What are the differences between open and closed bids for government contracts?

Government contracts put the public’s interest first and ensure that goods and services are obtained in a fair and cost effective way. In New York, government contracts can be awarded through either open or closed bids. Open bids involve broadcasting an RFP (request for proposal) for potential suppliers to respond to, while closed bids involve selecting potential suppliers and sending out an invitation to bid. The key difference between both is that open bids are available for all vendors, regardless of whether they are made aware of the RFP. This is because the RFP is made publicly available and in some cases, vendors can receive a notification via electronic advertising. On the other hand, closed bids are more selective and target only certain vendors. Here, prospective vendors must typically meet certain qualifications before being invited to submit a bid. Another key difference is transparency. Open bids tend to promote official transparency since they are out in the open for everyone to submit a bid and see who else have offered. On the other hand, closed bids are more confidential since only a certain number of vendors will be invited to submit a bid. Finally, in open bids, vendors have more control over what they can propose since they can tailor a bid to specifically fit the requirements of the RFP. On the other hand, closed bids involve the government looking at all the bids and choosing the one they consider to be the best fit. In conclusion, open and closed bids for government contracts involve some differences. Open bids are public and allow for more control whereas closed bids are more confidential and the government has more control over who gets invited to bid.

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