n Pay strict attention to the client’s instructions about the information to be supplied. You will not pre-qualify unless you comply fully and exactly.
n Procurement rules normally state that pre-qualification can be achieved only on the basis of the information provided in the context of each individual contract. The best experts can fail to pre- qualify if they assume that the contracting authority must already know about the quality and breadth of their experience, without needing to have this substantiated in the expression of interest.
GUIDANCE ON COMPLETING YOUR PRE-QUALIFICATION RESPONSE
The PQQ is in an electronic form which can be accessed through your web browser on the e-Tendering portal. It may be possible to respond to the PQQ simply by answering the questions on screen. In some cases, you may need to prepare additional material to support your response, which you can upload later but in any event before the closing deadline. In all cases, follow the instructions given in the documentation which this note accompanies. Supplementary documents in the form of electronic files are often required as additional evidence for responses to certain PQQ questions. Applicants should submit supplementary documents only when they are necessary and requested by the Authority. Additional information may take the form of case studies, evidence of processes and procedures, plans, method statements, drawings or certificates.
It is strongly recommended that applicants upload documents in MS Word format or MS Excel for financial data.
Applicants should regard 2MB as the practical working limit for any individual file. Files less than 1MB will be displayed reasonably quickly – bigger file sizes will create a delay in displaying the evidence or supporting material. File names should be restricted to 100 characters as a maximum. A file size of less than 60 characters will be visible for its entire length when displayed on most computer monitors.
Check that your upload was successful.
After submitting your response to the PQQ (including any saved uploads), remember to publish your response. The Authority’s e-Tendering Service will inform you of any late clarifications that are issued after you publish your response – you will need to republish to signify that you have read and understood them. Once you have published your response you will receive a confirmation e-mail. If you do not receive a confirmation e-mail within an hour your response may not have been submitted and you are strongly advised to contact the e-Tendering helpdesk immediately. The e-Tendering Service will always inform you when you have successfully published your response.
l Please ensure that you download and read the ‘INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONSE’ document before starting your response.
l USE THE ONLINE ‘HELP’ FUNCTION – it provides support for both the screen you are in and for key processes, eg ‘How to Express Interest’ (it also has a help function and glossary).
l Plan your response. Don’t leave it until the last minutes/hours before the deadline. Late responses will NOT be accepted.
l Always read and digest any instructions/attachments before responding – note any deadlines and actions in your diary.
l If the Authority makes a change to a live tender suppliers MUST re-publish their response – this is to ensure that changes are brought to your attention – you will receive a message prompt from the Authority – generally this will not mean re-entering information.
l Keep attachments to a maximum of 2MB in size, and attach only documents that the Authority has requested. Make sure you attach them in the correct part of the response.
l Use the secure messaging to communicate with the Authority and seek clarifications – this will give you an audit trail of all discussions/ clarifications. You must state in your clarification message if you do not want the message to be made public to other applicants.
l If you have any software queries refer to online help in the first instance. If you still have an issue, e-mail or phone the e-Tendering helpdesk with the tender reference number, a clear description of the problem and your contact details. Ensure you leave plenty of time for issues to be resolved prior to any deadlines.
l The portal is a secure site and (similar to online banking) you will be logged out if you are inactive for more than 15 minutes, so make sure you save your work as you progress through your response.
l Use the ‘legend’ to understand icons. NOTE that text responses are deliberately capped at 2,000 characters – if the Authority requires a larger response, we will add an additional text box. NOTE also that numeric fields will not accept text, spaces, symbols etc.
l Supplier sub-users can be set up on the system to allow colleagues to be involved with various stages of the tender – see the online help function for details.
l Mac users should use a Firefox browser, since Safari does not support certain Java scripts. If you experience problems with Firefox, please call the e-Tendering helpdesk.
l Completed responses should be submitted via the e-Tendering portal by the due time on the due date. NOTE that this is a precise time and the system will reject your tender if it is submitted after this time.
