A SUPPLIERS GUIDE TO TENDERING

Issued by Procurement & Materials Manager _____________________________________________________________________ A SUPPLIERS GUIDE TO TENDERING A Suppliers Guide to Tendering _____________________________________________________________________ Issued by Procurement & Materials Manager _____________________________________________________________________ INTRODUCTION It is important for all companies endeavouring to do business with Bus Eireann, that they understand the methods we employ to procure Supplies and Services. The purpose of this document is to assist companies in understanding the Tender Process employed by the Procurement & Materials Department within Bus Eireann1. The Materials Department is responsible for the procurement of supplies and services for Bus Eireann. The primary objectives of Bus Eireann procurement policy are to ensure that all transactions: ? ? ? ? ? Give the Company best value for money Utilise the Company’ purchasing power s Are transparent Ensure equality of access to qualified suppliers Comply with Government Guidelines and EU Directives applicable to State Bodies. Bus Eireann’ primary procurement needs are as follows: s ? Provision of Services ? Supply of Goods Supplies Supply contracts are for the procurement of goods. Examples of these are; • • • • • • Batteries Filtration Product Chassis Parts Vehicles Brake Linings Garage Equipment S er vi ces Service contracts include the following; • • • • • 1 Corporate Clothing Personal Protective Equipment Waste Management Office Cleaning Printing & Stationery This is intended as a guide to assist suppliers in understanding the Bus Eireann Tendering Process. It is not exhaustive and not every element is relevant in all circumstances. A Suppliers Guide to Tendering _____________________________________________________________________ Issued by Procurement & Materials Manager _____________________________________________________________________ Once a need has been established Bus Eireann advertises such requirements in one or all of the following media; ? National Press ? Official Journal of the European Communities (OJEC). This is for large value contract in excess of the EU thresholds ? Our own website - www.buseireann.ie ? The Public Sector Procurement Portal – www.etenders.gov.ie It should be noted that our main medium of advertising such requirements is the Public Sector Procurement Portal, www.etenders.gov.ie Government of Ireland Rialtais na hÉireann Public Sector Procurement Opportunities English Tairseach Dheiseanna Soláthair na hEarnála Poiblí Gaeilge A Suppliers Guide to Tendering _____________________________________________________________________ Issued by Procurement & Materials Manager _____________________________________________________________________ COMPETITIVE TENDERING What is Competitive Tendering? Tendering, by definition is: “An offer in writing to supply goods and services at a fixed price” Competitive tendering is used by Bus Eireann and provides suppliers with the opportunity to sell their products and services in competition with other interested parties. The competitive tendering process is used because it enables Bus Eireann to source products and services from the best suppliers at prices that reflect true market conditions. The process is based on the Tenderers quoting against specifications that satisfy our requirements. What Competitive Tendering Procedure is used by, Bus Eireann? There are three types of tendering procedures. ? OPEN Any interested supplier or group of suppliers may tender. No posttender negotiation is permitted in this procedure. ? RESTRICTED All interested parties submit requests to participate, but only those short-listed by Bus Eireann are invited to tender. No post-tender negotiation is permitted in this procedure. ? NEGOTIATED This procedure is similar to the restricted procedure but allows for post tender negotiation. The tendering procedure used by Bus Eireann is normally the Negotiated Procedure. A Suppliers Guide to Tendering _____________________________________________________________________ Issued by Procurement & Materials Manager _____________________________________________________________________ The Negotiated Procedure The following is a summary overview of the Negotiated Procedure Advertisement on www.etenders.gov.ie and/or notice to OJEC RFT made available to Tenderers Bids submitted and evaluated on award criteria Negotiations with Tenderers Contract Awarded A Suppliers Guide to Tendering _____________________________________________________________________ Issued by Procurement & Materials Manager _____________________________________________________________________ WHAT IS A RFT? A RFT is a Request for Tender. It is a set