Award Criteria

As Gaeilge: Critéir Dámhachtana

Also known as: Award Criterion

Last reviewed April 2026

The standards used to evaluate tenders and pick the winner — in Ireland either lowest price or MEAT.

The standards used to evaluate tenders and select the winning bid. In Ireland, contracting authorities must use either lowest price or Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) criteria. MEAT criteria typically include quality, price, technical merit, delivery time, and after-sales service.

Recent tenders mentioning Award Criteria

MetroLink, Dublin – Design and build civil infrastructure contract packages for the M401 and M402 contracts

Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) · >5M

Related terms

MEAT (Most Economically Advantageous Tender)

The evaluation method that weighs quality alongside price — required for most above-threshold Irish contracts.

Selection Criteria

Minimum requirements a supplier must meet to be considered — financial standing, technical capability, tax clearance.

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