Transport tender
A transport tender collects comparable bids for transport work. Process, contents and the difference between private and public tenders.
Editorial and specialist review: Max Valjan · Last updated: November 10, 2026
A transport tender ("Transportausschreibung") is a process in which a client describes a transport task precisely and asks several transport companies for a bid. It makes prices and services comparable and is used for recurring transports and larger one-off jobs.
Private and public tenders
Companies and freight forwarders tender freely: they choose whom to invite and by which criteria to award. Public bodies are bound by procurement law and publish their tenders on procurement portals.
The process in five steps
- Describe: define routes, volumes, vehicles, times and conditions
- Invite: contact suitable transport companies and set a bid deadline
- Answer questions: reply to queries, ideally to all bidders alike
- Compare bids: put prices per lot side by side, check reliability and capacity
- Award: award each lot and issue the transport order
Practical example
A freight forwarder needs four daily routes in the Rhineland for a wholesaler. It describes each route as its own lot with area, operating time and vehicle, invites ten transport companies and asks for a day rate per route. After the deadline it awards two routes to one company and two to another.
Shippers can use the transport tender template. Transport companies that want to take part find the routes Maxmove awards under transport tenders for carriers. The role of the executing company is explained under carrier.