What is a
variant
Also known as: alternative tender, variant tender
A variant in public procurement is an alternative bid that proposes a different solution from the one specified by the contracting authority in the procurement documents. While a standard bid follows the requirements specification point by point, a variant offers a different approach — such as an alternative technology, material, or delivery method.
How do variants work?
Under Article 45 of EU Directive 2014/24/EU, a supplier cannot submit a variant on their own initiative. The contracting authority must explicitly indicate in the contract notice and tender documents whether variants are authorised or required.
When variants are permitted, the contracting authority must state minimum requirements that the variant must fulfil. This ensures variants can be evaluated alongside conforming tenders on a comparable basis. The award criteria must also be designed so they can apply to both standard and variant submissions.
The contracting authority may additionally require that the supplier submit a conforming tender alongside the variant, ensuring there is always a compliant option to evaluate.
Variants vs. parallel bids
It is important to distinguish variants from parallel bids. A variant deviates from the procurement requirements and requires the contracting authority's prior authorisation. Parallel bids, on the other hand, are multiple submissions from the same supplier that all meet the stated requirements — and are generally permitted unless explicitly prohibited.
When are variants useful?
- Innovation: Suppliers can propose novel solutions the contracting authority may not have considered
- Better value: An alternative approach may deliver lower life cycle costs even if the initial price is higher
- Broader decision-making: The contracting authority gains a wider range of options
Tools like Cobrief can help suppliers discover procurement opportunities where variants are accepted, enabling them to assess whether an alternative solution could be competitive.
Variants are a key mechanism for encouraging innovation in public procurement. The essential condition is that the contracting authority provides clear minimum requirements and transparent evaluation models so that all submissions can be assessed fairly.