Pre-Qualifying for Tenders

Procurement is often likened to a game and, as with any game, the most important part is understanding the rules in order to ensure that others play fairly.

The pre-qualification process is controlled by a wide array of legislation, broken down into a pre-defined structure of questions which must be consistently applied when the public sector creates PQQs and evaluates responses from prospective contractors.

Understanding what is required by way of responding to the questions asked can be aligned to knowing the rules of the game, yet this is more critical than most organisations appreciate. Mistakes and omissions at this stage will result in organisations being excluded from the opportunity to tender.

Most public sector bodies use the selective procedures of the Public Contracts Regulations – restricted, negotiated and competitive dialogue – which allow potential suppliers to be shortlisted against pre-published criteria, including:

• Mandatory and Optional Exclusions
• Financial Standing
• Insurances
• Technical Capacity
• References
• Licences
• Quality Standards

This PASS Workshop will seek to demystify the pre-qualification process by providing clear and defined explanations as to the requirements sought through practical examples and legal case studies detailing the legislative requirements of the process.

Through understanding the rules and requirements organisations can better understand how to respond and also when they have the right to question the actions of the contracting authority.

Who should attend?

• Anyone involved in submitting Pre-Qualification Questionnaires or Expressions of Interest for public sector contracts
• Contractors new to the process of public sector tendering
• Those with direct involvement in composing responses to Expressions of Interest, Pre-Qualification Questionnaires and Tender Submissions
• Contractors seeking a refresh on the latest requirements in public procurement processes
• Anyone who supervises the pre-qualification process within a contracting entity

Why attend?

This PASS workshop considers the nuances of the PQQ stage and includes discussion and practical examples, enabling delegates to look at the practice as well as the theory of successful pre-qualification.

Delegates will gain a clear understanding of what may legitimately be asked at the PQQ stage and will improve their ability to understand and respond effectively to a contract notice. Through the use of a mixture of case studies and exercises, delegates will also gain practical knowledge about how to interpret the most frequently asked standard PQQ questions and will be provided with information on issues that should never arise, so that they can understand when to challenge the actions of the contracting authority.