The City Ground club had been linked with a possible move for the 20-year-old earlier this week.
Forest have now confirmed that manager Joe Kinnear has put forward an offer to The Potters for the midfielder.
"Kris Commons is a player we would like to bring to the club and I can confirm we have tabled an offer," a spokesman told Forest's official website.
It remains to be seen if Tony Pulis's side will accept an offer from their Midlands rivals for the highly-rated winger, with Stoke having handed Commons the offer of a new contract.
