What is the
most economically advantageous tender
Also known as: MEAT
The most economically advantageous tender (MEAT) is the overarching principle governing how contracting authorities must select the winning supplier in public procurement. Despite its name, "economically advantageous" does not simply mean cheapest — the principle enables quality, environmental impact, and other factors to outweigh price alone.
How does the MEAT principle work?
Under EU Directive 2014/24/EU, Article 67, contracting authorities must award contracts based on the most economically advantageous tender. In practice, this is assessed through three possible award models:
- Best price-quality ratio — the default approach. The authority evaluates both cost and one or more quality criteria, such as technical merit, environmental characteristics, or delivery terms. EU member states may even prohibit awarding contracts on price alone.
- Lowest cost — a cost-effectiveness approach that can include life-cycle costing, covering not just the purchase price but also operating costs, maintenance, and disposal.
- Lowest price — a pure price competition where the cheapest compliant bid wins. This model is typically used when requirements are standardised and quality differences between suppliers are minimal.
Why is MEAT important?
While award criteria describe the specific criteria used in evaluation, and weighting determines how much each criterion counts, MEAT is the overarching legal framework that ties everything together. The principle ensures public funds are spent effectively by requiring authorities to consider the full picture — not just the price tag.
In the EEA, Norway has implemented Article 67 through the Public Procurement Regulation (FOA) § 18-1, which establishes best price-quality ratio as the main rule. Tools like Cobrief can help suppliers understand which award model applies in a specific competition, so they can tailor their bid accordingly.
MEAT is ultimately about finding the optimal balance between price and value. For suppliers, this means a winning bid is not just about being cheapest, but about delivering the greatest value within the framework set out in the tender documents.