Soft market test

A soft market test is a purchasing exercise designed to test commercial markets' capabilities of meeting a set of requirements which enough interested suppliers to maintain competitive pressures. The exercise is unlikely to result immediately in an order for goods and services: more likely is that the outcome of the exercise will enable the purchasing business to refine its requirements and approach to market in order to then invite businesses to quote.

Soft market testing may be used by public sector organisations to explore potential roles for the private sector, test some of the commercial principles being considered, and understand the likely interest from industry.