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 Due-North pro-contract portal and download documents etc. Procurement officers cannot assist with any wording towards your submission.
Procurement officers cannot offer direct advice on what you should write as part of your submission. The procurement officers can offer advice and will help you understand the documentation and what is being asked of you.
Any organisation wishing to become a supplier to the trust (for goods or services relating to any advertised contract), regardless of size, must take part in the competitive tender process.
Yes – once the tender is out. Each tender is different and the ratio will therefore vary.
How are tenders evaluated?
Yes, we tend to follow a standard tendering process. Advertisements are placed on our website, Contracts Finder, in OJEU (if applicable) and on our tendering portal, Due North. Subsequently, the documents are made available online via the Due North portal with full details of the services/goods we wish to commission, the duration, and, depending on the service being tendered, an indication of the budget available. Tenders are then evaluated against clear published criteria by a panel of experienced officers and, where possible and practicable, service users. Contracts are then awarded based on a combination of financial and non-financial factors requested in the tender. The Trust procures goods, works and services from a wide range of suppliers and service providers. This can range from small, one-off purchases to multi-million pound service contracts lasting several years.
The criteria will be stated in the tender documents.
Yes – this could include a number of reasons. For example, you might be too costly, or have insufficient skills or knowledge, you may have failed to understand what is required or failed to complete the documentation correctly. Whatever the reason, we are obliged by law to provide you with your scores, the winners scores and the reasons for those scores. We will inform you who was successful and briefly outline the characteristics and relevant advantages of the winning bid.
No. A tender will only be accepted if it is submitted in accordance with the instructions to tender and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract as stated.
There are 3 types: works, goods and services.
The following timescales apply to the trust due to the electronic tendering processes we employ:
Timescale for open procedures – must be advertised in OJEU at least 45 days prior to the closing date for the receipt of tenders
Under no circumstances must the advertisement appear in any other media before the publication of the OJEU notice.
Timescale for restricted procedures – must be advertised in OJEU and allow at least 30 days for applicant to register an SQ. A further 40 days is required from the date of dispatch of tenders to the closing date.