RTI for Tender Evaluation Matrix After Award

Ramesh supplies office stationery to a municipal office. He bid for a big paper-supply tender, waited two months, and saw the work order go to a rival he had never heard of. No reason was given. The clerk only said, “lowest quote won.” Ramesh suspected the scoring was rigged, but he had no proof and no idea how to ask for it.

This is where the Right to Information Act helps. Once a tender is decided and the work order is issued, the evaluation papers stop being secret. You can use RTI to get the evaluation matrix, the technical and financial scoring, the comparison sheet, and the award letter. This page shows you exactly how, step by step, using only the law and the rules the government itself has written.

Before the tender is decided, bid details are protected. Section 8(1)(d) of the RTI Act guards commercial confidence and trade secrets, so the bids, prices, and technical proposals of competing firms stay confidential while evaluation is on. Filing a pre-award RTI for the scoring sheet will almost always be refused, and the refusal will be correct in law.

After the award, the picture changes. The High Court of Jharkhand held in State of Jharkhand v. Navin Kumar Sinha (AIR 2008 Jhar 19, decided 8 August 2007) that once a tender is decided and the work order is issued, the tender documents cannot be withheld as trade secret or commercial confidence under section 8(1)(d). The Central Information Commission applied the same logic in Anchal Kharya v. NTPC (CIC/NTPCO/A/2019/109270, decided 7 September 2020), directing that the comparative statement of tender finalisation be disclosed, with PAN and TIN numbers redacted, within 15 working days.

So the rule of thumb is simple: file after the award, not before. For a deeper look at the exemption itself, see section 8(1)(d) commercial confidence.

Once the work order is out, these records become disclosable:

1. The evaluation matrix showing the criteria and the weight given to each.
2. Technical scoring for every bidder who reached the technical round.
3. Financial scoring and the price comparison.
4. The comparative statement (the consolidated sheet that ranks bidders).
5. The work order and award letter issued to the winning bidder.
6. The recorded reasons for disqualifying any bidder, with the bidder's PAN and TIN redacted.

There is one boundary. In a second order, Anchal Kharya v. NTPC (CIC/NTPCO/A/2019/114181, decided 8 December 2020), the Commission held that while the work order and its version are disclosable post-award, the executed agreement and the measurement sheets remain exempt under section 8(1)(d). So ask for the evaluation and award papers, not the full contract and running-site measurement books.

Your RTI is not a bare ask. It rests on a stack of procurement rules that make evaluation records the government's own duty to keep and publish.

1. GFR 2017, Rule 173 (updated to 31 July 2024) requires the evaluation criteria to be written upfront in the bidding document, the contract to go ordinarily to the lowest responsive bidder (L1), and the successful bidder's name to be published on the Central Public Procurement Portal (CPPP) and the Ministry's own website.
2. GFR 2017, Rule 161 makes an Advertised Tender Enquiry mandatory for goods worth Rs.50 lakh or more, with publication on GeM, CPPP, and the authority's website, and a minimum bidding time of three weeks (four weeks for foreign bids).
3. Manual for Procurement of Goods 2017 (Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure) prescribes a Tender Committee of at least three members, including a Financial Adviser representative and a user representative, and a three-stage flow: preliminary, techno-commercial, then financial evaluation, ending in L1 selection with a price-reasonableness check against the Last Purchase Price.
4. CVC Vigilance Manual (8th edition, 2021) and the CVC Public Procurement Manuals require open tender as the preferred mode, e-publishing on CPPP, a notified Tender Evaluation Committee whose proceedings are recorded, a ban on post-tender negotiation except with L1 in exceptional cases, and discouragement of single-tender deals unless a recorded justification exists. The CVC Integrity Pact SOP of 3 June 2021 adds Independent External Monitors for high-value tenders.

Pointing to these rules in your application shows the PIO that the records you want are not optional notes, they are documents the rules already require the authority to maintain.

File with the Public Information Officer of the procuring authority, the office that floated and evaluated the tender. If it is a Central government tender, the Central RTI fee applies. If it is a State government or local-body tender, that State's RTI rules and fee apply, and the fee and modes can differ. Check RTI fees by state for the State you are dealing with.

For Central tenders, you can also file online through the Central RTI portal, which routes the application to the right PIO and lets you pay the fee electronically.

