Bundle IQ is a managed procurement platform. You submit requirements in plain English — IQ handles benchmarking, tendering, scoring, and contracting. You make the final decision at each stage. The entire process is on demand: use it for one contract or hand over your entire category spend. No retainer. No headcount.
1
Submit a requirement
Describe what you need. IQ benchmarks the market, selects the right procurement route, and invites matched vendors.
The better your brief, the better your responses. Section 2 covers this in full.
2
IQ analyses and routes
IQ assesses your requirement against market data, identifies the right procurement route (marketplace, quick quote, RFQ, or ITT), and drafts the tender document automatically.
3
Vendors respond
Matched vendors from the approved panel submit responses. IQ scores every response across price, quality, experience, and risk. You receive a ranked shortlist with IQ's recommendation and reasoning.
4
You award and contract
Select your preferred vendor. IQ generates a legally structured contract from the agreed scope, SLAs, milestones, and payment terms. Both parties e-sign digitally.
5
IQ Protection on every payment
Funds are held in escrow and released milestone by milestone — only when you confirm delivery. The supplier is paid within 24 hours of your confirmation.
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The saving comes from removing waste, not squeezing suppliers. Cleaner briefs, structured competition, and fast payment mean vendors can offer competitive rates without cutting their margins. Both sides win — that's why the model works long-term.
Section 2
Submitting a great requirement
The quality of your brief directly determines the quality of your responses. IQ can only work with what you give it. A vague brief produces vague quotes. A specific brief produces competitive, comparable responses you can actually evaluate.
Good brief — what to include
What you're buying and why you're buying it now
The problem the current situation is causing
Volume, scale, or scope (users, sites, units, hours)
No budget guidance — vendors will either miss or gold-plate
Generic requirements that could apply to any company
No mention of key constraints (location, compliance, timeline)
Asking for things you don't actually need
Internal jargon that external vendors won't understand
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Budget visibility. Showing your budget range does not weaken your negotiating position — it strengthens the quality of responses. Vendors who can't meet your budget self-select out. Vendors who can meet it focus their response on demonstrating value, not guessing what you can afford.
Procurement routes — what IQ selects and why
Route
Threshold
Process
Typical timeline
Marketplace order
Under £2,000
Buy directly from listed products/services at agreed rates
Same day
Quick quote
£2k–£10k
2–3 vendors respond within 24 hours. Lightweight brief, fast turnaround
1–2 days
RFQ
£10k–£100k
3–5 vendors. Structured brief, scored responses, IQ recommendation
3–7 days
ITT
Over £100k
Full tender. Detailed spec, site visits if needed, negotiation rounds
2–4 weeks
Section 3
Understanding IQ analysis
When you submit a requirement, IQ runs a market analysis before contacting any supplier. This typically takes under 60 minutes and produces a benchmark report covering:
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Market rate benchmark
What comparable organisations are paying for equivalent services. IQ uses anonymised platform data and market intelligence to establish a fair price range. Your budget is benchmarked against this.
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Vendor matching
IQ identifies vendors from the approved panel who match your category, geography, budget, and compliance requirements. Only vendors with a realistic chance of winning are invited.
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Risk flags
IQ identifies commercial risks in your requirement — unusual payment terms, unrealistic timelines, missing compliance clauses, incumbent contract notice periods — and flags them before the tender goes out.
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IQ analysis is not a recommendation to proceed. It's a starting point. You can override the route, adjust the vendor list, and modify the brief before it goes live. IQ works for you — it doesn't make decisions for you.
Section 4
Evaluating vendor responses
IQ scores every response automatically. The default weighting below applies to most requirements — you can adjust it in your brief if your priorities differ.
Criterion
Default weight
What IQ assesses
Price
40%
Total cost of ownership against market benchmark. Not just headline rate — IQ accounts for implementation costs, ongoing charges, and contract exit costs.
Technical capability
30%
Can the vendor actually do what you need? IQ checks claimed capabilities against SLA requirements, compliance demands, and scope complexity.
Experience
20%
Track record in your sector and at comparable contract size. References and case studies. IQ Trust Score from previous Bundle IQ contracts.
Risk and compliance
10%
Insurance coverage, certifications, financial stability, GDPR compliance. A vendor missing required certifications scores zero here regardless of price.
⚠️
IQ recommendation is advisory. The algorithm optimises for the stated criteria. It does not know about internal politics, existing relationships, or strategic considerations only you have. Use IQ's score as a strong starting point — the final decision is always yours.
Before you award — five questions to ask
1
Does the lowest scorer fail for good reason or just on price?
A vendor who scores low on price but high on everything else may be worth paying the premium for. A vendor who scores low on compliance is disqualified regardless of price.
2
Have you checked the references for the top scorer?
IQ verifies that references exist — it doesn't call them. For significant contracts, speak to the reference clients before awarding.
3
Is the scope agreed, or is the vendor assuming?
If anything in the vendor's response differs from your requirement, clarify it before signing. Ambiguity in the brief becomes a contract dispute later.
4
Are the milestones realistic and measurable?
IQ escrow releases against milestones. If a milestone is vague ("project complete") you'll have nothing to dispute against. Make them specific and verifiable.
5
Do you have a clear exit position?
Before you sign, confirm: notice period, data return, IP ownership, and handover obligations. IQ's contract templates include standard exit clauses — check they reflect your specific situation.
