Question

Write the procurement guidelines for the Tender preparation, evaluation and the contract award

Answer 1

TENDER PREPARATION

• The preparation of tender and contract documents, including all survey and design work needed to prepare quantities and guideline coatings should take place in good time.
• If funds are to be sourced from international lending agencies or donors, their guidelines will have to be followed and examples of advertisements and documents from such organizations should be obtained at the beginning of the process.
• Preparation may require the application for land and water rights, environmental impact assessments plus any needed compensation or resettlement plans.

TENDER EVALUATION

• Always include a site visit in any tender advertisements and award procedure.
• The following are to be assessed while awarding a tender:

Technical evaluation:

• EXPERIENCE: any experience of the contractor in the area and in similar works.
• EQUIPMENT AND STAFF: Factors such as members and age of the equipment, suitability of equipment to the work, experience of the staff and support the contractor has etc.,
• WORK PROGRAMME: highest priority is given to contractor who can complete the work within the stipulated time or before the next rainy season starts.
• LOCATION OF CONTRACTOR: Based on mobilisation distnace rather than the physical location of the contractor.

Financial evaluation:

• COST: the lowest bid tender will have more priority or is given more points than others.

An evaluation team of 3-6 people must be established with atleast one person having an engineering background.

The following steps are to be followed by them

1. Reception if the bids

2. Opening of the bids

3. Review of the documentation

4. Technical evaluation

5. Financial evaluation

6. Assessment of the best combined offer.

AWARDING THE CONTRACT:

• Once the final ranking has be established, the contractor with best rating must be awarded the contract.
• If in exceptional cases, decision have been made to not award the contract to the highest evaluated bidder, all the bidders must be advised of the reason why and given a time of 2 weeks to put into their objections but not change their bids. Then the objections are to be looked into and final decision is made.
• If the award of contract fails, or is stopped for any reason, the second highest bidder must be brought in.
• Do not negotiate with two bidders at a time. It is unethical and unprofessional.
• The award decision should be published with a list of all the bidders. The major elements of the evaluation process detailed and specific reasons why the award has been made to the winning contractor.