How your decisions determine the outcome
Public procurement processes are complex and pose challenges not only for the contracting authority but also for the participating agencies. The choice of procedure, selection and award criteria, and the way offers are evaluated have a significant impact on the quality and quantity of bidders, and consequently on the agency selected. The way you make these choices ultimately determines the success of the collaboration. In this article, we discuss how to approach the procurement process thoughtfully and effectively.
Choosing the right procedure
Each procurement procedure has specific characteristics and implications:
• Procurement with prior notification: The contracting authority selects the shortlist, but this procedure is only allowed under strict conditions.
• Open procedure: Any interested party can submit a bid. This is a one-stage process.
• Competitive procedure with negotiation: A two-stage process where only a subset of bidders is allowed to submit a bid and negotiate.
• Other alternatives: Competitive procedure with negotiation, simplified negotiated procedure with prior notification, etc.
The choice of procedure directly influences which agencies will apply. A one-stage process with extensive documentation may deter renowned agencies, while a two-stage process often excludes smaller agencies. Finding the right balance is crucial to ensure you receive enough high-quality applications.
How to Translate Your Needs into Selection and Award Criteria
A procurement process should always start with a thorough needs analysis:
• What is the exact scope of the assignment?
• What expertise and capacities are required?
• What is your budget?
• How large does the agency need to be to successfully execute the project?
Based on this, objective selection criteria are established. These criteria must be flexible and specifically tailored to the project’s needs. A well-crafted set of criteria ensures that you not only attract the right agencies but also enable fair and transparent evaluations.
What Can You Ask from Bidders?
You may only request the information necessary to evaluate the criteria—no more and no less. But what is “reasonable”? Finding the right balance between administrative burden and essential information is crucial. Overly demanding requirements can deter quality agencies from participating, while insufficient requirements may result in poorly substantiated bids.
How to Objectively Evaluate Proposals
Evaluating bids can be challenging, especially with extensive proposals in which agencies aim to present their expertise as convincingly as possible. How do you ensure a fair, objective, and well-founded evaluation? Key considerations include:
• Every proposal deserves sufficient attention and careful review.
• Objective and measurable criteria must be applied correctly.
• Creativity and strategic recommendations are difficult to assess objectively—how do you address this properly?
• How do you justify your final choice and communicate about it transparently?
The Importance of Remuneration and Collaboration
Beyond selection and evaluation, collaboration and financial agreements also play a crucial role. How do you determine appropriate compensation in advance without limiting the future agency’s creativity or innovation? How do you evaluate the collaboration during the execution of the contract? Collaboration platforms and clear evaluation criteria can make a significant difference in day-to-day practice.
PitchPoint as a Partner in Procurement
At PitchPoint, we guide contracting authorities and organizations in drafting and executing public procurement processes. From selecting the right procedure to evaluating collaboration: we ensure the process is as fair, efficient, and objective as possible.
Looking for advice on your procurement process? Contact mia@pitchpoint.be and discover how we can optimize your process.
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