Section 5
Contracts and e-signing
IQ generates a contract from your agreed terms. You review, redline if needed, and e-sign digitally. The signed document is stored in your dashboard and sent to both parties.
⚖️
Bundle IQ is not a law firm. Our contract templates are drafted to best-practice commercial standard and suitable for most B2B procurement. For contracts above £100,000, unusual commercial arrangements, or sectors with specific regulatory requirements, we recommend independent legal review. The template is a starting point — you can add, remove, or amend any clause before signing.
Always check before signing
Scope matches what you agreed in the RFQ
SLAs and response times are specific and measurable
Milestones are clear and tied to deliverables
Payment schedule matches your budget approval process
IP ownership is correct for your use case
Notice period and exit conditions are acceptable
Governing law is England and Wales
Common mistakes to avoid
Signing before scope is fully agreed
Milestones that say "completion" without defining what complete means
Auto-renewing contracts without a calendar reminder set
Missing GDPR/data processing clauses if vendor handles personal data
Assuming verbal agreements are captured in the contract
Section 6
IQ Protection and escrow
Every payment on Bundle IQ is protected by IQ Protection escrow. Here's exactly how it works:
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On contract execution: funds held
When both parties sign, the first milestone payment is placed into IQ Protection escrow. The supplier can see the funds are there — giving them confidence to start. You can see the funds are protected — giving you confidence that they won't move until you say so.
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During delivery: funds held
The escrow balance is visible in your dashboard. You can track progress against milestones. If a milestone is disputed, the funds remain held until resolution.
✅
On your confirmation: funds released
You confirm milestone completion in your dashboard. IQ releases the payment to the supplier within 24 hours. The next milestone pre-loads into escrow automatically for ongoing contracts.
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Confirmation matters. When you confirm a milestone, you're confirming the deliverable is acceptable. If you have concerns about quality, raise them via the platform before confirming. Once you confirm and payment releases, the milestone is considered complete.
Section 7
Managing supplier relationships
Bundle IQ maintains your supplier relationships — it doesn't replace them. Your suppliers are still your suppliers. IQ just makes the commercial side of those relationships run better.
Good relationship practices
Give suppliers prompt, specific feedback via the platform when milestones are delivered
Rate every transaction honestly — the IQ Trust Score benefits future buyers
Use the messaging system for contract queries — creates an audit trail
Re-invite high-performing vendors to future RFQs
Give adequate notice when you're not renewing
Things that damage outcomes
Delaying milestone confirmation — suppliers need prompt payment to work sustainably
Moving commercial conversations off-platform — it breaks the audit trail
Adding scope after contract signing without a change order
Using the dispute mechanism as a negotiation tool
Section 8
Disputes and escalation
Most issues are resolved through direct communication. The platform's messaging system is the right starting point. If that doesn't resolve the issue, Bundle IQ provides structured dispute resolution.
1
Raise it through the platform
Use the messaging system to document the issue clearly. Include what was agreed, what was delivered, and what the gap is. Platform messages are timestamped and audit-logged.
2
Hold the milestone (if payment is involved)
Do not confirm a milestone you're not satisfied with. Held escrow funds give you leverage and protection. Once released, they cannot be recalled.
3
Escalate to Bundle IQ support
If direct resolution fails after 5 business days, raise a formal dispute. A Bundle IQ case manager reviews the contract, communications, and evidence from both sides.
4
Binding determination
For disputes under £25,000, Bundle IQ's determination is binding under the platform Terms of Engagement. For larger disputes, the parties may use ADR or refer to the courts under English law.
⚠️
Disputes are rare when briefs are clear. The vast majority of disputes arise from ambiguous scope — something that seemed obvious to the buyer wasn't obvious to the supplier. A good brief, specific milestones, and clear acceptance criteria prevent almost all of them.
Section 9
Common questions
Yes. You can invite existing suppliers to respond to your RFQs. They will need to complete Bundle IQ's vendor registration (insurance check, ID verification) before submitting, but this is a one-time process. Your relationship with them doesn't change — the platform just adds structure and payment protection to it.
No. Bundle IQ is a capability that works with your people, not instead of them. If you have a procurement lead, they use Bundle IQ to do more with less time. If you don't have one, Bundle IQ fills that gap on demand. The commercial relationships, supplier relationships, and decisions remain with you.
You're never obliged to follow IQ's recommendation. Review the scores and reasoning, then make your own call. If you award to a vendor that IQ didn't recommend, we'd appreciate a brief note on why — it helps improve the scoring model over time.
Bundle IQ covers 90+ spend categories including IT, facilities management, professional services, legal, marketing, logistics, HR, insurance, energy, and more. For highly specialist categories (e.g. defence, nuclear, specific regulated sectors) contact us first to confirm coverage.
Any funds held in IQ Protection escrow that have not been released are protected and will be returned to you. Contact Bundle IQ support immediately — do not release any milestone payments. We will freeze the contract and guide you through your options, which include re-tendering the remaining scope to a new vendor.
Yes. Bundle IQ operates under strict confidentiality. Vendors only see the anonymised requirement brief — not your identity or internal context — until you choose to award. At that point, the winning vendor receives your details. Non-shortlisted vendors are notified of the outcome but receive no information about who was awarded or at what price.
There's no minimum. The Marketplace handles transactions from £50 upwards. For requirements under £2,000, use the Marketplace directly — the full RFQ process isn't proportionate at that value. For everything above £2,000, Bundle IQ adds measurable value through competitive tension and protection.
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