TenderFlare brings together Irish public procurement data from eTenders and TED into a single, searchable platform. This guide walks you through every feature - from your first search to managing a full tender pipeline.
The TenderFlare Workflow
The platform is designed around a simple workflow:
Search → Save → Track → Win
- Search for tenders using keywords and filters
- Save your search criteria for quick re-use
- Track interesting tenders in your pipeline
- Win by staying organised and making data-driven bid decisions
Let’s walk through each step.
Step 1: Search for Tenders
Head to the Search page to start finding opportunities. TenderFlare gives you a powerful set of filters to narrow down results.
Keyword Search
Type keywords into the search bar to find tenders matching your services or products. The search matches against tender titles, descriptions, and other key fields.
Tips for effective keyword searches:
- Use specific terms related to your services (e.g., “software development” rather than just “IT”)
- Try variations - different buyers use different terminology for the same thing
- Combine keywords for more targeted results
Filters
Use filters to narrow your results further:
- Contract Type - Filter by supplies, services, or works
- Spend Category - Narrow by procurement category
- Status - Show only open tenders, awarded contracts, or all
- Value Range - Set minimum and maximum contract values to match your capacity
- Date Range - Focus on recently published tenders or a specific time period
Sorting Results
Sort your results by relevance, publication date, deadline, or value to surface the most useful tenders first. For example, sort by deadline to see which opportunities are closing soon.
Step 2: Review Tender Details
Each search result shows key information at a glance:
- Title and description - What the buyer is looking for
- Buyer name - The contracting authority (clickable to view their profile)
- Contract value - The estimated or actual contract value, where available
- Deadline - The submission deadline for open tenders
- CPV codes - The procurement classification codes describing the subject matter
- Status - Whether the tender is open, closed, or awarded
- Award information - For awarded tenders, the winning supplier and award value are displayed
- Awarded suppliers - Clickable links to see other contracts won by the same supplier
This information helps you quickly assess whether a tender is worth pursuing before diving into the full tender documents on eTenders.
Step 3: Save Your Searches
If you find yourself running the same search repeatedly, save it. Saved searches store your keywords, filters, and sort preferences so you can re-run them in one click.
How to Save a Search
- Run your search with the keywords and filters you want
- Click the Save Search button
- Give your saved search a name (e.g., “IT Services - Open Tenders” or “Construction - Dublin”)
Managing Saved Searches
Visit the Saved Searches page to see all your saved searches. From here you can:
- Re-run any saved search instantly
- Delete searches you no longer need
Pro tip: Create separate saved searches for different service lines or market segments. This makes your regular monitoring routine faster and ensures you don’t miss opportunities in any category.
Step 4: Add to Your Pipeline
When you find a tender worth tracking, add it to your pipeline. The pipeline is your personal workspace for managing tender opportunities from discovery through to outcome.
How to Add a Tender
On the search results page, click the Add to Pipeline button on any tender. It will be added to your pipeline in the “Watching” stage, ready for you to review and progress.
You can add as many tenders as you like - there’s no limit.
Import Your Existing Tenders
Already tracking tenders elsewhere? You don’t have to start from scratch. TenderFlare’s import feature lets you bring in tenders from:
- Your eTenders shortlist - Import directly from your existing eTenders tracked tenders
- Your own spreadsheets - Upload Excel files, CSVs, or other lists and TenderFlare will intelligently match them to tenders in the database
The import is designed to be re-run safely. If your eTenders list or spreadsheet is updated with new tenders, just import again - new tenders will be added, and your existing edits in TenderFlare (notes, status, pWin) will not be overwritten. This means you can keep your external lists as a source of new opportunities while managing all your tracking and bid decisions inside TenderFlare.
Step 5: Manage Your Pipeline
The Pipeline page is where you track and manage all your tender opportunities. Think of it as your personal CRM for public procurement.
Pipeline Stages
Move tenders through stages as your pursuit progresses:
| Stage | What it means |
|---|---|
| Watching | You’ve spotted this tender and want to keep an eye on it |
| Qualifying | You’re assessing whether to bid - reviewing requirements, checking capacity, evaluating competition |
| Preparing Bid | You’ve decided to bid and are working on your submission |
| Submitted | Your bid is in - now you wait for the evaluation |
| Won | Congratulations! You’ve been awarded the contract |
| Lost | The contract was awarded to someone else - capture lessons learned |
Stats Dashboard
The top of the pipeline page shows a dashboard with key metrics:
- Total tenders tracked
- Breakdown by stage
- Value of opportunities in your pipeline
This gives you a quick overview of your pipeline health and workload.
Editing Tender Details
Click on any pipeline item to update its details:
- Status - Move it to the next stage
- Notes - Add your own notes, observations, or reminders
- Probability of winning (pWin) - Estimate your chance of winning to help prioritise effort
CSV Export
Need to share your pipeline with a colleague or create a report? Click the Export CSV button to download all your pipeline data as a spreadsheet. The export includes tender details, your current status, notes, and other tracking information.
Step 6: Research Buyers
Understanding who you’re selling to is just as important as finding the right tender. TenderFlare’s Buyers directory helps you research contracting authorities before you bid.
The Buyers Directory
Browse or search the full list of Irish contracting authorities. Each buyer has a profile page showing:
- Tender history - All tenders published by this buyer
- Spending patterns - Historical procurement volumes and categories
- Award data - Who they’ve awarded contracts to and for how much
Why Buyer Research Matters
Before investing time in a bid, understand the contracting authority:
- Have they procured your type of service before? If so, what did they pay and who won?
- How competitive are their tenders? Some buyers attract many bidders; others fewer
- What’s their procurement pattern? Regular buyers in your area signal ongoing opportunity
- Who are the incumbent suppliers? Knowing the competition helps you position your bid
This buyer intelligence transforms your bidding from guesswork into a data-driven process.
Tips for Getting Started
If you’re new to TenderFlare, here’s a quick-start checklist:
- Create your free account - Takes less than a minute
- Run your first search - Start with broad keywords related to your core services
- Apply filters - Narrow down to open tenders in your value range
- Save your search - Name it and come back to it regularly
- Add 3-5 tenders to your pipeline - Pick ones that look promising and start tracking them
- Research one buyer - Pick the buyer from your most interesting tender and review their profile
- Set a routine - Check TenderFlare twice a week to catch new opportunities early
The most successful users treat TenderFlare as part of their regular business development routine. Even 15 minutes twice a week keeps you on top of new opportunities and stops tenders from slipping through the cracks.
What’s Next?
TenderFlare is in active development and we’re adding new features regularly. If you have ideas for what would make the platform more useful, we’d love to hear from you - reach out via the contact details on the site.
Ready to get started? Search for tenders now or create your free account.