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Most Common Questions & Answers Received by Public Sector Procurement Officers
 1 Is the scoring and weighting information available?
Yes – once the tender is out. Each tender is different and the ratio will therefore vary.
2 How does the European Procurement Directive affect how things are done (in relation to Part B which covers health & social care)?
The current regulations classify health & social services as Part B (the only obligations relate to technical specifications and post award information and there is no requirement to advertise in the OJEU).
3 If a newly formed consortia placed a bid for a tender – would all relevant parties have to provide details?
Yes – each organisation / business who form part of the consortia must complete the Pre Qualification Questionnaire.
4 How much insurance is required and is it flexible or fixed?
This is flexible, and depends on the value of the contract and the risks associated. Insurance requirements may vary depending upon the size and scope of the contract.
5 If an organisation has PQASSO, or other quality standards related to the VCS are they acceptable or scored low?
Scores are not based solely on certification and would relate to the answers given to other questions.
6 What is the minimum financial reserves you expect for a business / organisation?
We would expect the organisation to be able to cover all liabilities and also to be able to deliver the contract.
7 Do you need a DUNS no?
No – Where a Dun & Bradstreet report was not available we would expect the organisation to submit the required number of financial years accounts from which we would calculate various ratios to be used as comparators between organisations.
8 Should businesses / organisations be checking if their Equifax information (rating) is correct?
No – assumption is that the information held by Equifax is correct as they obtain the most recent records available.
9 Are Performance Bonds ever required?
This depends on the type of contract and any perceived risk around contractor performance. The question may well be asked within the tender that we may require provision of a Performance Bond of 10% of the Annual Tender Sum, and we ask for submission of the name and address of the Bondsman for this type of contract; and this does not in any way automatically fail anyone if they do not have this provision in place.
10 Are the LM3 principles considered as part of the evaluation process?
No, this is not part of the evaluation process. Specific clauses may show within the tender document but only if they are pertinent to the performance of the contract.
11 Can I still submit my tender even it has just past the deadline time by 1 minute?
NO – you may be able to physically submit your tender but it will be rejected. Deadlines must be set and cannot be over ruled, even if just 1 minute late. So always remember the deadline date and time and ensure all documents have been downloaded so that your tender can be submitted with sufficient time to spare.
12 Can I ask for help when completing / submitting my tender?
Because most public procurement tenders are now done via electronic tendering, assistance can be given if you have technical difficulties and need advice on how to access the NEPO portal and download documents etc.. Procurement Officers cannot assist with any wording towards your submission.
13 Who can offer me assistance and advice on what to write in my tender submission?
As already stated, Procurement Officers cannot offer direct advice on what you should write as part of your submission. The Procurement Centre staff can offer advice and will help you understand the documentation and what is being asked of you. The Procurement Centre Business Adviser will offer review sessions on your completed documents before submission but only if you allow a reasonable amount of time.
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