Win the workWin the work: Tender day…
The pack
The order goes out with the drawings, the contract, the programme and the library copies. The contracts manager checks the pack three times and labels it.
Stage 1 · The need · Stop 3 of 3 · The right way
Out to tender
The back alley's bill so far: 9 weeks · See the bill
The right way
The log
Bidders ask questions. Every answer goes to every bidder at the same time, in writing, and into a log, so nobody can say later they were told something different.
Marcus: If I tell one of you, I tell all of you.
Win the workWin the work: Award…
The drains
The drains question was asked, answered and logged in week two. Everyone priced the same answer. Nobody needs Pete.
The phone callOne bidder knows more, the answer's wrong, and there's no record.
The logEvery bidder, the same answer, in writing.
Now there is: The tender pack: the order, drawings, the old Precinct's library copies, contract and programme, with a log of every question and answer.
What's going on here
A fair tender only works if every bidder prices the same information. One pack, one log of questions and answers, nobody told anything privately: that's information management on the client's side, and it's what lets the client compare like with like.
New at this stop
- The tender pack
- Everything a bidder gets: the order, the drawings, the contract, the programme and the library copies. The same pack for everyone.
In the town See it in the town: the same pack for everyone, or one helpful phone call?
The order, the drawings, the library copies, the contract and the programme are bundled into the tender pack and leave Client Town for the first time, five identical copies heading to five bidders. Questions come back into Client Town, and every answer goes out again to all five, in writing, and into a log. Information that travels by phone call instead reaches one bidder, leaves no record, and in this story turns out to be wrong.
Fix it Answers given privately? Put them in the log now.
- Write down every answer already given to any bidder, and when.
- Send each one to every bidder, in writing, at the same time.
- Route all further questions through one inbox, with one log.
A note for the information manager: A tender is only fair if every bidder prices the same information, and the log is the proof that they did.
ISO 19650 From an order to a tender pack
| ISO 19650 says | Means | In the town |
|---|---|---|
| Invitation to tender | The client gathers everything a bidder needs to respond, including the information requirements and the existing information, and issues it | The tender pack, the same for all five bidders |
| Tender response requirements and evaluation criteria | What the client wants each bidder to send back about information, and how it will judge the answers | Part of the pack: what Client Town will compare, like with like |
| Not from ISO 19650: a clarifications log | Ordinary fair-procurement practice: every question and answer during a tender is recorded and shared with all bidders | Keeps the pack the same for everyone, even after the questions start |
Based on the ISO 19650 series: the ideas come from the standard; the plain-English wording, examples and advice are InfoTown's. ISO 19650 and its UK National Annex are © ISO and BSI. You'll hear the same language across the industry. Read more for free in the Information Management Initiative (IMI) Framework guidance from BSI and nima. For the full requirements, use the standard itself.