Tarjousasiakirjat

Tarjousasiakirjat, literally "offer documents" in Finnish, refer to tender documents issued by contracting authorities for a given public contract in various countries. These documents outline the requirements and expectations of the contracting authority for the contract. In Finland, Sweden, and Estonia, these documents are a crucial part of the public procurement process, used to invite bidders to submit their tenders.

Tarjousasiakirjat comprise a non-binding notice of intention to award a contract, outlining the essential requirements for the project and its terms. This comprises the call for tenders, specifications, conditions of contract, and other related documents. The content is detailed as per the availability of funds and site visits. The documents usually include calls for clarification, clarifies mistakes in the published documents, and provides procedural information regarding maintaining the confidentiality of the bidding process.

The public procurement law and regulations of the respective countries set forth guidelines for the preparation of Tarjousasiakirjat. The contracting authority is responsible for its creation and periodic updates. However, the content of this document is often seen as vulnerable to ill intentions and/or corruption leading some sectors to seek routinely clarifications, and influence over terms used which is ultimately its wise preparation through clerks and experienced specialists.

The effectiveness of Tarjousasiakirjat in specifying the requirements needs to balance with flexibility to avoid narrow conditions that tend to solicit limited tenders or tend to deter firms or associations new in public contracting.