A tender is a formal process where municipalities solicit competitive bids from contractors or suppliers for construction projects, goods, or services. Tendering involves issuing public tender documents specifying requirements, receiving sealed bids by deadline, evaluating bids against criteria, and awarding contracts to successful bidders. Municipal procurement policies and provincial legislation govern when tendering is required (typically above specified dollar thresholds), acceptable tender methods, and evaluation criteria. Tendering promotes competition, value for money, and transparency in public spending. Tender evaluation may consider price alone (lowest compliant bid) or multiple factors including qualifications, methodology, and sustainability (best value). Municipalities maintain lists of prequalified contractors for some tender types.