Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
any given procurement and ensuring that the scope encompasses and
tests the responding suppliers' ability to deliver what is being asked
of them. The aim is to make sure that the time and cost spent in the
formal procurement process is kept to an acceptable level for all those
involved.
Transparency is another key requirement, especially in public-sector
procurement. Transparency demonstrates to all parties involved the
openness, fairness and probity of the competitive selection process.
Formal procurement processes not only have to be fair, but they also
have to be seen as fair. Transparency encourages participation and, as
discussed in earlier chapters, raises the degree of competition, which is
important for delivering value for money.
Auditability is concerned with the scrutiny of the selection process
by third parties. Even when procurement is not being undertaken under
formal legislative regulation, it is nevertheless essential that a formal
procurement process clearly identifi es decision points and provides evi-
dence for the appropriateness of the decisions taken. Formality allows
for decisions to be fair and for them to be shown to be so. This requires
a clear audit trail for all actions involved in the procurement process,
which also gives all parties confi dence in the decisions reached and
allows buyers to provide comprehensive feedback to those suppliers
requesting it at the end of the formal procurement process.
Accessibility is concerned with attracting the most capable supply
chains to compete. To complement the vendor engagement work that
may have preceded the formal procurement process, it is important to
facilitate supply chains to then engage with the tendering process, while
retaining the probity of the process itself. This requires removing obsta-
cles that might impede or deter fi rms from submitting tenders. For
example, it is important that all suppliers have equal access to the infor-
mation and documentation, whether through internet technology or
traditional hard copy, and that the documentation should be appropriate
for the procurement in question and for the type of fi rm being encour-
aged to bid.
Standardising procurement documentation
Standardising the procurement documentation enables the guiding prin-
ciples to be enshrined in the procurement process and provides standard
template documents for the common elements of the procurement
