C/P Solicitation Process

Can you explain the contract/procurement solicitation process?

Solicitation process

·      The first step in the solicitation process is to

·         Assemble all information

·         Describing the work to be done

·         For the quotation, proposal or tender call

·         Including relevant "boiler plate" clauses

·         Proposed commercial terms

·         And the criteria for submission evaluation

·      Resulting in a complete document for

·         Request for Proposal (RFP)

·         Request for Tender (RFT)

·         Or Request for Quotation (RFQ)

Legal review

·      If appropriate or required

·         Have a legal review of the final solicitation document

·      When the document has been reviewed

·         And is satisfactory and acceptable

·         To the legal, procurement and project management departments

·         Issue a "Request for Quotation" (proposal or tender)

·      For the record, make sure that

·         A distribution list of all recipients is assembled

·         Including their contact names and addresses

Requests for information

·      Some suppliers may request additional information

·         Assemble appropriate clarification information

·         And make sure that it is circulated

·         To all those on the original distribution list

·         This will ensure that all bidders will have equal information

·         On which to prepare their quotations

·      Resulting in

·         A clarification document

·         That forms part of the formal solicitation

Bidder's meeting

On larger projects, or for larger contracts

·         Conduct a formal pre-tender bidders' meeting

·         Again, document the clarifications or answers

·         Including those that require research after the meeting

·         And distribute to all potential tenders

·         This, too, will form part of the solicitation

Receiving submissions

·      Upon receipt of each submission

·         Date stamp the submission

·         This is most important in case there is any dispute

·         And verify validity of each submission contents

·      In some environments

·         Especially for large contracts

·         Where competition is based on price

·         A formal and public opening is conducted

·         At an official time and place

·         And at which observers are invited to attend

·         To ensure transparent and ethical procedures

Analysis

·      Once the tenders have been formally opened

·         Develop a comparative analysis

·         Being careful to use the criteria published

·         And make recommendations based on the analysis

·      Resulting in

·         A formal tender analysis and supplier recommendation document