MEAT (Most Economically Advantageous Tender)

MEAT, or Most Economically Advantageous Tender, is the award criterion in modern public procurement that goes beyond simply selecting the lowest bid. Instead, authorities assess both price and non-price factors—such as quality, technical merit, delivery time, environmental performance, and lifecycle costs—to determine which offer provides the best overall value. Each criterion is clearly defined and assigned a relative weighting in advance to guide objective evaluation.

Under Directive 2014/24/EU, contracting authorities may choose between MEAT and lowest price criteria—but when MEAT is used, they must publish the criteria and their weightings in the contract notice or tender documentation. This ensures transparency and prevents arbitrary decision-making. The directive also mandates that the chosen criteria be linked to the contract’s subject matter and be objective and measurable. Authority must not change the criteria during the evaluation phase.

In practice, applying MEAT allows authorities to balance cost with quality, innovation, and sustainability, supporting long-term value and better outcomes. Suppliers tailor their proposals to address evaluation factors explicitly. However, properly designing MEAT evaluations requires careful consideration: overly complex or poorly weighted criteria can obscure decision-making and create legal risks. A well-structured MEAT process facilitates clear, fair, and value-driven procurement decisions.