build your own glossary
As you tender, add terms specific to:
- Your sectors
- Your commissioners
- Your service types
Need help understanding a tender? Our bid audit service includes specification review. Contact us.
Want a fast, practical steer on your next bid?
Send the tender pack (or link) and deadline — we’ll confirm fit, risks, and recommended scope.