Under the RTI Rules 2012 (G.S.R.603(E)), the Central application fee is Rs.10, payable by any of these modes: cash, bank draft, banker's cheque, Indian Postal Order drawn in favour of the Accounts Officer of the public authority, or electronic payment. A court-fee stamp is a State mode and is not valid for Central applications, so do not use it for a Central tender.

If you hold a Below Poverty Line certificate and the information is about your own welfare, you may be able to avoid the fee. See BPL fee waiver for how that works.

1. Step 1, wait for the award. Confirm the work order has been issued. Look for the winner's name published on CPPP (eprocure.gov.in) or GeM (gem.gov.in). Filing too early will cost you a refusal.
2. Step 2, identify the PIO. Find the Public Information Officer of the procuring authority. Most authorities list PIO names and addresses on their website under an “RTI” heading.
3. Step 3, write the application. Use the template below. Be specific about the tender number, the item, and the date of award. Vague requests get vague replies.
4. Step 4, pay Rs.10. Use IPO, DD, banker's cheque, cash, or electronic payment. Keep the receipt.
5. Step 5, send it. By hand, speed post, or the online portal. Keep proof of delivery.
6. Step 6, count 30 days. The PIO must reply within 30 days of receiving the application. If the reply does not come, or is a refusal you believe is wrong, move to the appeal ladder below.

To: The Public Information Officer
[Name of procuring authority]
[Address]

Subject: Application under section 6 of the RTI Act, 2005
Tender No. [........] for [item/works] — evaluation records

Sir/Madam,

Tender No. [........] for [item/works] was awarded on [date]. The name of the successful bidder was published on [CPPP / GeM / website].

I hereby request, under section 6 of the Right to Information Act, 2005, the following information, to the extent it is now disclosable after award as held in State of Jharkhand v. Navin Kumar Sinha (AIR 2008 Jhar 19) and Anchal Kharya v. NTPC (CIC/NTPCO/A/2019/109270):

1. The evaluation matrix and the weight assigned to each criterion.
2. Technical scores of all bidders who qualified the technical round.
3. Financial scores and the price comparison of all qualifying bidders.
4. The comparative statement of tender finalisation.
5. A copy of the work order / award letter issued to the successful bidder.
6. The recorded reasons for disqualifying any bidder, with PAN and TIN redacted.

I limit my request to post-award evaluation records. I do not seek the executed agreement or measurement sheets, which I understand remain exempt under section 8(1)(d).

Fee of Rs.10 is paid by [IPO No. / DD No. / electronic receipt / cash receipt] dated [date], drawn in favour of the Accounts Officer.

[Name]
[Address]
[Phone / email]

The escalation ladder has three rungs.

1. First appeal. If no reply comes in 30 days, or the reply is a refusal you think is unlawful, file a first appeal under section 19(1) with the First Appellate Authority of the same public authority within 30 days of the deadline or the refusal. The step-by-step process is in how to file a first appeal under section 19.
2. Second appeal. If the First Appellate Authority also rejects you, file a second appeal under section 19(3) with the Central Information Commission (for Central tenders) or the State Information Commission (for State tenders), within 90 days. See how to file a second appeal to the CIC or SIC.
3. Use the records you get. Once you hold the scoring sheet and comparison, you can attach them to a complaint with the Central Vigilance Commission if the evaluation shows a clear deviation from the published criteria or from the CVC procurement norms. The RTI gives you the proof; the CVC route gives you the remedy.

1. Filing before the award. Pre-award bid commercials are protected under section 8(1)(d). A refusal at that stage is legally correct and you will lose time. Wait for the work order.
2. Asking for the full agreement and measurement books. The second Anchal Kharya order keeps these exempt. Asking for them gives the PIO an easy reason to delay or refuse the whole application. Limit your ask to evaluation and award records.
3. Forgetting to redact. You are entitled to the comparison, not to other bidders' PAN and TIN. If you word the request to accept redaction, the PIO has no excuse to withhold the whole sheet.
4. Using a court-fee stamp for a Central tender. It is a State mode. For a Central tender, pay Rs.10 by IPO, DD, banker's cheque, cash, or electronic means.
5. Not naming the tender. An application that says “tender records of your office” will get a “please specify” reply. Always give the tender number, item, and award date.

