1. Filter by Execution Evidence, Not Just Presence
Start with the IndexBox Tenders database at https://tenders.indexbox.io/tenders. Set your new market and category (e.g., 'Energy – Works' or 'Utility – Supply'). Look for suppliers that have won at least one contract in that category within the last 12 months. A winner history is stronger proof than a company brochure.
Cross-check the winner against the bid window length. In energy and utilities, average bid windows are 42 days (rolling 30-day average). If a supplier won a contract with a shorter window, they likely have fast mobilization capability. This is a practical signal for new market entry where speed matters.
- Use the 'Awarded Tenders' filter to see only contracts with a named winner.
- Sort by 'Award Date' descending to see the most recent execution evidence.
- Note the bid window length for each award – shorter windows indicate responsive suppliers.
2. Avoid False Signals: What Looks Good but Isn't
A common mistake is treating a high number of bids as a sign of a competitive market. In energy and utilities, many tenders receive only 2-3 bids. A supplier that won with 2 bids might be a strong fit, not a weak one. Do not discard them. Another false signal is a supplier with many awards in a different country but zero in your target market – local execution history matters more.
Also watch for 'framework renewals' that appear as new tenders. These are often pre-negotiated and not open to new suppliers. Check the tender description for words like 'renewal' or 'extension'. If you see them, move on. Use the IndexBox Categories directory at https://tenders.indexbox.io/tenders/categories to verify the category match before investing time.
- Ignore tenders with 'renewal' or 'extension' in the title – they are not open.
- Do not disqualify a supplier just because they won with few competitors.
- Prioritize suppliers with at least one award in your target country, not just region.
3. Execute the Shortlist in IndexBox Tenders
Open the IndexBox Tenders database and apply three filters: your target country, your category (e.g., 'Energy – Works'), and a date range of the last 12 months. Review the 'Awarded Tenders' tab. For each award, click through to see the winner's name and contract value. Export the list of winners to a spreadsheet – this is your raw shortlist.
Next, use the IndexBox Analytics feed at https://tenders.indexbox.io/analytics to check each supplier's cross-market activity. A supplier that has won in two or more countries in your region is more reliable. Finally, use the Markets directory at https://tenders.indexbox.io/tenders/countries to see if any of these suppliers have recent activity in your target market. This three-step process takes under 90 minutes.
- Filter by country, category, and last 12 months in IndexBox Tenders.
- Export winner names and contract values to a spreadsheet.
- Cross-check each supplier in IndexBox Analytics for multi-country awards.
- Verify local presence using the Markets directory.
4. Validate and Prioritize Your Shortlist
Once you have 5-10 supplier names, validate them against public sources. Check the World Bank's public procurement portal (https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/governance/brief/public-procurement) for any debarment records. Also review the Open Contracting Partnership (https://www.open-contracting.org/) for transparency data. This step takes 15 minutes and protects your team from compliance risks.
Prioritize suppliers that have won contracts with values similar to your expected tender size. A supplier used to $10M contracts may not bid on a $500K project. Use the contract value column in your exported spreadsheet to match. Finally, rank by recent award count – more wins in the last 12 months suggests active capacity. Your shortlist is now ready for outreach.
- Check debarment lists on World Bank and Open Contracting Partnership.
- Match contract values to your expected tender size.
- Rank by number of awards in the last 12 months.
- Prepare a shortlist of 3-5 suppliers for initial contact.