Unless the projects contractor has already been selected, owners must publicise the availability of their projects to prospective tenderers. The procedure used on most publicly funded projects and some private ones is for the owner to issue an invitation to tender, also known as an advertisement for tenders or notice to tenderers, with basic information about the project. A sample invitation is shown in Figure 3.5, containing information on the name and owner of the project, the time for receipt of tenders, the location where tender documents can be obtained and their cost, the bid deposit and bonding requirements and the name of the design professional. Most invitations contain basic information about the magnitude of the project, the nature of its primary materials, and its estimated cost. The invitation is published in the public media and may be sent by mail to contractors who have expressed prior interest. The invitation in Figure 3.5 was also posted on the City of Yellowknifes website at https://city.yellowknife.nt.ca/. With this information, contractors can determine whether they are interested in pursuing further the prospect of obtaining this work.
