Tender Questionnaire Workflow

You can create Tender Questionnaires within a Requirement that is set to the following Stages: 

• Define - e.g. Draft and test supplier selection questionnaire
• Tender - e.g. Publish and capture bids using supplier selection questionnaire

 Selected Suppliers can then fill these out to be Evaluated and Qualified for further questions or for a service.

General Tender Questionnaire Workflow:

1. Create a new Tender Template
2. Create a new Tender Questionnaire
3. (optional) Create a Test Version of the Tender Questionnaire
4. Publish the Tender Questionnaire
5. Publish Notice(s) of Tender Opportunity
6. Clarification Question and Answers
7. Evaluate responses to Tender Questionnaire
8. Moderate and review evaluation scores
9. Award Supplier

Step 1 - Create a new Tender Template

You can skip this step if you already have a Template set-up that you wish to use for the Tender Questionnaire. In order to create a Tender Questionnaire, you must have a Template to base it off.

• Templates are a base structure of a Questionnaire that prevent you from having to create Questionnaires from scratch.
• Templates are stored, created and edited in Souring > RFX Tender Templates.
  • Please see here for detailed guidance on creating/editing Tender Templates.

Step 2 - Create a new Tender Questionnaire

• Head to Sourcing > Requirements and click into the relevant Requirement.
• Go into the RFX tab, click the Add RFX button on the far right and select Tender. 
• Select the Template you wish to use for the Questionnaire from the dropdown list. Once you've selected a Template, select New Version. 
  • Selecting New Test will create a Test version of the Questionnaire. You can also create a test version after adding the real version. Please see Step 3 for creating Test Questionnaires.
• Fill in the details of your Questionnaire as prompted, then click 'Save'. 
• Your Questionnaire will now be saved as a Draft in the RFX tab of your requirement, where you can edit it until you're ready to publish.
  • Please see here for detailed guidance on creating a new Tender Questionnaire

(optional) Step 3 - Create a Test Version of the Tender Questionnaire

This is an optional step, however we highly recommend that you create a Test version and do a test run through before publishing the real thing. This will allow you to test the format, rules and weighting first, so you can identify and make any needed amendments before you publish (as once a Questionnaire is published, the structure and weighting cannot be changed).

• In the RFX tab of your requirement, next to the Questionnaire you added click on the 'New Version' button.
• Fill in the settings for the Test as you would with the actual version to test it.
• Publish the Test Questionnaire and follow the test questionnaire workflow.
  • Please see here for detailed guidance on creating and testing a Test Questionnaire.

Step 4 - Publish the Tender Questionnaire

Once you've tested your Questionnaire and are happy with the format and settings, you can then publish your Questionnaire.

N.B: Once the Questionnaire has been published, you will no longer be able to make any edits so it's important to ensure everything is correct before publishing.

• Go to the RFX tab of your requirement and click on your Tender Questionnaire to bring up the Manage Questionnaire screen.
• Click 'Publish'.
• Suppliers can now start responding from the Opening date you've set. 
  • Please see here for detailed guidance on publishing a Questionnaire.

Step 5 - Publish Notice(s) of Tender Opportunity

You can create and publish a Notice of Tender Opportunity either before or after publishing your Tender Questionnaire. The opportunities can be advertised on:

• Find a Tender
• Contract Finder
• Public Site Portal
• Custom Notice (for if you've created a notice not using the portal, you can store this information here)
  • Please see here for detailed guidance on creating a Notice.

Step 6 - Clarification Question and Answers

When suppliers start responding to your Questionnaire, you might be asked Clarification questions from suppliers if they require further information in order to answer a Question.

• You will need to respond to these Questions and provide an answer for them
  • Please see here for detailed guidance on answering Clarification Questions and using this feature. 

Step 7 -  Evaluate responses to Tender Questionnaire

Once Suppliers have submitted their responses to your Questionnaire, these responses can be evaluated.

• Head to Supplier Management > Evaluate to access supplier responses to evaluate.
  • Please see here for detailed guidance on evaluating responses.
• If your Questionnaire is closed to further responses and the evaluation process is underway, you can change the stage of the Requirement to Evaluation to reflect this, if desired. 
• If you wish to view an overview of suppliers answers ahead of evaluation (e.g. for price questions), head to the RFX tab of the relevant requirement and against the relevant Tender, click Download Comparative Answers Report. 

Step 8 - Moderate and review evaluation scores

Once a suppliers entire submission has been evaluated, their responses will move to the Qualify screen for you to moderate and review.

• Head to Supplier Management > Qualify.
  • Please see here for detailed guidance on moderating and reviewing evaluation.

You can also download the Comparative Scores Tender Report to compare all Suppliers scores before making the final decision to award a supplier. Head to the RFX tab of the relevant requirement and Tender. More information on this report can be found here. 

Step 9  - Award Supplier

After moderating and reviewing evaluation scores, you can then award the winning bidder (i.e the supplier who won the contract).

• Head to Supplier Management > Qualify and confirm the qualification decision for each supplier.
• Ensure you have selected the appropriate category(s) for successful suppliers & make them live (subject to any necessary Due Diligence checks)
  • Please see here for detailed guidance on awarding suppliers.
• Amend the stage of the Requirement to Award
• Publish the Award notices on Find a Tender / Contract Finder / Public Portal (as required)