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A freight mini bid is a short, targeted bid on a specific set of lanes, run between annual RFPs. It reuses the lane structure and carrier base from your annual event, so instead of reopening a network-wide bid you rebid the lanes that stopped working. In Emerge, a mini bid takes days rather than weeks.
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An annual RFP sets your strategic carrier relationships, your baseline allocations and your budget. It is the wrong instrument for keeping rates current, because a rate set in November is a twelve-month-old view of the market by the following October. If you are planning the full annual event, start with how to run an annual freight RFP. Run a mini bid when:
Keep mini bids targeted. Rebidding specific problem lanes preserves the carrier relationship. Demanding across-the-board reductions mid-contract does not, and it pushes freight into the spot market at exactly the wrong moment.
| Capability | What it does | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Reuse your annual bid structure | Carries the lane file, pricing template and carrier base across from your annual event | Turns a rebid into a days-long task instead of a second full RFP |
| Market timing | Benchmarking tools and procurement insights from your own historical performance show when conditions favor a rebid | You rebid because the market moved, not because the calendar turned |
| Rate analysis | Identifies which lanes and carriers are priced at, above or below market, using contract benchmarking | Targets the mini bid at the lanes that are actually costing money |
| Quick execution | Simple setup, fast launch, structured responses | Capacity secured while the market window is still open |
| Carrier engagement | Gives your carriers more frequent, genuine bidding opportunities | Keeps carriers engaged between annual events instead of once a year |
| Extensive carrier network | Opens the bid to Emerge Marketplace, with over 45,000 marketplace carriers, or to Premier Carriers | Adds competitive tension without rebuilding your carrier list |
| Reporting | Tracks mini bid activity, carrier performance and results with carrier scorecards | Shows whether the rebid actually held in execution |
Use an annual RFP to set strategic relationships and baseline allocations across the network. Use a mini bid to correct a defined set of lanes without reopening the network. Use spot procurement for what neither covers: one-off freight, surges and lanes that never justified a contract. Most shippers need all three, and the mistake is using one where another belongs.
A freight mini bid is a short, targeted procurement event covering a specific set of lanes, run between annual RFPs. It uses the same lane structure and carrier base as the annual bid, so it can be built and awarded in days.
Scope and speed. An annual RFP prices the whole network and sets carrier strategy for the year. A mini bid rebids the lanes that have stopped working, without touching the rest of the routing guide.
When the spot to contract spread on a set of lanes widens, when tender acceptance drops on a lane for two consecutive months, when volumes shift from forecast, or when a facility or a carrier changes.
Not if they are targeted. Carriers accept a rebid on lanes where the market has clearly moved. What damages the relationship is an across-the-board demand for reductions mid-contract.
SOC 2 Type II