The documents are the easy part to prepare and the easy part to miss. Check them against the bidding documents before the deadline, not after. Illustrative photo.
Short answer: to bid on a government infrastructure project you need a current PhilGEPS Platinum registration, six eligibility documents on file with it (SEC/DTI/CDA registration, a General Information Sheet with beneficial owners, a business permit, a BIR tax clearance, a PCAB license and BIR-stamped audited financials), and, with the bid itself, a statement of your ongoing contracts, a single largest completed contract (SLCC) worth at least 50% of the ABC, an NFCC computation that is at least equal to the ABC, and bid security of 2% or 5% of the ABC, or a bid securing declaration. A bid without the bid security in the right form and amount is automatically disqualified (IRR Sec. 56.1), and when a bidder asks for reconsideration the IRR does not let it add documents to fix a defect (Sec. 83.1). Two of those requirements are numbers you can test in five minutes. The checker below does that.
Take a bidder whose net current assets are a quarter of the ABC. Multiplied by 15, that is 3.75 times the ABC. If the ongoing work it still has to build is 1.5 times the ABC, its NFCC is 2.25 times the ABC and it passes. If the ongoing work is 3 times the ABC, its NFCC drops to 0.75 times the ABC and it fails, with no change in its assets. That is the part contractors most often miss. The checker below runs it on your own figures.
Enter the ABC and your own figures for an infrastructure project. The checker applies the IRR formulas from sections 3 to 5 and tells you which tests pass, what your bid security must be, and which documents are still missing. Planning arithmetic, not legal advice. The bidding documents for your project control.
Our RA 12009 guide covers what changed in the law. This article is the checklist for a contractor deciding whether it can bid on one project. First, the entity itself. Under IRR Sec. 52.4.2.1, infrastructure bidders are:
Separately, Sec. 52.4.2.3 ties participation to a PCAB license, as the Contractors’ License Law (RA 4566, as amended by RA 11711) requires. A joint venture submits a joint venture agreement in accordance with RA 4566, each partner submits its own PhilGEPS certificate, and the technical and financial documents of any one partner count as compliance for the group (Sec. 52.2).
The IRR splits the paperwork in two. One set lives in PhilGEPS: Sec. 20.2.9.1 says contractors shall upload and maintain a valid and updated file of six eligibility documents, and the Platinum Membership certificate is effective for one year: it may be renewed if it has expired, or updated within its validity, and the contractor must keep its records current at least once a year (Sec. 20.2.9(b)). It is also the contractor’s own obligation to keep its registration valid and updated (Sec. 20.2.9(e)). The other set goes with the bid, on the forms in the bidding documents (Sec. 52.1). PhilGEPS will deny registration to, or exclude, a party found to have willfully misrepresented information in its application (Sec. 20.2.9(c)).
| Document | Where the IRR requires it | Check before you bid |
|---|---|---|
| PhilGEPS Certificate of Registration (Platinum Membership) | Sec. 52.1; one-year validity in Sec. 20.2.9(b) | Expiry date is after your bid submission date |
| SEC, DTI or CDA registration | Sec. 20.2.9.1(a) | Matches the name on your PCAB license and permits |
| General Information Sheet with beneficial ownership (corporations) | Sec. 20.2.9.1(b) | The latest GIS actually filed with the SEC |
| Mayor’s Permit or Business Permit, or equivalent | Sec. 20.2.9.1(c) | Current year, correct business address |
| BIR tax clearance, as finally reviewed and approved by the BIR | Sec. 20.2.9.1(d) | The approved version, not the application |
| PCAB license and registration | Sec. 20.2.9.1(e) | Valid for the bid date; category fits the project |
| Audited financial statements, stamped “Received” by the BIR (or the BIR email confirmation for online filing) | Sec. 20.2.9.1(f) | The same AFS you use for the NFCC computation |
| Statement of all ongoing government and private contracts, including awarded but not yet started | Sec. 52.1(a) | Complete: it drives your NFCC |
| SLCC statement, with owner’s certificate of final acceptance, or a final CPES rating of at least Satisfactory (equivalent document for private contracts) | Sec. 52.1(b), 52.4.2.5 | The proof exists and is signed by someone other than you |
| NFCC computation | Sec. 52.1(c), 52.4.2.6 | Uses the latest AFS submitted to the BIR |
| Bid security in the prescribed form, amount and validity | Sec. 56 | In pesos, payable to the procuring entity (Sec. 56.4) |
| Beneficial ownership information | Sec. 82 | Up to date on the GPPB registry (Sec. 82.3) |
The IRR sets the floor. The procuring entity’s bidding documents decide the exact forms, the bid validity period and anything beyond the IRR, so the invitation to bid is the first document to read. Also read our construction contract checklist for what to check once you win.
The single largest completed contract is the track-record test. For infrastructure (Sec. 52.4.2.4) the bidder must have completed a contract similar to the project, whose value, adjusted to current prices using PSA consumer price indices, is at least 50% of the ABC. Four details matter:
Small A and Small B contractors without a similar contract may still bid if the contract cost is not more than the Allowable Range of Contract Cost of their PCAB registration, as the PCAB guidelines prescribe (Sec. 52.4.2.4). We did not read the PCAB range itself, and the checker does not test it, so check it with PCAB.
