Purchase orders on Mercado Público: what happens after you win a tender

Purchase orders on Mercado Público: what happens after you win a tender

You take part in a tender, submit your bid on time and wait for the result. But what exactly happens after the body makes the award? Many…

· Public tenders

You take part in a tender, submit your bid on time and wait for the result. But what exactly happens after the body makes the award? Many suppliers focus so much on winning that they neglect what comes next: the purchase order, the contract, delivery and getting paid. Understanding this stage is as important as preparing a good bid, because it is where the business becomes real.

What a purchase order on Mercado Público is

A purchase order is the electronic document the purchasing body issues through the mercadopublico.cl platform once it awards the tender. It works as a formal purchasing instruction: it states the goods or service requested, the quantity, the agreed price and the delivery conditions. In lower-value processes, the purchase order is equivalent to the contract; in higher-value contracts, it may be preceded by a formal contract.

The purchase order is also used in Compra Ágil and in purchases from the Convenio Marco catalogue, where there is no prior tender process: the body simply generates the order directly.

How to accept a purchase order

When the body issues the purchase order, you receive a notification in your Mercado Público account. To accept it:

  1. Log in to your account at mercadopublico.cl.
  2. Go to the Órdenes de Compra module in the supplier menu.
  3. Find the order awaiting acceptance.
  4. Click Aceptar and confirm the operation.

Accept the order within the deadline the platform sets. Once accepted, there is a formal record that both parties have committed to the transaction.

What to do if you cannot accept a purchase order

It happens sometimes: capacity changed, there was an error in the quotation or the delivery deadline is no longer viable. In that case, you can reject the purchase order directly from the platform, stating the reason. However, bear in mind that rejecting an order can have consequences:

  • If you submitted a bid bond, the body can call on that instrument.
  • Repeated rejections can affect your track record as a supplier on the platform.
  • Under the Mercado Público rules, repeated non-acceptance with no real intention of contracting is conduct the system monitors.

If the problem is a detail (a typo in the price, a specification that does not match), the right course is to contact the purchasing body directly before rejecting, to see whether a corrected order can be issued.

From dispatch to formal acceptance of delivery

Once the order is accepted, you must deliver the goods or provide the service under the agreed conditions. The key milestone is the formal acceptance of delivery: the body's formal confirmation that what was delivered meets what was requested. This date matters because the payment period runs from it.

Make sure the person responsible at the body signs the acceptance of delivery and that it is recorded on the platform or on paper, according to that body's internal procedure. Without acceptance of delivery, the payment period does not start running.

The payment period: your rights as a supplier

Artículo 13 of Ley N.° 19.886 on Public Procurement provides that the public body has 30 calendar days to pay you from the date of formal acceptance of delivery. In justified exceptional cases, that period can be extended to 45 days.

For the 30-day period to run correctly, you must have issued your electronic invoice (DTE) to the body. The usual process is:

  1. Deliver the goods or service.
  2. Obtain the formal acceptance of delivery.
  3. Issue the electronic invoice to the body.
  4. Wait for payment within the legal period.

What to do if you are not paid on time

If day 31 has arrived with no payment and no word from the body, you have several routes:

  • Complaint on Mercado Público: the platform has a mechanism for suppliers to file complaints. Under the rules in force (since 2025), bodies have a maximum of 5 days to respond to complaints received. You can file your complaint at ayuda.mercadopublico.cl.
  • Direct contact with the body: sometimes the delay is down to an internal step (invoice approval, budget availability). A formal email to the finance officer often speeds up the process.
  • ChileCompra as mediator: if the problem persists, you can escalate to the Dirección de Compras y Contratación Pública.

Higher-value contracts: what changes

In higher-value tenders (generally LP and LR, over 1.000 or 5.000 UTM), the post-award process includes signing a formal contract. That contract sets out deadlines, performance guarantees, early termination conditions and dispute resolution mechanisms. In those cases, read the contract before signing it with the same care you read the specifications.

The performance guarantee is required in contracts above 1.000 UTM and equals 5% of the final net price. You must have it available before signing the contract.

In short

Winning a tender is only half the work. What comes next —accepting the purchase order, delivering properly, obtaining formal acceptance of delivery and issuing the invoice on time— determines whether you actually get paid. Know the 30-day period the law gives you and use the complaint mechanisms if the body does not comply.

— Mindset & Code. Sources: Ley N.° 19.886 on Public Procurement (art. 13); Guide to Managing a Purchase Order — Mercado Público; ChileCompra — deadlines for responding to complaints (2025). Information current as at 2025-2026; check the procedures before acting. Informational content: it does not replace professional advice.

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