What does the Authority purchase?
The Authority purchase a large range of items – such as: recreational supplies; cleaning materials; information technology; building services; horticultural services; office equipment – which it uses to provide its services to the Park’s customers.
Does the Authority always look for the cheapest quote or tender?
No. the Authority rarely evaluates purely on price. The majority of procurement projects carried out by the Authority are assessed on the basis of the ‘Most Economically Advantageous Tender’. This can include consideration of the following factors:
· Quality issues
· Competence
· Experience
· Technical Merit
· After Sales Service
· Delivery Date
· Technical Back up
· Policy issues such as equalities & sustainability
· Financial viability of the tender
Why do the procedures seem so long and complicated?
The Authority is bound to a number of procurement rules and regulations. The most significant of these rules and regulations are the EU Procurement Directives, which aim to ensure that the procurement process remains fair, transparent and open to all regardless of where they are based in the EU.
Where do you advertise?
This, very often, depends on the size of the contract. All contracts valued over the EU thresholds must be advertised in the Official Journal of the European Union. Adverts may also be placed locally or trade journals.
Details of forthcoming contracts may also appear on the Authority’s website.
We spent a considerable amount of time applying for a contract and were not shortlisted. Why?
There are various reasons why this could have happened. The Authority acknowledges the amount of time needed to apply for a contract and is happy to provide feedback on tenderers' performance.
Why is the process so formal?
This is to ensure that reliability and honesty is maintained throughout the process. However, the Authority is happy to answer questions specifically about the tender and specification should you have any. We need to ensure consistency in the information provided to contractors and in the way in which we communicate with them.
Will I need to attend an interview / presentation during tendering?
Depending on the nature of the contract it can be considered useful to invite tenderers to an interview/presentation to explore the details of the contract in more detail. This also provides tenderers with further opportunities to find out more about the contract in question.
How will my tender be evaluated?
Tender evaluation is always carried out in a comprehensive, equitable, auditable and transparent manner. To ensure fairness the evaluation criteria and method will be clearly defined before tender documents are issued.
The Authority must be sure that in selecting a supplier/contractor it is getting value for money and the services will be delivered effectively. Evaluation is therefore based on two key criteria – how the tender proposes to deliver the contract (quality) and the cost of the contract (price). The Authority is looking for the best balance of quality and price, not just the lowest price. In most cases additional criteria will also be used in evaluating tenderers.
Contracts are awarded to the provider who is considered to offer value for money, having regard to price, quality and best value – sometimes referred to as “Most Economically Advantageous Tender”, and to be best able to meet the Authority's specification. Evaluation of the most economically advantageous tender can incorporate a number of factors including:
· Quality issues
· Competence
· Experience
· Technical Merit
· After Sales Service
· Delivery Date
· Technical Back up
· Policy issues such as equalities & sustainability
· Financial viability of the tender