1. Single-bidder award. If the tender went to the only bidder who responded, the CVC manuals discourage this unless a recorded justification exists. Use RTI to ask for that justification. A related guide is RTI for government contract award.
2. Re-tender after rejection. If all bids were rejected and the tender was called again, ask for the rejection-of-bids order and the recorded reasons. See RTI for bid rejection reason.
3. Specialised procurement. For hospital and medical equipment tenders, where technical specs are often used to exclude bidders, see RTI for medical equipment tender.

Ramesh, the stationery supplier from the opening, waited until the municipal office published the winner on CPPP. He then filed an RTI with the PIO of that office, quoting the tender number and the award date, and asked for the six items in the template above. He paid Rs.10 by Indian Postal Order in favour of the Accounts Officer. Within 30 days he received the comparative statement with PAN numbers blanked out. The sheet showed his rival had scored higher on a “past experience” criterion that was never listed in the bidding document, a breach of GFR Rule 173. Ramesh filed a first appeal, then took the scoring sheet to the CVC as evidence. The evaluation was reviewed.

That is the whole point. The RTI does not cancel the tender for you, it gives you the documented facts that let a vigilance body or a court see whether the rules were followed.

1. RTI for bid rejection reason
2. RTI for medical equipment tender
3. RTI for government contract award
4. Section 8(1)(d) commercial confidence framework
5. How to file a first appeal under section 19
6. How to file a second appeal to the CIC or SIC
7. RTI fees by state
8. How to get tender details through RTI

1. RTI Rules 2012 (G.S.R.603(E)) — Rs.10 fee and payment modes. https://cic.gov.in/sites/default/files/RTIRules2012_Eng.pdf
2. State of Jharkhand v. Navin Kumar Sinha, AIR 2008 Jhar 19 (Jharkhand HC, 8 August 2007). https://indiankanoon.org/doc/1420347/
3. Anchal Kharya v. NTPC, CIC/NTPCO/A/2019/109270 (7 September 2020) — comparative statement disclosable with redaction. https://indiankanoon.org/doc/96556934/
4. Anchal Kharya v. NTPC, CIC/NTPCO/A/2019/114181 (8 December 2020) — work order disclosable; agreement and measurement sheets exempt under 8(1)(d). https://indiankanoon.org/doc/111410228/
5. General Financial Rules 2017 (updated to 31 July 2024), Rules 161 and 173. https://rti.iitpkd.ac.in/sites/default/files/2024-08/FInal_GFR_upto_31_07_2024.pdf
6. Manual for Procurement of Goods 2017, Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure. https://www.l2.nitk.ac.in/document/attachments/118/Manual_for_Procurement_of_Goods_2017_0_0.pdf
7. CVC Public Procurement Manuals and Vigilance Manual, 8th edition, 2021. https://cvc.gov.in/procurementmanuals.html

Last reviewed: 3 July 2026.

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RTI for tender evaluation — complete guide on getting procurement details and filing RTI:

