What is a carrier tender?
A carrier tender is a structured procurement process in which your transport volumes are offered to a selected group of carriers, based on a uniform RFP and standardized data. The goal is to obtain market-competitive rates, improve contract terms, and match the right carriers to the right lanes.
A well-run tender delivers structurally more than a quick round of quotes. The difference is in comparability: carriers bid on exactly the same scope, with the same assumptions and against the same service requirements. This makes it possible to compare apples with apples and see the true market value of your transport.
For most shippers a tender every two to three years is a healthy frequency. In between you monitor the tender terms through ongoing performance management and index revisions.
When is a tender relevant?
A carrier tender makes sense when you suspect your rates deviate from the market, when your service level structurally underperforms, when more than two years have passed without revision, or when a major network or volume change is on the horizon (a new market, an acquisition or a changed product mix).
A tender is also valuable for testing how strong your position in the market is. The simple fact that carriers know they are in a tender often leads to sharper rates, even with existing relationships that are ultimately renewed.
Our approach
Together with your team we determine which lanes and modalities are in scope, which service levels are minimally required, and which strategic goals the tender should serve (cost, quality, simplification, risk spread).
We extract twelve months of shipment data, structure it into lanes and modalities, and build the tender matrix on which carriers will bid. Data quality is critical here and we do the heavy lifting.
We create an RFP document with scope, conditions, fuel and index formulas, and required SLAs. We select with your team the carriers that are invited, typically between six and twelve parties.
Incoming offers are evaluated against a predefined scorecard weighing cost, service, quality, financial stability and sustainability. A second round with the shortlist sharpens conditions.
We support the contractual finalization, including fuel clauses, indexing formulas, KPI provisions, and bonuses or penalties. Then we hand over to your operational team for implementation.
What you get
- Custom RFP document for your scope and sector
- Complete data analysis and lane overview in spreadsheet and presentation
- Evaluation scorecard with objective scoring per carrier and per criterion
- Negotiation report with substantiation of choices
- Signed contract per selected carrier, with clear clauses
- Implementation plan for handover to your operational team
Frequently asked questions
How long does a carrier tender process typically take?
A full tender process takes between eight and twelve weeks. For large, complex networks or many modalities this can extend to four months. The timeline depends on data quality, the number of carriers invited and the internal decision-making time at your company.
What data do you need from my company?
We need at least twelve months of shipment data per lane, modality and carrier. Plus your current rate agreements, KPI reporting from existing carriers, and input from your team on service requirements and pain points. Data quality is often the first piece of work.
Do you work with our existing carriers?
Yes. Existing carriers are always invited to the tender, on equal footing with new parties. A good tender is a recalibration, not automatically a replacement exercise. Many existing carriers win lanes back, sometimes on better terms for both parties.
What is your role during negotiations?
We conduct the negotiations technically and commercially, together with your purchasing or logistics manager. We drive the evaluation, compare offers on equal basis and monitor the structural attention points such as fuel clauses, indexing and SLAs. The final decision always remains with your company.
What happens after contract closing?
After contract we support the handover to your operational team and possibly the implementation at carriers. Many clients then move the operational relationship into our Operations & Procurement retainer, so the tender terms are also realized in invoicing.
A tender for your transport procurement?
Schedule a call where we walk through the right scope and objective for your situation.