The tender processes are outlined below:
This procedure is used for procurements valued below the UK procurement thresholds, from £120,000 for goods and services and from £250,000 for works, concessions and light touch contracts, and is open to all suppliers who wish to submit a tender.
The Invitation to Tender (ITT) is published through the East Sussex Procurement Hub e-Tendering Portal and includes a full suite of procurement documents, comprising instructions to bidders, the specification, supporting information where required, and a technical questionnaire and pricing schedule.
The opportunity is advertised on both the East Sussex Procurement Hub e-Tendering Portal and Find a Tender.
The ITT includes instructions to suppliers and details of the information required as part of their submission. This may include a self-declaration questionnaire to confirm that suppliers meet the minimum contract requirements and that there are no grounds for exclusion from the procurement process.
Tenders are evaluated by a panel of suitably qualified officers and, where appropriate, specialist consultants.
Following completion of the evaluation, contract award information is communicated to all bidders via the Portal, including details of the successful contractor and the relevant evaluation scores.
A Tender Notice (UK4) is published via Find A Tender.
An Invitation to Tender (ITT) is published via the East Sussex Procurement Hub e-Tendering Portal, providing a suite of procurement documents including instructions to bidders, the specification, supporting information where required, and a technical questionnaire and pricing schedule.
Bidders are required to complete a Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ), declaring that they meet the minimum requirements for the contract and that there are no grounds for exclusion from the procurement process. Bidders must also submit their response to the technical questionnaire together with their pricing proposal.
Tenders are evaluated by a panel of suitably qualified officers and, where appropriate, specialist consultants.
The successful contractor is notified that they are the preferred bidder. Unsuccessful bidders are informed of the Council’s intention to award the contract and are provided with an assessment summary. The assessment summary includes the scores and reasons for the scores awarded to both the unsuccessful tender and the most advantageous tender.
A Contract Award Notice (UK6) is published on Find a Tender. This commences an eight-working-day standstill period during which challenges to the award decision may be made.
If no challenge is received during the standstill period, the contract may be awarded and a Contract Details Notice (UK7) published.
A Tender Notice (UK4) is published via Find a Tender and procurement documents are made available through the East Sussex Procurement Hub e-Tendering Portal.
This procedure is flexible and may comprise multiple stages. Details of the process for each procurement will be set out in the Find a Tender notice and the procurement documents issued through the East Sussex Procurement Hub e-Tendering Portal.
At the conclusion of the final stage, the successful supplier is notified that they are the preferred bidder. Unsuccessful bidders are informed of the Council’s intention to award the contract and are provided with an assessment summary. The assessment summary includes the scores and reasons for the scores awarded to both the unsuccessful tender and the most advantageous tender.
A Contract Award Notice (UK6) is published on Find a Tender. This commences an eight-working-day standstill period during which challenges to the award decision may be made.
If no challenge is received during the standstill period, the contract may be awarded and a Contract Details Notice (UK7) published.
Assessment summaries are provided to bidders for all above-threshold tenders. For below-threshold procurements, bidders may request feedback on their tender submission.
The award of all contracts with a value exceeding £30,000 (including VAT) will be published on Find a Tender. Contracts awarded under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015) will be published on Contracts Finder.
All open tenders are advertised on Find a Tender and the East Sussex Procurement Hub e-Tendering Portal.
A list of the current UK procurement thresholds can be found here.