FAQ

ConsorX is an online platform that helps you and other SMEs to win public tenders as a consortium. When a tender is published, our AI analyses the requirements and identifies the ideal consortium structure needed for matching the requirement. If your company’s capabilities fit the needed role, you will receive an invitation to join the consortium for that tender.

A consortium is a temporary partnership of independent companies that join forces to bid for and execute a public contract. Instead of competing alone, each SME contributes its specific expertise, and together the group meets all the tender’s technical, financial, and operational requirements.

Joining a consortium allows SMEs to meet the financial, technical, and experience requirements they cannot satisfy alone. Instead of remaining small subcontractors, SMEs can team up, access high-value public contracts, and earn significantly more by competing at the same level as large corporations.

The invitation provides a concise summary of the opportunity, including:

• General contract details: Such as, expected duration (e.g., 6, 12 or 18+ months) and indicative start date.
• Tasks and responsibilities: A clear outline of what your company would do, plus an overview of other partners’ roles.
• Payment share: The percentage of the contract value and approximate payment amount your company would receive.

When ConsorX contacts you, we disclose only your percentage of the government payment and a range of the expected contract value (for example, within €100k and €300k). You will receive detailed information about the expected bid price and your precise amount only after signing a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). In this NDA, you agree not to share any financial details with third parties. The NDA covers only the financial information related to the tender.

Speed is crucial. ConsorX follows a “first come, first served” process. For each required expertise area, the first invited company that confirms participation and signs the conditional consortium agreement is officially included. If others sign up faster in your area, you might be placed on the reserve list (you may be invited to join a future consortium or a different tender). Because of this, it is important to respond quickly once you receive an invitation.

We fully cover all the tender bids costs so you can use the service without financial risk.

We prepare the technical offer and submit the bid on your behalf free of charge, retaining only a 5% fee in case of contract award.

Once the ideal consortium is formed, ConsorX drafts and submits all the documentation necessary for the tender on its own. The dedicated team prepares the technical and administrative proposal following the tender requirements, freeing you from bureaucracy. The only support required from your side is to provide a professional to assist our bid manager in the technical part of the offer that we prepare. ConsorX ensures that you do not have to handle complicated forms or digital procedures alone.

ConsorX assigns a dedicated project manager for your consortium. We handle all communication and requests with the contracting authority, manage invoicing and the signature process of Specific Contract/Order forms. We provide you with weekly summary updates so you can focus on your work without worrying about administrative tasks. The consortium remains operationally autonomous, but the platform provides all management tools. ConsorX hosts the workgroup online, supervises that the service is provided as described in the consortium agreement, and offers a dedicated helpdesk.

ConsorX helps prepare invoices on time and sends them to the Contracting Authority. Once payment is received, the total is distributed among the companies according to the consortium agreement. ConsorX guarantees total transparency on the accounts: everyone knows in advance what they will receive based on their work expectation.

You can request funding upfront if you need to cover staff salaries or any other recurrent expenses. This is possible via factoring. There are two payment options:

• Monthly Amount with Factoring: You receive a portion of your payment every month. Your allocated share is assigned to a financial institution that advances monthly payments after deducting a 20% commission.
• End-of-Project Payment: You receive the full payment at the project’s conclusion, avoiding the commission fee and effectively receiving the full amount.

If you opt for the monthly amount option, your future payment (credit share) is assigned to a partnering financial institution. The institution provides you with monthly liquidity by advancing your share of the expected government payment (after deducting a fixed 20% commission), ensuring steady cash flow throughout the project.

The factoring commission is a fixed 20% of your monthly credit share. For instance, if your monthly share is €10,000, the financial institution deducts €2,000, and you receive €8,000.

No, the payment option you choose at the start of the project remains fixed for that contract. It is important to select the option that best meets your financial needs before the project begins.

The main consideration is the commission fee, which reduces your allocated share. However, this option minimizes the risk of cash flow shortage by providing regular monthly income throughout the project.

ConsorX implements a Quality Assurance (QA) process to maintain high standards throughout the project. Consortium members privately evaluate each other’s performance along dimensions like technical competence, ethical standards, and security compliance.

This depends on when you leave:

After signing the agreement but before the contract award: The departing company must cover the full bidding fee (typically €2,000, which we normally cover) and reimburse the other members for the time spent drafting the technical offer. This amount is calculated using the average hourly rate for the role they provided (e.g., engineer, analyst) and related hours of involvement.

After the contract award: Withdrawal incurs serious legal and financial consequences. Penalties, liabilities, and loss of payment rights follow the rules defined in the consortium agreement and the awarded public contract.

ConsorX will work to maintain continuity. First, the consortium reviews the situation collectively. If a replacement is needed, ConsorX uses its Reserve List (pre-qualified SMEs) to find a new partner.

The Reserve List is a pool of pre-screened SMEs that ConsorX can call upon as backups. These companies are not initially assigned to the project, but they are vetted and ready to step in if needed. Circumstances include:

• Underperformance: Quickly replacing a member who cannot meet requirements.
• Voluntary exit: If a partner withdraws for any reason, a reserve company can join.
• Emergency resource needs: If extra manpower is suddenly required, reserves can support.

Each consortium member has full authority over its own scope of work. No one can override another’s technical or operational decisions within their area. For extraordinary or consortium-wide decisions (e.g., budget changes, scope shifts), the consortium votes collectively. Voting power is weighted by each member’s contract share. ConsorX does not vote or interfere with consortium decisions – all strategic choices are made by the consortium members. (ConsorX will advise on procurement rules if asked, but does not drive your decisions.)

ConsorX strongly encourages using its free mediation service. A team of accredited mediators is available to help resolve conflicts quickly and fairly.

The waiting period for tender results typically ranges from 3 to 9 months, and up to 12 months for more complex procedures. For contracts with fixed deadlines, work may begin within days or weeks after notification, while framework agreements may start when the contracting authority issues specific contracts / order forms.

Regular communication is maintained through scheduled meetings and a centralized project management platform where updates, timelines, and any changes are shared with all team members.

We prioritize data security by employing robust encryption methods and secure storage practices. Your personal information is managed according to applicable data protection regulations. More information is available in the ConsorX Data Protection Notice.