An addendum is a formal written change to a solicitation issued after it is published. It can move the due date, change quantities, answer questions, or fix errors. Agencies usually require bidders to acknowledge every addendum in writing. If you miss one, your bid may be based on old terms, and the agency may reject it as non-responsive, even if your price was the best.
What an addendum can change
Once a bid is advertised, the agency cannot quietly change it. Any change goes out as a numbered addendum, sometimes called an amendment, to everyone who might bid.
Addenda can be small or large. One may fix a typo. The next may rewrite the scope.
- The due date, time or place of submission.
- Quantities, specifications, drawings or the scope of work.
- Answers to questions that other bidders asked.
- Required forms, pricing sheets or bond amounts.
- Notice that the solicitation is cancelled.
Why a missed addendum can sink a bid
Public agencies must compare bids on equal terms. If one bidder priced the original scope and another priced the changed scope, the two bids are not comparable.
For that reason, many solicitations state that failure to acknowledge an addendum may make a bid non-responsive. Some agencies have a little room to waive a minor miss, such as an addendum that only fixed a typo. Many do not, and you should not count on it.
How acknowledgment works
The usual method is a line on the bid form where you list each addendum number and date, or a signed acknowledgment page that comes with each addendum. On electronic portals, you may have to check a box for each one before the system accepts your response.
Read the instructions for the exact method. Listing the addenda in a cover letter may not count if the agency asked for a signed form.
Acknowledging an addendum is not the same as acting on it. If an addendum changed a quantity or a pricing line, your price sheet must reflect the change too. A signed acknowledgment on top of an old price sheet can still cause problems.
Before you seal or upload the response, count the addenda posted on the solicitation page and compare that number with the list on your form.
How to make sure you see every one
Addenda are posted where the original solicitation was posted. Being on a planholders list or registering as an interested bidder often means you get an email, but email is not always sent and can land in spam.
- Register as a planholder or interested vendor on the solicitation page.
- Check the posting page directly on a set schedule, and again the day before the deadline.
- Keep a simple log: addendum number, date issued, what changed, and who updated the response.
- Recheck your pricing and forms against each addendum before you sign.
- Fill in the acknowledgment for every addendum, even the ones that seem minor.
Late addenda
Addenda can arrive a day or two before the deadline. If a late addendum makes a big change, the agency may extend the due date in the same notice. Do not assume an extension; read the addendum.
BotBid watches posting pages for new addenda and flags them against your plan, but a person should still confirm the acknowledgment before submission.
Rules vary by agency and state; check the solicitation and your own advisers.
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Addendum watch
Read transcript
Illustrative narration with fictional examples. Review source requirements and approve prices, signatures and submissions yourself.
The asphalt spec changed on page forty-seven. Of an addendum. Posted at four in the afternoon. Did your team catch it? BotBid did. It flags what changed, shows you before and after, and fixes your checklist and your dates. In minutes.
Common questions
Is an addendum the same as an amendment?
In practice, yes. Different agencies use different words for a formal change to a solicitation.
Do I need to acknowledge an addendum that only answers questions?
Usually yes. If the agency numbered it as an addendum, treat it as one and acknowledge it the way the instructions say.
What if an addendum comes out after I already submitted?
Read the instructions. Many agencies let you withdraw and resubmit, or submit a modification, before the deadline.