Prepare and plan for submitting a tender
In order to be able to submit a tender to a public organization, you as a supplier first need to request the procurement documents from an electronic advertising database. The procurement documents contain all the information that you as a tenderer need to be able to submit a tender. The next step is to prepare the documents to be submitted in connection with the submission of tenders.
Content
The information on this page concerns procurements in accordance with:
- the Public Procurement Act (LOU)
- the Act on Procurement in the Water, Energy, Transport and Postal Services Sectors (LUF).
The first step is to download and review the tender documents. They can be downloaded from electronic advertising databases where procuring organisations publish their current procurements. The documents can be downloaded at no cost. If anything is unclear in the tender documents, do not hesitate to request clarification. Use the procurement tool to ask a question of the procuring organisation. No later than six days before the tender closing date the procuring organisation must submit additional information and answers to your queries.
Strive for clarity
If something is unclear to you, it is probably just as unclear to somebody else!
The different parts of the tender documents
The tender documents describe and establish the contents of a procurement. They contain all the relevant information for suppliers to be able to submit a tender that matches what is requested in the procurement in question. The tender documents consist of the following parts:
Various requirements in procurements
For a company to be accepted as a supplier, they must fulfil the mandatory requirements set by the procuring organisation.
Procurement item requirements (mandatory requirements) (SV)
In order for the supplier’s tender to be competitive, the tender must match any award criteria stated in the tender documents as closely as possible. Procuring organisation may use award criteria to assess tenders based on the best price-quality ratio.
In order to prepare the company for the requirements and award criteria that may be relevant in future procurements, you can study the requirements that were set in previous corresponding procurements. Examples of requirements for goods, services or public works may include:
- level of quality
- information on and level of environmental performance
- usability and accessibility requirements
- highlighting performance within various areas
- classified procurement, which may be relevant when goods and services are procured for water-treatment plants, heating plants, IT facilities, healthcare, infrastructure, security of important buildings, etc.
Do not miss any requirements
It is easy to miss a few requirements in the text, as the requirements may be listed at different places in the document. There may be requirements that need to be corroborated with evidence at different points in time. Please note when this will be necessary, for example at the time of submitting the tender, at the time of signing, or if it is during the contract term that the requirements must be fulfilled or proven.
Corrections, clarifications and additional information
It is important to carefully check all requirements and conditions in the tender documents as there is limited opportunity for the tenderer to correct, submit clarifications or provide additional information after the tender closing date.
Create a schedule
Submitting tenders to a public procurement requires planning. We recommend creating a schedule in order to keep track of important dates. It might involve the final date for submitting questions, and when the tender needs to be submitted.
It can also be beneficial to prepare the documents to be submitted, some procurements require documents from third parties, which may take time to obtain. Plan for this well in advance.
Make a note in the schedule when the requirements in the tender documents must be fulfilled and proven, if it is:
- in connection with the tender submission
- in connection with the contract signing
- during the contract term.
Involve the right people
When you submit a tender, it is important to involve the right people from your company from the start. For example, does someone need to produce requirements, conditions or a product sample?
Request current contracts
As a supplier, you can learn a lot from studying current contracts. If the procuring organisation is subject to the principle of public access, suppliers can request access to current contracts. This lets you see whether there are any similarities to the procurement in question.
Fee for copying documents
The procuring organisation may charge a fee when copying documents.
Prepare documents before tender submission
In the tender documents, the procuring organisation outlines the information to be submitted in the tender. This is information that the procuring organisation requires in order to see whether the tenderer fulfils the set requirements.
The following information may be included in order to show:
Professional certification
- If a procurement contains requirements that a supplier must have a certain certification that is required for the supplier to be able to provide a certain service.
- Or be a member of an organisation that, when the procurement concerns a service, is required for the supplier to be able to provide the service in the country where the supplier is established.
Economic and financial standing
- annual sales
- debt-equity ratio
- liability insurance
Technical and professional capacity
- listing of the most important assignments
- information on technical resources
- description of technical equipment and quality management systems
- information on training and professional qualifications for relevant personnel
- information on tools, machinery and technical equipment that the company has access to in order to fulfil the contract
- product samples, descriptions or photographs
- commitment from another supplier, if the tenderer does not fulfil the requirements and refer to another company’s capacity.
Other documents to prepare
- copy of certificate of registration (when applicable)
- company presentation with information and contacts
- proof of quality management system
- proof of environmental management system
- contact details of references.
These parts are subject to the ESPD system
ESPD (European Single Procurement Document) is a preliminary certificate that states that suppliers shall not be excluded according to any grounds for exclusion. That is, there are no reasons for exclusion.
ESPD is also a preliminary certificate that the tenderer fulfils the qualification requirements.
ESPD is only relevant for procurements exceeding the threshold. There is no obligation to submit an ESPD, but procuring organisations may include it in the requirements, making it an obligation for the tenderer.
It is also possible for tenderers to submit a preliminary ESPD to show that they fulfil the requirements.