Notice Inviting Tender (NIT)

A Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) is the formal public notice a government department issues to invite bids for a work, good, or service. It is the official starting gun of an open tender, equivalent to an RFP or IFB in other countries.

What is Notice Inviting Tender (NIT)?

The NIT is prepared and published by the Tender Inviting Authority (TIA), usually the department head or a designated officer. It is the public announcement that opens a tender to competition, so any firm that meets the stated eligibility can bid. Under the General Financial Rules (GFR 2017), open tenders above Rs 25 lakh must be published on the Central Public Procurement Portal (CPPP) and the relevant e-procurement portal, and tenders above Rs 5 lakh are also advertised in at least one national newspaper.

A short NIT is often only one or two pages for goods on GeM or CPPP, while a works tender NIT can run two to five pages. It usually carries the tender reference number and title, a brief scope, the estimated cost, the EMD (Earnest Money Deposit) amount, the tender fee, eligibility criteria, and the key dates for the pre-bid meeting, submission deadline, and bid opening. If the department later changes any of these, it issues a corrigendum.

Why NIT matters for bidders

The NIT is the first document you read and the one that decides whether you can even bid. It tells you the eligibility bar, the EMD you must arrange, the deadline you have to hit, and where to submit online. Reading it carefully against the priced BOQ is the fastest way to judge fit before you commit time to a full submission. For a step-by-step view of the whole online process, see our e-tendering complete guide.

Example

The Public Health Engineering Department of a state government plans a rural water supply scheme with an estimated cost of Rs 4 crore. It prepares an NIT, publishes it on CPPP and the state e-procurement portal, sets an EMD of 2 percent of the estimated cost, lists a minimum turnover and similar-work requirement, and fixes a three-week window with a pre-bid meeting in week two. Contractors who meet the criteria download the bid documents, attend the pre-bid meeting, and upload their technical and financial covers before the deadline.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between an NIT and an EOI?

An NIT invites priced bids to award a contract, so it asks for full technical and financial offers. An EOI (Expression of Interest) is a softer, earlier step used to gauge market interest or shortlist suppliers before a formal tender. An EOI does not by itself award work; an NIT does.

Where are NITs published in India?

Open tenders above Rs 25 lakh must be published on the Central Public Procurement Portal (CPPP) and the relevant e-procurement portal. Tenders above Rs 5 lakh are also advertised in at least one national newspaper and the department website. On GeM, the bid document with the full NIT is publicly downloadable.

What information does an NIT contain?

A typical NIT lists the tender reference number and title, a brief scope of work, the estimated cost, the EMD amount, the tender fee, the eligibility criteria, and the key dates for the pre-bid meeting, submission, and opening. It also gives instructions for online submission, including the portal and any DSC requirement.

Can an NIT be changed after it is published?

Yes. Based on pre-bid meeting feedback, bidder queries, or internal reviews, the Tender Inviting Authority can issue a corrigendum that amends the original NIT. The most common change is a deadline extension, but corrigendums can also relax eligibility or clarify scope. Always check for the latest corrigendum before you submit.

Is an NIT the same as an open tender?

The NIT is the notice that opens an open tender, so the two terms are often used together. Open tendering is the default procurement method above Rs 25 lakh under GFR 2017, and the NIT is the public invitation that starts it. Limited or single tenders use different notices and restrict who may bid.