Net financial contracting capacity is the money test. The IRR (Sec. 52.4.2.6) puts it as:
NFCC = [(current assets − current liabilities) × 15] − the value of all outstanding or uncompleted portions of the projects under ongoing contracts, including awarded contracts yet to be started, coinciding with the project to be bid. It must be at least equal to the ABC. For a domestic bidder, current assets and liabilities come from the latest audited financial statements submitted to the BIR. A different formula may be adopted on the procuring entity’s recommendation, subject to GPPB consideration.
Two practical consequences. First, winning work lowers your capacity for the next bid: every awarded contract that is not yet finished comes off the number, including awarded contracts yet to be started. Second, for a domestic bidder the formula reads your latest audited statements submitted to the BIR, so quoting better figures at bid time does not change it. If the number is short, a joint venture is one way to pool capacity, because the partner responsible for the NFCC submits its own statement of ongoing contracts (Sec. 52.2). Another is a project with a smaller ABC.
Every bid in a competitive mode must come with bid security, payable to the procuring entity, as a guarantee that the winner will sign the contract and post the performance security within 10 calendar days of receiving the notice of award (unless Sec. 66.1 allows longer). The amounts are minimums, as a share of the ABC (Sec. 56.2):
| Form of bid security | Minimum amount |
|---|---|
| Bid securing declaration | No peso amount; carries a fine and a bar from bidding if breached |
| Cash, or cashier’s or manager’s check issued by a bank | 2% of the ABC |
| Bank draft or guarantee, or irrevocable letter of credit issued by a bank | 5% of the ABC |
| Surety bond callable on demand, from a surety or insurance company certified by the Insurance Commission | 5% of the ABC |
The bid securing declaration (Sec. 56.6) is an undertaking to sign and post within the 10 days, with a commitment to pay a fine and be automatically disqualified from bidding on any procurement contract of any procuring entity for a period set in GPPB guidelines, on receipt of a blacklisting order, if you break it. That is cheaper up front and can be far more expensive if you win and cannot perform, so treat it as a real obligation. The bidding documents must list at least three acceptable forms including the declaration (Sec. 56.3). A bank draft, guarantee or letter of credit issued by a foreign bank must be confirmed or authenticated by a bank.
These are rules in the IRR text, not statistics. Open each to see the rule.
Failing to enclose the required bid security in the form and amount prescribed automatically disqualifies the bid.
IRR Sec. 56.1A bidder may ask the BAC for reconsideration within 3 calendar days of notice, but is not allowed to submit additional documents to correct defects in the bid submitted. The BAC has 7 calendar days to decide the request.
IRR Sec. 83.1The Platinum Membership certificate is effective for one year. It may be renewed if it has expired, or updated within its validity, and the contractor must keep its records current at least once a year. Keeping the registration valid and updated is the contractor’s own obligation. The IRR text we read states the duty, and we did not find a rule in it that names a lapse as a ground for disqualification, so check the bidding documents.
IRR Sec. 20.2.9(b) and (e)Both are eligibility tests built from your own records. The checker above runs them on your figures. The SLCC needs proof signed by the owner, and the NFCC deducts every ongoing and awarded contract still to be built.
IRR Sec. 52.4.2.4 and 52.4.2.6After a denied reconsideration, a protest goes to the head of the procuring entity within 7 calendar days, with a non-refundable protest fee. For an ABC of 50 million pesos and below the fee is 0.75% of the ABC.
IRR Sec. 83.2The practical lesson is to do the checking before the bid is submitted. The two repair routes the IRR describes, reconsideration and protest, run on tight deadlines and the first one bars new documents.
What AEDO does and does not do. Our team reads an invitation to bid and its bidding documents against this checklist and gives you a written list: what is missing or out of date, which of the SLCC and NFCC tests fail, what the bid security must be, and what the bidding documents require beyond the IRR. We review and prepare. We do not submit the bid for you, we do not guarantee an award, and we are not lawyers. We are not a PCAB-licensed contractor on your bid either: you are the bidder and you sign. AEDO designs, checks and reviews documents nationwide and remotely, and builds only in Negros Oriental. For the design side of a government design-and-build bid, see our design packages.
The requirements, formulas, percentages and deadlines in this article are from the GPPB’s 1st Edition of RA 12009 and its IRR (as of 30 March 2026): Sec. 20.2.9 and 20.2.9.1 (PhilGEPS registry and eligibility documents), Sec. 52 and 52.4.2 (eligibility and infrastructure criteria, SLCC, NFCC), Sec. 56 (bid security, with the cross-reference to Sec. 66.1 on the contract signing period), Sec. 82 (beneficial ownership) and Sec. 83 (protests). RA 12009 itself is on LawPhil. The peso figures in the examples, the checker defaults and the diagram are AEDO illustrations, not real bids. We did not read the PCAB guidelines on the Allowable Range of Contract Cost, the GPPB guidelines on bid securing declarations, or the Standard Bidding Documents, so where those control, this article says so and does not state their contents. The bidding documents of each project can require more than the IRR.
