What are the selection and award phases?
Bidders are preselected based on their responses to the questionnaires provided in the tender documents. They must answer all the specified questions if they wish to be considered for further evaluation.
General information questionnaire
This questionnaire is based on Annex 1 to the General Conditions of Tender. Questions 1.1 to 1.14 must be answered by all bidders, and question 1.15 must be answered by bidders submitting technical or contractual variants. Bidders' know-how, capacity and reliability to fulfil the contract will be assessed on the basis of the information and evidence submitted in reply to this questionnaire.
Selection criteria questionnaire
This questionnaire is used to establish whether individual bidders possess the reliability, financial and economic standing (suitability), and technical and professional competence (capability) to fulfil the contract. No points are given for this questionnaire.
Overall assessment
The output of the assessment of each selection criterion is a binary determination as to whether the bidder in question satisfies that criterion or not. A decision is taken with respect to each individual bidder separately.
Award
The award criteria include in particular price, operating costs, technical merits, environmental aspects, delivery/completion dates, technical and financial guarantees offered and compliance with warranty requirements. The technical evaluation (answers to award questions) is based on the bidder’s response to the questionnaires provided in the tender documents.
The following table summarises the different approaches:
|
Name |
Selection method |
|
Open tender |
Selection criteria defined in advance in published notice. May also be included in letter of invitation. |
|
Restricted tender with publication |
As for open tender. Might include EPO’s possibility of EPO to use selection criteria to restrict to a number of suppliers/bidders. |
|
Restricted tender without publication |
Used where publication of a notice calling for a request to participate would harm the interests of the EPO. Requires at least five qualified potential bidders. |
|
Competitive procedure with negotiation |
Selection criteria are fully described in the published notice ("Call for competition"). |
|
Competitive direct placement |
Where justified for reasons of efficiency/economy, competitive procedure with at least three qualified potential bidders. |
|
Direct placement (failed tender) |
As for competitive direct placements, but selection limited to those vendors fulfilling the selection criteria. Procedure not limited to bidders who participated in previous failed exercise. |