When a UK company bids for an international tender, the buyer or public authority may ask for evidence that the company is properly registered, financially credible and authorised to submit the bid.
These documents may be valid in the UK, but the tender authority may still require them to be certified, legalised, translated or attested before they are accepted.
Company registration documents
Most international tenders require proof that the company legally exists.
This may include a Certificate of Incorporation, Companies House company profile, company extract, Memorandum and Articles of Association or other company registration records.
Downloaded or printed company documents may need solicitor or notary certification before they can be legalised for overseas use.
Certificate of Good Standing
A Certificate of Good Standing is often requested in international tender applications.
It confirms that the UK company is active, properly registered and in good standing. Some tender authorities require this document to be recently issued, usually within a set timeframe.
If the certificate is issued electronically or does not carry a verifiable signature, seal or stamp, solicitor or notary certification may be needed before legalisation.
Director and shareholder information
Tender authorities may ask for evidence of who owns and controls the company.
This can include director appointment documents, shareholder registers, share certificates, PSC information, ownership structure charts or company extracts.
Because many of these are internal company records, they often need solicitor or notary certification before legalisation.
Board resolution approving the tender
Some tenders require a board resolution confirming that the company has approved the bid and authorised a named person to submit documents or sign contracts.
The resolution should clearly state the tender, the authorised signatory and the powers granted.
As an internal company document, it usually needs solicitor or notary certification before legalisation.
Powers of Attorney and signing authority
If a director, employee, agent or local representative is signing tender documents on behalf of the company, a Power of Attorney or authority letter may be required.
Some authorities accept solicitor-certified documents. Others specifically require notarisation by a Notary Public.
If the tender instructions ask for a notarised Power of Attorney, solicitor certification may not be enough.
Financial and tax documents
Tender authorities may ask for financial evidence to assess the company’s stability.
This may include audited accounts, bank letters, VAT certificates, HMRC letters, tax clearance documents, accountant letters or proof of turnover.
Many financial and tax documents are issued digitally, so they may need certification before legalisation.
Compliance and insurance documents
International tenders may also request compliance documents.
This can include professional indemnity insurance, public liability insurance, health and safety policies, quality certificates, regulatory approvals, licences or anti-bribery statements.
Private certificates and policy documents often need solicitor or notary certification before they can be legalised.
Translation and embassy attestation
If the tender authority does not accept English documents, certified or sworn translation may be required.
For countries outside the Hague Apostille Convention, UK legalisation may not be the final step. Embassy or consular attestation may also be required before the documents are accepted.
These extra stages can affect the tender deadline, so they should be checked early.
Prepare before the submission deadline
Tender deadlines are usually strict. A missing legalisation step, incorrect certification or untranslated document can make a bid non-compliant.
Before preparing documents, review the tender instructions carefully and confirm whether originals, certified copies, notarised documents, legalisation, translation or embassy attestation are required.
If your UK company is bidding for an international tender, 12 Apostille can review the document list, confirm the correct route and help prepare company paperwork before submission.