of documents released by Bus Eireann that forms the basis on which a bid is assessed. It normally contains the following: Section 1 - Introduction & Instructions to Tenderers Section 2 Bus Eireann – Corporate Information Section 3 – Outline Specification Section 4 – Response Format A brief overview of the RFT Details of Bus Eireann Outlines the specific requirement Outlines the EXACT format in which the bid must be submitted Outlines the criteria and the manner under which the bid will be assessed. The documents that MUST be returned with the bid Indicates you intention to bid or otherwise Formal declaration that bid is in keeping with the principles of competitive tendering Formal document declaring the Tendered Price Formal document requiring the Tenderer to declare any relationships they may have with Bus Eireann The rules governing the tender. Any bidder to whom the listed circumstances apply will be eliminated A summary of the documents required Section 5 – Evaluation Process & Criteria Section 6 – Mandatory Tender Documents ? Tender Acknowledgement Form ? Bona Fide Tender Certificate ? Tender Form ? Declarations of Conflict Section 7 – Conditions of Tendering Section 8 – Exclusions From Participation Section 9 – Tender Checklist A Suppliers Guide to Tendering _____________________________________________________________________ Issued by Procurement & Materials Manager _____________________________________________________________________ ADVICE ON SUBMITTING A BID The following are some tips on submitting a tender bid to Bus Eireann • Read all documents CAREFULLY and not the key points you must take action on Check that you can meet the principal requirements and you have the necessary resources to fulfil your contractual obligations if successful. Compile a checklist upon receipt of RFT. Use this checklist before finalising tender and submitting same. The checklist should include all items to be completed and provided in the tender document. A sample checklist is attached for reference purposes only. When completing Schedule of Tender, pay particular attention to any associated documents such as usage profiles etc. This will assist you in formulating your costs and stock management proposals, where applicable. Return by date/time specified • • • • • A Suppliers Guide to Tendering _____________________________________________________________________ Issued by Procurement & Materials Manager _____________________________________________________________________ Sample Tender Checklist to be created by Tenderer Requirement CLOSING DATE Comment Responsibility Complied With ? Note the day and time ? Make necessary ? arrangements for prompt delivery Acknowledge receipt of RFT and intention to bid Is it lowest price or most economically advantageous tender If the latter what factors are involved Staffing Structure Current commitments Turnover Audited Accounts TCC Bank References Bonds Guarantees Plant & equipment H&S Policy Accident Records Environmental Issues Quality Assurance Contract Management Proposal KPI’ s Do you understand the full requirements? What standard is required Can you meet the specification? Is appropriate level in place? PL EL Is there a requirement? AWARD CRITERIA ? ? COMPANY INFORMATION FINANCIAL INFO TECHNICAL INFO ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? SPECIFICATION INSURANCE ? ? ? ? BONDS AND GUARANTEES PRICING SIGN OFF ? What way is pricing required? ? Sign and stamp relevant documents Unsigned and unstamped docs will not be considered Always ensure that your tender is fully in line with the requirements and accurately reflect all of the stated award criteria A Suppliers Guide to Tendering _____________________________________________________________________ Issued by Procurement & Materials Manager _____________________________________________________________________ AWARD OF CONTRACTS Bus Eireann must decide and make known, the criteria we intend using to choose a successful Tenderer for each contract. These criteria will always be listed in the Conditions of Tendering and will normally be listed in descending order of priority. Prior to submitting your tender you should examine these criteria and ensure that your bid meets them to as high a degree as possible. Your tender should highlight all the advantages you are offering relative to those criteria. The award criteria open to Bus Eireann are two fold ? Lowest Price: If this is the case we will award the contract to the lowest bidder. ? Most Economically Advantageous: the particular factors chosen (normally in descending order of priority) are indicated. The factors chosen will always relate to the specific contract Most Economically Advantageous Various factors may be chosen depending on the contract in