Each contracting authority has the latitude to tweak and amend different aspects of bid compliance, based on the requirements of the submission. Equally, tender portals have different requirements for what constitutes a complete, compliant bid.
Having supported with over 7,000 tender submissions and boasting an 85% success rate, Executive Compass are highly experienced at certifying bid compliance in accordance with both the authority’s requirements as well as those for the specific tender portal.
Below, we share our top tips on how best to ensure bid compliance as part of your wider bid management processes.
Take note of bid compliance and RFP instructions
At the beginning of the bid, conduct a review of the Request for Proposal (RFP) or the Invitation to Tender (ITT) document and any other instructions for submission. This forms the bid compliance aspect of the submission, outlining:
- Document return checklist, detailing all documents required for a complete and compliant submission – at a minimum usually comprising the pricing, quality, SQ or PSQ and a form of tender or other ‘sign and return’ annex
- Word, page or character limits for narrative responses for quality questions or method statements – any content included over the limits will not be evaluated, and may even be marked down
- Formatting requirements for quality responses – for instance, textbox or document return, alongside font size, spacing and whether responses should be anonymised.
This is particularly crucial if you are managing a large tender submission with dozens of documents, appendices and annexes. In these instances, document control is a key tenet of ensuring bid compliance. Our proprietary bid matrix is a useful tool for ensuring bid compliance and document control.
Do not amend or edit submission documents
Contracting authorities can occasionally make mistakes when issuing the tender documents or RFP documents due to oversight, or potentially formatting errors. However, it is crucial that all return documents are submitted in the format they are issued.
Rectifying any presumed errors – particularly with regards to the pricing document or schedule of rates – is incurring significant risk. The authority may dismiss your bid entirely as it was not returned in the format it was issued.
If something is unclear or a document is not allowing you to input the required information, you should raise a clarification rather than amending the document to suit.
Check the clarification log or portal message centre
It is not uncommon for buyers to issue tender clarifications through the dedicated e-portal to all bidder organisations. Common clarification questions include:
- Discrepancies in the documents rendering it uncertain what would constitute a compliant response
- Extensions to the deadline, to be granted or dismissed at the buyer’s discretion as some tenders comprise time-sensitive works or services
- Request for clarification around contractual terms or pricing of individual rates within the schedule of rates or spreadsheet.
As such, it is critical to monitor the clarification log and message centre to ensure you have the most recent versions of any documents required for submission.
The authorities may have made an error in the pricing schedule or quality question section and issue updated documents accordingly. It is incumbent on you to ensure you submit these, and failure to do so could result in your tender being disqualified.
Conduct a final bid review and how to ensure compliance
A last-minute rush to submit incurs risk of a non-compliant submission. Where possible, a final review of the submission should be performed no less than 24 hours in advance of the submission deadline, verifying:
- All return documents have been uploaded in the correct place and format, in accordance with the instructions for return
- Documents are correctly labelled or titled in accordance with naming conventions prescribed by the authority – in some instances, your organisation’s name or the lot you are bidding for
- Responses are within the prescribed word or page limits and standard company information has been correctly inputted.
An impartial member of the team – ideally, someone not involved in preparing the proposal – should undertake the final bid review to ensure objectivity.
Executive Compass’ bid compliance methodology
As part of our ISO 9001:2015-certified quality management system, Executive Compass has developed a framework of measures to support bid compliance and ensure each submission we work on progresses to the formal evaluation stage.
To learn more about how we facilitate bid compliance and integrate this within our service offering, contact a member of our sales and marketing team today at info@executivecompass.co.uk or 0800 612 5563.