Procurement Glossary
Clarification Round: Clarification round in the award procedure
November 19, 2025
The Clarification Round is a structured clarification round in the tendering process that takes place between the submission of the tender and the final evaluation. It enables buyers to clarify open questions about bids and bidders to eliminate ambiguities in the tender documents. Find out below what a clarification round is, how it is conducted and what advantages it offers for successful procurement processes.
Key Facts
- Structured communication phase between bid submission and award decision
- Enables ambiguities to be clarified on both sides without the need to amend the offer
- Reduces the risk of misinterpretations and subsequent contractual disputes
- Must be conducted transparently and equally for all bidders
- Obligation to document all communication content for the award file
Contents
What is a Clarification Round?
A clarification round is a formalized communication phase in the award procedure that serves to clarify ambiguities and questions of understanding.
Core elements of the Clarification Round
The Clarification Round comprises several key components that ensure structured communication:
- Written questionnaires on submitted offers
- Time-limited response deadlines for all parties involved
- Equal treatment of all bidders in the process
- Complete documentation of all communication content
Clarification round vs. renegotiation
In contrast to renegotiation, the Clarification Round serves exclusively to clarify and not to improve the offer. While renegotiations allow for price adjustments, the clarification round focuses on understanding the existing content of the offer.
Importance in modern Procurement
The Clarification Round has established itself as an indispensable tool in tender management. It contributes to quality assurance and minimizes risks due to misunderstandings in complex tendering procedures.
Process steps and responsibilities
The successful implementation of a Clarification Round requires a systematic approach with clearly defined process steps and responsibilities.
Preparation and planning
Preparation begins with the creation of the service description and the award schedule. Purchasing teams define potential clarification requirements and reserve sufficient time for the communication phase. The definition of standardized communication channels and response formats ensures a structured process.
Implementation of the clarification round
After the bid opening, all submitted bids are systematically analyzed. Identified ambiguities are summarized in a standardized questionnaire and sent simultaneously to all bidders concerned. The response deadline must be identical for all participants.
Evaluation and documentation
All responses received are systematically evaluated and documented in the tender file. The knowledge gained is incorporated into the final tender evaluation, without tenders being changed retrospectively.
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Important KPIs and targets for clarification rounds
The effectiveness of Clarification Rounds is measured using specific key figures that evaluate both process quality and result quality.
Process efficiency key figures
The average processing time per clarification round and the number of clarification rounds per award procedure are key efficiency indicators. A high number of clarification rounds can indicate inadequate tender documents, while processing times that are too short can jeopardize quality.
Quality indicators
The number of ambiguities remaining after the clarification round and the rate of successful contract conclusions without subsequent disputes measure the quality of the clarification process. A scoring model can systematically evaluate these different quality dimensions.
Compliance and key risk figures
The number of bidder complaints received in connection with clarification rounds and the success rate of legal reviews are important compliance indicators. These key figures help to identify procurement law risks at an early stage and derive process improvements.
Risks, dependencies and countermeasures
Despite its advantages, the Clarification Round involves various risks that can be minimized by taking appropriate measures.
Procurement law risks
Unequal treatment of bidders or inadmissible improvements to bids can lead to bidder complaints. The risk increases when the boundaries between clarification and renegotiation become blurred. Clear communication guidelines and uniform questionnaires for all bidders are essential protective measures.
Time delays
Incomplete or delayed responses from bidders can jeopardize the entire award schedule. Realistic response deadlines and escalation mechanisms in the event of delays help to control these risks. Backup scenarios for critical procurements are recommended.
Information security and confidentiality
The exchange of sensitive information during the Clarification Round requires special security measures. Encrypted communication channels and strict access controls protect against unauthorized disclosure of information and ensure the integrity of the award procedure.
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Practical example
A car manufacturer issues a tender for logistics services. After submitting the tender, the purchasing team realizes that different bidders have different interpretations of the service requirements. In the clarification round, standardized questions on delivery times, quality standards and reporting requirements are sent to all five bidders. The answers show that two bids do not meet the requirements due to misunderstandings, while three bidders are able to present their performance precisely.
- Standardized questionnaires ensure fair treatment of all bidders
- Clear response deadlines prevent delays in the award process
- Complete documentation protects against later legal disputes
Trends & developments around Clarification Rounds
Digitalization and new technologies are changing the way clarification rounds are conducted and creating new opportunities for more efficient communication processes.
Digital communication platforms
Today, electronic tendering systems enable fully digital clarification rounds with automated workflows. These platforms offer functions such as automatic notifications, deadline tracking and integrated documentation, which significantly increases efficiency.
AI-supported question identification
Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the preparation of clarification rounds by automatically analyzing offer content. AI systems can identify potential ambiguities and contradictions in offers and generate suggestions for clarification questions, which improves the quality and completeness of communication.
Standardization and automation
Modern procurement organizations are developing standardized templates and automated processes for recurring clarification rounds. This development leads to more consistent results and significantly reduces the manual effort involved in conducting clarification rounds.
Conclusion
The Clarification Round has established itself as an indispensable tool in modern procurement management. It reduces misunderstandings, improves the quality of bids and minimizes legal risks in procurement procedures. Through structured implementation and consistent documentation, it contributes significantly to the success of complex procurement projects. Increasing digitalization opens up new possibilities for more efficient and transparent clarification processes.
FAQ
What is the difference between a clarification round and a renegotiation?
The Clarification Round serves exclusively to clarify ambiguities and questions of understanding, without allowing offers to be changed. Renegotiations, on the other hand, allow for adjustments to prices and services. Both instruments have different requirements and areas of application under public procurement law.
When is a clarification round useful in the award procedure?
A clarification round is recommended for complex tenders with technical specifications, unclear tender content or contradictory statements from different bidders. It is particularly valuable when the risk of misunderstandings is high and these could lead to subsequent contractual problems.
What legal requirements apply to clarification rounds?
All bidders must be treated equally and communication must be fully documented. The clarification must not lead to an inadmissible subsequent improvement of the offer. Procurement law provisions such as the GWB and the VgV must be strictly adhered to in order to avoid bidder complaints.
How long should a Clarification Round last?
The duration depends on the complexity of the tender, typically between 5-15 working days. It is important to allow a reasonable response period for bidders and sufficient time for internal evaluation. The time frame should already be taken into account in the award schedule and communicated to all parties involved.
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