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EDIFACT message guide · Projects and construction

CONITT Invitation to tender

The UN/EDIFACT message a client uses to invite contractors to tender for construction work, with the bill of quantities and conditions.

Sent by
Client or client's representative
Received by
Main contractor or subcontractor
Standard
UN/EDIFACT · Batch message
X12 equivalent
No direct equivalent

What is the EDIFACT CONITT message?

CONITT is the UN/EDIFACT invitation to tender. The directory explains that, at the pre-construction stage of a project, the client wishes to appoint a contractor to carry out the works, and the first step is to issue an invitation to tender to contractors, which requires the transfer of the project details and the bill of quantities.

The bill of quantities lists every work item with its description and quantity, so that contractors can price it consistently. Sending it electronically lets contractors load the items into estimating software and return priced tenders (CONTEN) in the same structure.

How the EDIFACT CONITT message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT CONITT Invitation to tender message. Client or client's representative sends it to main contractor or subcontractor. It usually starts the exchange. It is usually followed by CONTEN. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message), RFF (Reference) and DTM (Date/time/period) and body and segment groups: UNS (Section control) and the required SG22 loop with BII (Structure identification), RCS (Requirements and conditions), GEI (Processing information) and the required SG27 loop with QTY (Quantity). 10 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT CONITT message worksInvitation to tender: who sends it, where it fits and what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeCONITTSENDERClient or client'srepresentativeRECEIVERMain contractor orsubcontractorCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYCONTENTender2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDsUNB … UNZMessage CONITTUNH … UNTSTART OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageRFFReferenceDTMDate/time/periodBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSUNSSection controlMandatory group SG22 · repeats up to 1,000BIIStructure identificationRCSRequirements and conditionsGEIProcessing informationMandatory group SG27 · repeats up to 1,000QTYQuantity+ 10 conditional groups, starting with:INDBIIRFFDIMLINPRITAXRCSALCIMDBlue box: mandatory segment group. Conditional groups are listed by the trigger segment that starts them; a group is sent only when its data applies.Conditional segments outside groups are not drawn.Structure: mandatory segments and groups in the UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A listing for CONITT. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.
How the EDIFACT CONITT message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT CONITT Invitation to tender message. Client or client's representative sends it to main contractor or subcontractor. It usually starts the exchange. It is usually followed by CONTEN. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message), RFF (Reference) and DTM (Date/time/period) and body and segment groups: UNS (Section control) and the required SG22 loop with BII (Structure identification), RCS (Requirements and conditions), GEI (Processing information) and the required SG27 loop with QTY (Quantity). 10 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT CONITTmessage worksInvitation to tender: who sends it, where it fitsand what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeCONITTSENDERClient or client'srepresentativeRECEIVERMain contractoror subcontractorCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYCONTENTender2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDs(UNB … UNZ)Message CONITT (UNH … UNT)START OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageRFFReferenceDTMDate/time/periodBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSUNSSection controlMandatory group SG22 · repeats upto 1,000BIIStructure identificationRCSRequirements and conditionsGEIProcessing informationMandatory group SG27 · repeatsup to 1,000QTYQuantity+ 10 conditional groups, starting with:INDBIIRFFDIMLINPRITAXRCSALCIMDBlue box: mandatory segment group. Conditionalgroups are listed by the trigger segment thatstarts them; a group is sent only when its dataapplies. Conditional segments outside groups arenot drawn.Structure: mandatory segments and groups in theUN/EDIFACT directory D.21A listing for CONITT.Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.

How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends CONITT, to whom, and which messages usually come before and after it. The lower part shows what the directory D.21A itself requires: the envelopes around CONITT and the segments and segment groups it marks mandatory. Conditional groups are listed by their trigger segment rather than drawn in full. This is the directory's minimum, not a trading partner's requirement: a message implementation guide, such as an industry subset or a partner’s own guide, usually makes some conditional groups mandatory, restricts the codes and may use an older directory.

Expand diagram Download SVG

When it is used

  • Inviting main contractors to tender
  • Sending a bill of quantities to subcontractors
  • Issuing addenda to a tender

Where it fits in the message flow

This message CONITT Invitation to tender
Usually followed by CONTEN Tender

Structure

Mandatory segments in CONITT (directory D.21A)

In UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A, the CONITT message has 105 segment positions arranged in 34 segment groups. These are the segments and segment groups marked mandatory at message level, in order; a mandatory group is shown with the segment that starts it. Segments inside conditional groups are needed only when the group is used. This is the directory’s requirement, not your trading partner’s: each partner’s message implementation guide names the directory it uses, often an older one such as D.96A or D.01B where the structure can differ, makes some conditional segments mandatory and restricts the codes.

  • UNH
  • BGM
  • RFF
  • DTM
  • UNS
  • SG22 (BII)
  • UNT

Practical example

CONITT in practice

A public works department plans a new bridge. Its quantity surveyor sends five contractors a CONITT with the project details, the bill of quantities of 1,200 work items, the tender conditions and the closing date. The contractors import the items into their estimating systems and return priced CONTEN tenders.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for CONITT

  • Keep work item references stable so priced tenders map back to the bill.
  • Issue addenda in the same structure as the original invitation.
  • Follow the national construction data standard where one applies.
  • Set and enforce the tender closing date.

How ECOM helps

Automate CONITT with ECOM

Industry

Industrial Manufacturing

Distributor, OEM customer and supplier integration for industrial manufacturers.

Solution

Procure-to-Pay Automation

Automate purchasing, receiving and supplier invoicing across EDI, portals and documents.

Solution

B2B Integration

Connect every customer, supplier, carrier and bank across EDI, API, file and portal channels.

Compare X12 and EDIFACT, or see answers to general questions in the EDI FAQ.

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