TBE Compliance Matrix
Template (Excel)

A Technical Bid Evaluation (TBE) compliance matrix is the structured parameter-by-parameter comparison of vendor bids against the Material Requisition (MR). For each parameter in the MR (process data, mechanical design, materials, performance, vendor documentation, inspection requirements) the matrix captures the MR requirement, each bidder's quoted value, the compliance status (Compliant / Non-Compliant / Deviation / Not-Quoted), and a deviation number that ties to the deviation register. It is the document the EPC procurement team uses to recommend the technically preferred bidder for commercial evaluation.

Standard codes: C (Compliant, bidder meets the MR requirement), NC (Non-Compliant, bidder cannot meet the MR requirement and no deviation has been requested), D (Deviation, bidder has requested a documented deviation from the MR requirement with a deviation number), N (Not-Quoted, bidder has not addressed the parameter in their bid). Some EPC contractors add CC (Conditionally Compliant) for bidder responses that meet the MR with caveats. The TBE template includes all four standard codes plus the optional CC code.

Pathnovo, an engineering document intelligence platform, extracts vendor bid documents (typically 50 to 300 page PDFs per bidder) and reads each bidder's response against the MR requirement parameter by parameter. It auto-fills the compliance code per parameter based on direct comparison logic (numeric match, range overlap, statement compliance) and flags deviations for engineer review. Typical TBE turnaround drops from 5 to 10 days manual to 48 hours auto-built. See the TBE automation workflow.

A deviation register tracks every documented deviation from the project specifications and MR requirements through the project life. Each deviation gets a unique number, a description, the originator (vendor or EPC discipline), an acceptance rationale, a commercial impact note, and an approval signature. The TBE Deviation Number column points at the deviation register entry for every D-coded row. After award, the awarded vendor's accepted deviations carry through to the certified vendor datasheets and the as-built documentation. See the deviation register template.

After the TBE compliance matrix is complete and signed off by the discipline lead, the technical recommendation passes to the commercial team for the Commercial Bid Evaluation (CBE). The CBE evaluates pricing, commercial terms, schedule, and warranty for the technically acceptable bidders. The final award goes to the lowest-priced technically acceptable bidder. The awarded vendor's deviations from the TBE become PO clauses. The awarded MR plus TBE plus PO become the contract basis for the equipment supply.

Indian PSU refineries (IOCL, BPCL, HPCL, GAIL) and PSU EPC contractors (EIL, L&T-S&L, Tata Projects) require specific TBE sections beyond the standard EPC format: OISD-aligned compliance for hydrocarbon-service equipment, PESO compliance for pressure equipment, IBR compliance for boiler-side equipment, and Make-in-India local-content evaluation for PSU tenders. The TBE template includes optional columns for OISD Section / PESO clause / IBR scope / local-content percentage. See the Indian EPC compliance bundle.

The MR (Material Requisition) is the EPC-issued specification of what the equipment must do, packaged for vendor RFQ. The TBE (Technical Bid Evaluation) compliance matrix is the comparison of what each vendor proposes to supply against the MR, parameter by parameter. The MR is issued before bids; the TBE is built after bids return. The TBE references every MR parameter row, then adds bidder-response columns. See the material requisition template.