1. Step 1: What is tender evaluation and why file RTI? (a) The tender evaluation — is the process — by which the government — assesses — the bids — received — for a procurement — and selects — the lowest — and the most — responsive — bidder, (b) the purpose — of RTI: (i) to ensure — the transparency — and the fairness — of the tender — process, (ii) to detect — the collusion — the cartelisation — or the favouritism — in the tender — evaluation, (iii) to verify — that the L1 — (lowest bidder) — was selected — correctly, © the legal — basis: (i) the RTI Act — Section 2(f) — covers — the tender — documents — and the evaluation — reports, (ii) the RTI Act — Section 4(1)(b) — mandates — the proactive — disclosure — of the tender — details.
2. Step 2: What information can you get through RTI? (a) the tender — notice — and the tender — document, (b) the list — of the bidders — and their — bid — amounts, © the evaluation — criteria — and the evaluation — report, (d) the L1 — and L2 — bidder — details, (e) the comparison — sheet — of the bids, (f) the reason — for the rejection — of any — bid, (g) the contract — award — letter, (h) the performance — bond — and the warranty — details.
3. Step 3: What are the exemptions? (a) Section 8(1)(d) — commercial — confidence — and trade secrets: (i) the bid — details — can be denied — during — the evaluation — process, (ii) but after — the award — the bid — details — must be disclosed — as the public — interest — outweighs — the commercial — confidence, (b) Section 11 — third-party — information: (i) if the bid — details — contain — the third-party — (other bidders) — commercial — confidence, (ii) the PIO — must give — the third party — a notice — and the opportunity — to object, © the CIC — has held — in multiple — decisions — that the tender — evaluation — details — must be disclosed — after — the award — as the public — interest — outweighs — the commercial — confidence.
4. Step 4: Tender evaluation table — what to ask and what is exempt. (a) Tender notice: (i) the disclosure: mandatory — under Section 4, (ii) the exemption: none, (iii) the stage: pre-bid — and post-bid, (b) List of bidders: (i) the disclosure: after — the award, (ii) the exemption: Section 8(1)(d) — during — the evaluation, (iii) the stage: post-award, © Bid amounts: (i) the disclosure: after — the award, (ii) the exemption: Section 8(1)(d) — during — the evaluation, (iii) the stage: post-award, (d) Evaluation report: (i) the disclosure: after — the award, (ii) the exemption: Section 8(1)(d) — during — the evaluation, (iii) the stage: post-award, (e) Comparison sheet: (i) the disclosure: after — the award, (ii) the exemption: Section 8(1)(d) — during — the evaluation, (iii) the stage: post-award, (f) Contract award letter: (i) the disclosure: mandatory, (ii) the exemption: none, (iii) the stage: post-award, (g) Performance bond: (i) the disclosure: after — the award, (ii) the exemption: Section 8(1)(d), (iii) the stage: post-award.
5. Step 5: How to file RTI for tender evaluation. (a) the government — department — that issued — the tender — is the public authority — under the RTI Act, (b) the RTI application — should ask: (i) “Provide the tender — notice — and the tender — document — for the tender — [number] — [date] — including: (a) the scope — of work, (b) the eligibility — criteria, © the evaluation — criteria, (d) the technical — specifications”, (ii) “Provide the list — of the bidders — and their — bid — amounts — for the tender — [number] — including: (a) the bidder — name, (b) the bid — amount, © the technical — score, (d) the financial — score, (e) the total — score, (f) the L1 — status”, (iii) “Provide the evaluation — report — and the comparison — sheet — for the tender — [number] — including: (a) the evaluation — criteria, (b) the evaluation — methodology, © the scores — of each — bidder, (d) the reason — for the rejection — of any — bid, (e) the recommendation — of the committee”, (iv) “Provide the contract — award — letter — and the contract — value — for the tender — [number]”, © the application fee — is Rs 10.
6. Step 6: How to challenge a tender award. (a) the representation: (i) file — the representation — with the tender — issuing — authority — citing — the irregularities, (b) the writ petition: (i) file — the writ petition — in the High Court — under Article 226 — challenging — the tender — award, (ii) the grounds: (a) the arbitrary — evaluation, (b) the favouritism, © the violation — of the tender — conditions, (d) the collusion — or the cartelisation, (iii) the Supreme Court — in Excel Corp Care v. NTPC (2019) — held — that the court — will not — interfere — in the tender — unless — the award — is arbitrary — or irrational — or mala fide, © the CVC: (i) file — the complaint — with the CVC — for the corruption — or the collusion — in the tender, (d) the CBI: (i) file — the complaint — with the CBI — for the criminal — conspiracy — or the fraud.
7. Step 7: Practical tips. (a) file RTI — after — the tender — award — to avoid — the Section 8(1)(d) — exemption, (b) ask — for the specific — documents — (tender notice — bid list — evaluation report — comparison sheet — award letter), © cite — the CIC — decisions — that the tender — details — must be disclosed — after — the award, (d) file the writ petition — in the High Court — if the tender — award — is arbitrary — or mala fide, (e) file the First Appeal — within 30 days — of the denial — or the silence, (f) Example: A citizen — filed RTI — for the tender — evaluation — details — of a road — construction — tender — and the PIO — denied — under Section 8(1)(d) — and the citizen — filed — the First Appeal — citing — the CIC — decisions — that the tender — details — must be disclosed — after — the award — and the First Appellate Authority — directed — the disclosure — and the citizen — obtained — the evaluation — report — showing — that the L1 — was selected — correctly — and no — irregularity — was found.

See Tender Evaluation RTI and Vigilance Clearance RTI.