Main points for a perfect score
1. Valuation Criteria
2. Keys to maximize our score
01
Introduction - Valuation Criteria
In order to try to obtain the highest possible score in a public procurement procedure, we must first consider a fundamental concept to measure our chances of success: The Evaluation Criteria and their weighting.
The Evaluation Criteria of the offers of the Bidders to a public contracting procedure constitute the key element to determine which is the most economically advantageous offer among all the offers competing in such Bidding.
Article 145 of the LCSP – Public Sector Contracts Law defines the Requirements and types of contract award criteria. In its paragraph 1 it is emphasized that The award of contracts shall be made using a plurality of award criteria based on the best value for money.
Thus, the new regulatory framework gives a boost to the consideration of quality as a factor in the selection of the best offer. The aim is not to give all the weight of the award to price in order to prevent tenders from becoming mere auctions to the highest bidder. It is necessary to seek a balance between efficient purchasing, but taking into account quality parameters and with the commitment to consolidate responsible public procurement.
The Evaluation Criteria will be defined and specified in the Bidding Documents: The administrative clauses and specific technical specifications. These are the most important documents of the contract, since they are the ones that govern it from the bidding, award and termination of the contract. Thus, the Evaluation Criteria are the Award Criteria, and define the aspects that will be measured to evaluate certain proposals. In the Particular Administrative Conditions Specifications (PCAP), either in its normal articles or in the Summary Table of the PCAP, the aspects to be evaluated and their weighting (specific weight in points) will be detailed so that any Bidder knows in advance what will be evaluated in its proposals in order to be awarded the contract.
We will mainly distinguish two main families of Proposal Evaluation Criteria, which will have a different weighting depending on the type of Bid and its specific characteristics:
1. Subjective criteria or criteria that can be evaluated by means of value judgments
In this family we include Technical Memories, Service Projects, Works Projects, Physical Descriptions of our products…in short, the technical quality of our service, work or supply proposal will be measured.
2. Objective criteria or criteria that can be evaluated by the application of formulas
The objective criteria must be measured automatically through the application of formulas and must therefore be quantifiable and comparable between the different Bidders in a totally objective manner.
02
Common errors at each stage of a public bidding process
When we decide to bid on a tender, our objective is clear: to win.
We are convinced that our proposal can be the best to meet the needs of the Contracting Authority and it is at the presentation stage that we must demonstrate our strength.
As we have seen, we will be evaluated, as a general rule, on the basis of two types of criteria so the “clues” to maximize our chances of success.
1. Subjective part – Criteria evaluable by means of value judgments
To obtain the maximum score in the subjective part, in which a committee of appropriately qualified experts not integrated in the Contracting Authority, the key word is SALE.
We have to sell ourselves, the Technical Memories, Work and/or Service Projects and the technical and descriptive data sheets of our products have to be our winning commercial argument. We must be capable of highlighting the advantages of our proposal with respect to the others. To do so, we must follow the following guidelines:
- Identify the Evaluation Criteria subject to the application of value judgments and their weighting (specific weight of such criteria in the final score).
- Design our proposal following the outline/index of these criteria in order to facilitate their reading and evaluation.
- Highlight the advantages of our proposal with respect to the other competitors. We must know how to present our advantages in a clear and concise way, we must know how to highlight why the Contracting Body should hire us.
- Finally, we must adapt our strengths to the technical requirements defined in the Technical Specifications.
2. Objective part – Evaluable criteria subject to the application of formulas
In order to maximize the obtaining of points that will be valued through the objective application of mathematical formulas, a prior cost analysis is essential in order to be able to opt for the maximum amount of points possible. To this end, it is essential to work our offer with the following weapons:
- Identify the Valuation Criteria subject to the application of formulas and their weighting.
- Work on an excellent cost planning to respond to the public procurement for which we want to bid: material costs, working hours in the execution, auxiliary works, delivery times, after-sales service, telephone or face-to-face attention to incidents…
- Simulation tables: Using the formulas for the distribution of points, from the economic formula to any other quantifiable aspect, work on the simulation of the distribution of points according to a certain number of competitors. If we have a good simulation tool, we will be able to adjust our offer to the maximum so that we opt for the best score while maintaining the desired profit margins.
* From inLicitando, Public Bidding Consultants with more than 15 years of experience in Public Bidding Processes, we will help you to follow these steps increasing your chances of success.
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