Tenderers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Individuals or entities that submit proposals or bids for a contract or project
2. Parties involved in the process of offering to supply goods or services as requested in a tender
3. Suppliers who formally seek to obtain a contract by presenting their offers in response to a solicitation for tenders

Etymology: "Tenderers" is simply the plural of "tenderer," a noun formed from the verb "tender" plus the agent suffix "-er," meaning one who makes a tender. The sense of "tender" in question is the commercial one: an offer to supply goods or perform work at a stated price, which is itself a separate development from the adjective meaning soft or sensitive. The word's current meaning therefore rests on the idea of putting something forward for acceptance. A "tender" in this sense is a formal offer, so the person or firm who presents one is the "tenderer," and where several parties bid for the same contract, there are several "tenderers."

Synonyms: bidders, proposers, offerors, contractors, suppliers