What documents must a contractor have to bid on a Philippine government infrastructure project?
Under the IRR of RA 12009, the contractor needs a valid and updated PhilGEPS Certificate of Registration (Platinum Membership) with these eligibility documents on file: SEC, DTI or CDA registration; for corporations, an updated General Information Sheet showing beneficial ownership information; a Mayor's Permit or Business Permit or equivalent; a BIR-approved tax clearance; the PCAB license; and audited financial statements stamped received by the BIR (or the BIR email confirmation for online filing). With the bid, the Bids and Awards Committee also requires a statement of ongoing contracts, a statement of the single largest completed contract (SLCC), the NFCC computation and the bid security (IRR Sections 20.2.9.1, 52.1 and 56).
What is the SLCC requirement and does it apply to small contractors?
For infrastructure projects the bidder must have completed a single contract similar to the project, whose value adjusted to current prices using the PSA consumer price indices is at least 50 percent of the approved budget for the contract (ABC). A contract is similar if it has the same major categories of work, and the procuring entity may clarify that in the bidding documents. The SLCC must be supported by an owner's certificate of final acceptance, or a final CPES rating of at least Satisfactory, or an equivalent document for private contracts. Contractors registered as Small A or Small B without similar experience may bid if the contract cost is not more than the Allowable Range of Contract Cost of their PCAB registration (IRR Sections 52.4.2.4 and 52.4.2.5). We did not read the PCAB range itself, so check it with PCAB.
How is the NFCC computed?
NFCC equals current assets minus current liabilities, multiplied by 15, minus the value of the outstanding or uncompleted portions of all ongoing contracts, including awarded contracts yet to be started, that coincide with the project being bid. It must be at least equal to the ABC. For a domestic bidder, current assets and liabilities come from the latest audited financial statements submitted to the BIR; foreign bidders use statements prepared under international financial reporting standards. A different formula may be adopted on the procuring entity's recommendation, submitted to the GPPB for consideration (IRR Section 52.4.2.6).
How much bid security do I need, and can I use a bid securing declaration?
A bid securing declaration is an allowed form with no peso amount. Otherwise the bid security must be at least 2 percent of the ABC if it is cash or a cashier's or manager's check, 5 percent if it is a bank draft, bank guarantee or irrevocable letter of credit, and 5 percent if it is a surety bond callable on demand (IRR Section 56.2). The procuring entity must list at least three acceptable forms in the bidding documents, including the bid securing declaration (Section 56.3). Failing to enclose the bid security in the prescribed form and amount automatically disqualifies the bid (Section 56.1).
Can I fix a missing document after the bids are opened?
The IRR says no for the reconsideration stage. Section 83.1 allows a bidder to file a request for reconsideration with the BAC within 3 calendar days of notice, and the BAC decides within 7 calendar days, but the bidder shall not be allowed to submit additional documents to correct any defects in the bid submitted. A later protest to the head of the procuring entity must be filed within 7 calendar days of the denial and carries a non-refundable fee, which is 0.75 percent of the ABC when the ABC is 50 million pesos or below (Section 83.2).
Do I have to disclose beneficial owners to bid?
Yes. IRR Section 82 makes beneficial ownership information, as identified by the GPPB, a requirement to participate in competitive bidding, limited source bidding, competitive dialogue and unsolicited offer with bid matching. The GPPB maintains a public online registry of bidders' beneficial ownership information, and the bidder must keep its information updated through that registry. For corporations, PhilGEPS registration also requires a General Information Sheet reflecting beneficial ownership.
Can two contractors bid together as a joint venture?
Yes. For infrastructure, a joint venture needs a joint venture agreement under the Contractors' License Law (RA 4566), each partner submits its own PhilGEPS Certificate of Registration, and Filipino ownership or interest must be at least 60 percent, with an exception down to a 25 percent minimum where the structures require techniques or technologies that a 60 percent Filipino-owned entity does not adequately possess. The partner responsible for the NFCC must also submit its statement of ongoing contracts (IRR Sections 52.2 and 52.4.2.1).
What can AEDO do before I submit a bid?
Our team can read the invitation to bid and bidding documents against this checklist and give you a written list of what is missing, which of the SLCC and NFCC tests fail, what the bid security must be, and what the bidding documents add beyond the IRR. We review and prepare; we do not submit the bid for you, we do not guarantee an award, and we are not lawyers. AEDO builds only in Negros Oriental, and this document review is done remotely for contractors anywhere in the Philippines.
Laws and official issuances read for this article on 3 October 2026. External links open in a new tab.
Peso examples, checker defaults and the diagram figures are AEDO illustrations, not real bids or published rates. Not legal advice.
Send us the invitation to bid and your document folder. Our team checks them against this checklist and the bidding documents, and gives you a written list of what is missing before the deadline.