l In addition, Applicants must provide a signed hard copy of the Mandatory Undertaking and Confidentiality Undertaking (which are attached as a
n Contracting authorities need to see evidence of achievements in the form of facts, client references, dates and contract values. Glossy phrases (‘unique record of experience’, ‘unparalleled expertise’ and the like) will not suffice.
n If the client asks for details of five comparable assignments you have undertaken, that is precisely the number you must provide, no more and no less. It doesn’t matter that your experience may extend to 30 or more such contracts: listing them all will gain you nothing. The right course is to select the five that have most points of similarity with the contract for which you want to pre-qualify and describe them in a way that underlines their relevance and the results you achieved.
n In many instances, contractors’ responses will be assessed through a scoring procedure to arrive at a shortlist drawn up on a quantita- tive basis. Expressions of interest may be marked against weighted criteria reflecting key aspects of professional status, technical suitability and financial standing. The client may rule that all contractors achieving or exceeding a defined proportion (normally 65 or 70 per cent) of the total available points will be eligible to be invited to submit a tender. Clients may also require contractors to reach at least a minimum score on each criterion as well as an overall quality threshold.
n While you are preparing your response, check through the back- ground material provided by the client. Does it indicate, for instance, the conditions of contract that are to be used, or whether participation by consortia and joint ventures will be acceptable? n Questions about health and safety arrangements, policies on social
inclusion, environmental management procedures and so forth
separate file) in order for their electronic submission to comply with the Authority’s mandatory requirements. Signed forms should be sent to the address shown in the attached ‘Instructions on Responding’ document.
n Fax, telephone or e-mail enquiries will NOT be accepted.
n All questions should be asked as accurately and concisely as possible.
l Supporting information must be referenced to the relevant question.
l Responses must be in English.
must be answered in detail and conscientiously. A wealth of information on statutory requirements and best practice is avail- able from official sources, including model policy statements. n In addressing policy questions, there are four important points to
bear in mind. First, public sector clients such as local authorities will in many instances have defined their own strategies, plans and programmes for achieving and sustaining policy objectives: your response needs to show an awareness of those initiatives and a readiness to collaborate in supporting them. Second, statutory requirements change all the time as new legislation comes into effect: you need to show that you are up to speed with current regulations. Third, an incisive statement that is worded to align with the client’s strategy will be more effective than a standardized text copied from the web. Fourth, your response has to be an honest and accurate portrayal of the procedures you apply in your day- to-day business activities: an astute evaluator will see through a factitious and idealized presentation, no matter how glamorous it may appear.
n It pays to think about what the phrase ‘expression of interest’ means. Interest is often the last thing expressed by many such documents, which merely replicate a tired formula instead of actually demonstrating keenness to work for the client and under- take the contract. What the client perceives is a contractor attempt- ing to pre-qualify without being prepared to put much effort into the process – a waste of time for both parties. Express interest only when you have the evidence to justify the submission of a bid and you are serious about wanting to win the work.
n Remember, there are five key requirements for successful pre- qualification:
– full compliance with the client’s instructions; – strict attention to each detail of the specification;
– data focused sharply on relevant areas of expertise and experience;
– information presented in a way that is directly accessible; – the expression of real interest and enthusiasm.
n If you are a newly established firm without a large amount of business experience, you have to make the strongest case you can, presenting the facts of the situation honestly and not attempting to talk yourself up. Perhaps your work background shows evidence of specialist expertise, innovative approaches or challenging responsibilities. These should be emphasized in pre-qualification material, making it clear if the experience was gained in a personal capacity before you set up on your own.
n Failing to pre-qualify may leave you disappointed, even aggrieved. In many areas of public procurement there are formal mechanisms that enable you to receive an explanation of the reasons for not being selected. But when you are successful, it pays to ask the reason why – ‘What has earned us our place on the list?’, ‘How does the client perceive our strengths and capabilities?’ and, most important of all, ‘What type of approach does the client expect to see in our bid?’ It would be a shame if in this case the client were the one to be disappointed.