How We Tender Air Lanes in 5 Weeks
30 JUL 2026 · 7 MIN READ · OPS DESK
A good air tender is 80% data cleaning and 20% negotiation. Here is the five-week rhythm we run for clients — it typically cuts 10–15% off air freight spend.
Week one is data cleaning: twelve months of airwaybills turned into a lane file with volumes, chargeable weights and service failures. Airlines quote your reality, not your averages — a clean lane file alone moves quotes 5% before anyone negotiates.
Week two is the pack: one rate sheet, one service schedule, one set of terms. Every bidder answers the same questions in the same format, so week four is comparison, not archaeology.
Week three is the market: invite six to eight carriers and forwarders per lane group, including one incumbent and one challenger nobody has heard of. Challengers sharpen incumbents.
Week four is scoring: price at 50%, service history at 30%, capacity cover at 20%. The cheapest bidder who can't cover December is the most expensive mistake in the file.
Week five is award and lock-in: split each lane group across two carriers, sign the rate card with fuel and security formulas fixed, and calendar the quarterly review. A tender without a review date expires the day it is signed.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Twelve months of airwaybills become one clean lane file first.
- Score 50% price, 30% service, 20% capacity cover.
- Split lanes across two carriers; fix fuel formulas in writing.
