This guide explains the journey a supplier takes to view, access full details, and formally submit a response to a Public Tender on VendorPanel - a Unimarket Company. Understanding this process helps buyers manage and anticipate supplier interactions with their tenders.
Prerequisites
The tender must be published as a Public Tender on the VendorPanel - a Unimarket Company Public Tenders Page.
Supplier need to follow the tender in order to download/respond on to it
What to Expect on the Public Page
Public Browsing (No Account Required)
Suppliers can browse a free, public page called the VendorPanel - a Unimarket Company Public Tenders Page.
On this public page, the supplier can:
See the name and a basic description of the tender.
See the issuing organisation (e.g., a specific Council).
See the opening and closing dates.
Filter or search the list by category or issuer.
Accessing Full Details (Account Required)
To access the complete details or formally submit a response, the supplier must have a registered VendorPanel - a Unimarket Company account.
If a supplier finds an interesting tender, they must either register a free Supplier account or log in to their existing account to access the Open Market Tenders feature.
The 'Follow Tender' Action
After logging in and viewing the tender details, the supplier must select Follow Tender.
This action is mandatory because:
The tender document (attachments) can be downloaded only after pressing follow tender.
A tender response can be created only after follow tender.
The supplier will also be automatically added to the supplier list (if not already on the account) and start receiving automatic email notifications for new opportunities.
Post-Following Activities
Once the supplier has followed the tender, they will be able to:
Download any attachments or documents.
Submit a response to the tender.
| What Supplier Can Do (No Account Required) | Supplier Cannot Do This (Account Required) |
|---|---|
| ✅ See the name and a basic description of the tender. | ❌ View the full details of the tender. |
| ✅ See the issuing organisation (e.g., a specific Council). | ❌ Download any attachments or documents (e.g., the Request for Tender document). |
| ✅ See the opening and closing dates. | ❌ Submit a response to the tender. |
| ✅ Filter or search the list by category or issuer. | ❌ Receive automatic email notifications for new opportunities. |
Limits & Notes
A supplier does not need an account to simply browse the publicly accessible tender list.
Registration for a Supplier account on the VendorPanel - a Unimarket Company platform is free.