In which scenario is pre-bid meeting considered a hindrance?

A pre-bid meeting is considered a hindrance in a free and open bidding process as it can create barriers to participation. This is because such meetings often require potential bidders to attend, which may limit the pool of interested parties, especially smaller businesses that may not have the capacity to attend in-person meetings. The intent of a free and open bidding process is to allow as many qualified vendors as possible to submit their bids, ensuring a competitive pricing environment and allowing for a variety of innovative solutions.

In contrast, in large projects, public projects, or confidential projects, pre-bid meetings may serve important purposes such as clarifying project specifications, answering vendor questions, or ensuring compliance with regulations, thus facilitating a better understanding of the project requirements rather than hindering the bidding process.