question For SUPPLIES and SERVICES these may include ? Price ? Delivery ? Running Costs ? Cost Effectiveness ? Quality ? Aesthetic Considerations ? Technical Merit ? After Sales Support ? Technical Support ? Previous Experience ? Experience of Staff ? Other factors chosen by Bus Eireann Most Economically Advantageous Tenders are normally evaluated in two stages. ? Firstly a bid is evaluated to ensure it is compliant, i.e. that all required material and information has been submitted and secondly to ensure that the bid meets the required specification. If the bid is not compliant in either of these respects it is rejected. A Suppliers Guide to Tendering _____________________________________________________________________ Issued by Procurement & Materials Manager _____________________________________________________________________ ? The second stage is a commercial evaluation where the product or service is evaluated under the pre-defined award criteria. Only Tenders that comply with the specifications and general requirements of the RFT will be considered. A Tender that does not meet these requirements will not be accepted and be declared non-compliant. The pre-published award criteria will not be, altered by Bus Eireann, during the evaluation process. These rules ensure that all suppliers and service providers receive equal treatment when competing for our contracts. A Suppliers Guide to Tendering _____________________________________________________________________ Issued by Procurement & Materials Manager _____________________________________________________________________ WHAT DO WE WANT FROM A SUPPLIER? In summary, the following are some of the characteristics of a good supplier. ? Value for Money. ? Security of Supply. ? Quality of Product. ? Consistency of Products. ? Excellent Delivery. ? Ability to deliver to desired locations. ? Willingness to embrace Bus Eireann stock policies i.e. direct deliveries and consignment stock. ? Advising Bus Eireann on cost reductions without compromising quality. ? Courtesy and co-operation. ? Ability and agreement to manage contract on behalf of Bus Eireann if requested. ? Good financial and economic standing. ? Agreement to contract performance targets and measures. ? Innovation. A Suppliers Guide to Tendering _____________________________________________________________________ Issued by Procurement & Materials Manager _____________________________________________________________________ SOME FAQ’ s • Is price everything? Although price is an important consideration, Bus Eireann wants Value for Money or Added Value. ? National Press ? Official Journal of the European Communities (OJEC). This is for large value contract in excess of the EU thresholds ? Our own website www.buseireann.ie ? The Public Sector Procurement Portal – www.etenders.gov.ie Some examples of what we require in a Supplier are as follows; ? Value for Money ? Contract Management abilities ? Ability to deliver to our required locations ? Quality Product ? Customer Support ? Innovation Bus Eireann requires this information to make a fair and balanced assessment of a Tenderers capability and ability. It allows us to determine among other things, the Tenderers financial and economic standing and technical capacity Bus Eireann will debrief any unsuccessful supplier should the supplier so wish. The purpose of this exercise is to indicate where your company could best improve for future tenders. • Where do I see Bus Eireann’ s procurement needs? • What does Bus Eireann look for in a supplier? Why is so much detail and information requested in an RFT? • What happens if I am not awarded the contract? A Suppliers Guide to Tendering _____________________________________________________________________ Issued by Procurement & Materials Manager _____________________________________________________________________ WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE? Websites For procurement contact details within Bus Eireann, visit http://www.buseireann.ie/site/projects/current_tenders.asp?action=contact&pr oject_id=8. To view our procurement needs and see what Tenders are advertised, visit www.etenders.gov.ie and search under Bus Eireann. For more information on Tendering for Public Service Contracts visit http://www.may.ie/service/procurement/vencorn/tender_pub_service.pdf Useful email addresses Name Ms Frances Gannon Procurement Executive (Services) Ms Evelyn Forde Procurement Executive Ms Bridget Cummins Procurement Executive (MRO Stock) Ms Margaret Hubbard Services Procurement Contact frances.gannon@buseireann.ie evelyn.forde@buseireann.ie bridget.cummins@buseireann.ie margaret.hubard@buseireann.ie A Suppliers Guide to Tendering _____________________________________________________________________