Bids, Tenders and Proposals: Winning Business through Best Practice (Bids, Tenders & Proposals: Winning Business Through Best)
Figure 2.1 indicates the principal actions that might be taken by a local authority and a contractor respectively in a typical procurement process for services or consultancy: the process is shown as far as, but does not include, the stage of contract negotiation. The figure is presented simply as an example of common practice; as observed at the start of this chapter, procedures as distinct from rules are not applied in an unvarying form across the public sector, and authorities are free to follow their own methods so long as they do not conflict with EU rules or UK law.
| Local authority | Contractor |
|---|---|
| Planning and preparation | |
| Consultation and market testing to ensure that procurement strategy and contracting practices are conducive to securing an effective competitive response | Market analyses and business strategy |
| Focus on target sectors | |
| Project definition and design, including initial drafting of bid specification or terms of reference | Market intelligence for contract opportunities |
| Decision to adopt the restricted procedure | Client and project research |
| Determination of contract award criteria, weightings and quality:price ratio (Chapter 22) | Contacts with client managers |
| Appointment of assessment and selection panel | |
| Review of supplier database, registration and pre-qualification information | |
| Notification and pre-qualification | |
| Initial advertisement and contract notice, inviting expressions of interest | Response to contract notice |
| First stage of selection: assessment panel filters received expressions of interest and, if necessary, reduces list to a manageable total for second stage of selection | Preparation and submission of expression of Interest |
| Second stage of selection: a more detailed assessment of prospective tenderers, possibly including interviews | |
| Definition of shortlist - say, four to six selected tenderers | |
| Tendering | |
| Finalization of bid specification | |
| Issue of tender invitations and accompanying documentation | Acknowledgement of invitation |
| Decision to bid | |
| Confirmation of intention to submit a tender | |
| Decisions on evaluation approach | Analysis of bid specification |
| Preparation of tender | |
| Arrangements for dealing with clarification requests | Request for clarification |
| Formal site visits or briefings, if appropriate | Briefing or meeting with client, If appropriate |
| Receipt of tenders or proposals | Submission of tender |
| Evaluation | |
| Formal tender opening and checks for compliance | |
| Tender evaluation - quality and price | |
| Arrangements for presentations by lead contenders | |
| Preparation of format and key questions for presentations | Preparation of presentation |
| Assessment of presentations | Delivery of presentation |
| Further clarification of contract issues, if appropriate | Further clarification of contract issues, if appropriate |
| Selection of the most economically advantageous tender | |
| Contract award | |
| Notification to successful tenderer, including any conditions to be discussed at contract negotiation stage | |
| Notification to unsuccessful tenderers, including placing a reserve or hold on the tenderer ranked second in case negotiations with the first-ranked tenderer fail. | |
Keeping abreast of change
In terms of their detailed application, EC procurement procedures are more complex than can be indicated in this brief outline. There are circumstances and conditions that give rise to exceptions from general rules, and aspects of the directives are open to differing interpretations. It is essential for prospective bidders to make a thorough analysis of the information in the contract notice and the bid specification (Chapter 7). And it is important to be up to speed on rules and requirements.
As well as the main EC portal (http://europa.eu.int), the TED site and Euro Information Centres (www.euro-info.org.uk), the SIMAP Web site (www.simap.eu.int) offers a useful means of staying up to date with developments in EU procurement and obtaining copies of documentation: it is particularly informative about changes in legislation and procedures. SIMAP (Syst me d'information pour les marches publics) was launched by the EC's Directorate-General (DG) XV as an information resource to help create a more open procurement market and facilitate the development of EU-wide electronic procurement. One interesting feature of its Web site is a discussion forum carrying views and opinions on public sector procurement issues and best practice advice, including responses from EC officials to questions raised by contracting authorities.
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