Definition: An award recommendation is the documented proposal to select a supplier, supported by the decision rationale, comparable cost, evaluation result, risk, conditions and approval record.
Why it matters in supplier selection
A ranking alone is not an award recommendation. Management needs to understand why the supplier is preferred, what remains unresolved and what must happen before or after award.
Practical example
The recommendation selects Supplier B, explains its total commercial and risk advantage, identifies two pre-award conditions, assigns owners and includes approval fields and a version date.
Fictional example: the figures or scenario are illustrative and do not describe a real supplier or client outcome.
How to use the term in a decision record
State the definition, source data, owner and decision treatment clearly. Do not use the term as shorthand for an undocumented assumption. Where the concept affects a score, cost or risk result, preserve the formula or evidence reference and the version date.