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EDIFACT message guide · Projects and construction

CONTEN Tender

The UN/EDIFACT message a contractor uses to submit a tender, a commercial offer pricing the bill of quantities in an invitation to tender.

Sent by
Main contractor or subcontractor
Received by
Client or client's representative
Standard
UN/EDIFACT · Batch message
X12 equivalent
No direct equivalent

What is the EDIFACT CONTEN message?

CONTEN is the UN/EDIFACT tender message. The directory explains that, after receiving an invitation to tender, a main contractor or subcontractor submits a tender: a commercial offer to carry out the project work defined in the bill of quantities within the invitation.

The tender prices each work item and gives totals, so the client can compare bids item by item. Because the structure matches the invitation (CONITT), evaluation can be largely automated, and the successful tender becomes the basis of the contract (CONEST).

How the EDIFACT CONTEN message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT CONTEN Tender message. Main contractor or subcontractor sends it to client or client's representative. It usually follows CONITT. It is usually followed by CONEST. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message), RFF (Reference) and DTM (Date/time/period) and body and segment groups: UNS (Section control) and the required SG22 loop with BII (Structure identification), RCS (Requirements and conditions), GEI (Processing information) and the required SG27 loop with QTY (Quantity). 10 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT CONTEN message worksTender: who sends it, where it fits and what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSCONITTInvitation to tenderCONTENSENDERMain contractor orsubcontractorRECEIVERClient or client'srepresentativeCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYCONESTEstablishment ofcontract2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDsUNB … UNZMessage CONTENUNH … UNTSTART OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageRFFReferenceDTMDate/time/periodBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSUNSSection controlMandatory group SG22 · repeats up to 1,000BIIStructure identificationRCSRequirements and conditionsGEIProcessing informationMandatory group SG27 · repeats up to 1,000QTYQuantity+ 10 conditional groups, starting with:INDBIIRFFDIMLINPRITAXRCSALCIMDBlue box: mandatory segment group. Conditional groups are listed by the trigger segment that starts them; a group is sent only when its data applies.Conditional segments outside groups are not drawn.Structure: mandatory segments and groups in the UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A listing for CONTEN. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.
How the EDIFACT CONTEN message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT CONTEN Tender message. Main contractor or subcontractor sends it to client or client's representative. It usually follows CONITT. It is usually followed by CONEST. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message), RFF (Reference) and DTM (Date/time/period) and body and segment groups: UNS (Section control) and the required SG22 loop with BII (Structure identification), RCS (Requirements and conditions), GEI (Processing information) and the required SG27 loop with QTY (Quantity). 10 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT CONTENmessage worksTender: who sends it, where it fits and what thedirectory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSCONITTInvitation to tenderCONTENSENDERMain contractoror subcontractorRECEIVERClient or client'srepresentativeCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYCONESTEstablishment of contract2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDs(UNB … UNZ)Message CONTEN (UNH … UNT)START OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageRFFReferenceDTMDate/time/periodBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSUNSSection controlMandatory group SG22 · repeats upto 1,000BIIStructure identificationRCSRequirements and conditionsGEIProcessing informationMandatory group SG27 · repeatsup to 1,000QTYQuantity+ 10 conditional groups, starting with:INDBIIRFFDIMLINPRITAXRCSALCIMDBlue box: mandatory segment group. Conditionalgroups are listed by the trigger segment thatstarts them; a group is sent only when its dataapplies. Conditional segments outside groups arenot drawn.Structure: mandatory segments and groups in theUN/EDIFACT directory D.21A listing for CONTEN.Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.

How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends CONTEN, to whom, and which messages usually come before and after it. The lower part shows what the directory D.21A itself requires: the envelopes around CONTEN and the segments and segment groups it marks mandatory. Conditional groups are listed by their trigger segment rather than drawn in full. This is the directory's minimum, not a trading partner's requirement: a message implementation guide, such as an industry subset or a partner’s own guide, usually makes some conditional groups mandatory, restricts the codes and may use an older directory.

Expand diagram Download SVG

When it is used

  • Submitting a priced bill of quantities
  • Responding to an invitation to tender
  • Submitting alternative prices where invited

Where it fits in the message flow

Usually follows CONITT Invitation to tender
This message CONTEN Tender
Usually followed by CONEST Establishment of contract

Structure

Mandatory segments in CONTEN (directory D.21A)

In UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A, the CONTEN message has 105 segment positions arranged in 34 segment groups. These are the segments and segment groups marked mandatory at message level, in order; a mandatory group is shown with the segment that starts it. Segments inside conditional groups are needed only when the group is used. This is the directory’s requirement, not your trading partner’s: each partner’s message implementation guide names the directory it uses, often an older one such as D.96A or D.01B where the structure can differ, makes some conditional segments mandatory and restricts the codes.

  • UNH
  • BGM
  • RFF
  • DTM
  • UNS
  • SG22 (BII)
  • UNT

Practical example

CONTEN in practice

A civil engineering contractor prices the 1,200 items of a bridge tender in its estimating system. It submits a CONTEN with a rate and amount for every item and the tender total. The client's evaluation tool compares all tenders line by line and highlights items priced far from the average.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for CONTEN

  • Price every item in the invitation, using its references.
  • Check totals against item amounts before submission.
  • Submit before the closing date and keep proof of submission.
  • Mark qualifications or alternatives as the invitation allows.

How ECOM helps

Automate CONTEN with ECOM

Industry

Industrial Manufacturing

Distributor, OEM customer and supplier integration for industrial manufacturers.

Solution

Order-to-Cash Automation

Automate the flow from purchase order to payment across every customer channel.

Solution

B2B Integration

Connect every customer, supplier, carrier and bank across EDI, API, file and portal channels.

Compare X12 and EDIFACT, or see answers to general questions in the EDI FAQ.

Related messages

Related projects and construction messages

All 14 projects and construction messages

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