Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Debriefing Unsuccessful Bidders

  • 03/01/16

The manner in which the competitive bidding process is managed is probably the most significant factor in shaping how the supply base views an institution. So, for the preservation of your institution’s positive image, you should treat the competitive bidding process with care. One facet of the process that is of particular significance is the debriefing procedure.

Debriefing is simply the act of meeting with an unsuccessful bidder to explain why their bid was not deemed to be the most attractive. Debriefing is a fragile process. You want to be as helpful as possible to the unsuccessful bidder, but you also must maintain the confidentiality of other suppliers’ information. Here are guidelines for conducting debriefings:

  • State your debriefing goals in writing, both internally and to the bidder. Goals may include: identifying weaknesses in the bidder’s proposal, demonstrating that the bidder was treated fairly, promoting good relations within the business community, answering the bidder’s questions, and obtaining feedback from the bidder.
  • Provide helpful information. Helpful information includes: strengths of the bidder’s proposal, weaknesses of the bidder’s proposal, and the reasons for not accepting the bidder’s proposal.
  • Protect confidential information. This type of information includes the names and the ranking of other bidders, and the specifics of the other bidders’ proposals (such as price or the dollar amount or percentage difference between the winning proposal and the bidder’s proposal).

Well-done debriefings can reinforce a positive reputation for your institution. By following and expanding upon these guidelines, you can help your institution secure an identity of fairness, integrity and professionalism.

Source: Next Level Purchasing Association (www.nextlevelpurchasing.com)

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Wold Architects & Engineers Acquires VPS Architecture

    Full-service planning, architecture, and engineering firm Wold Architects & Engineers recently announced that it has acquired VPS Architecture, according to a news release. The move will help strengthen Wold’s education and public-sector design expertise, industries in which both companies have strong pre-existing ties and relationships.

  • Harvard Announces Replacement Facility for Native American Program

    Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., recently announced that construction will begin this spring on a new home for its Native American Program, according to university news. The 6,500-square-foot, all-electric building will stand three stories and serve as the central hub for the Harvard University Native American Program (HUNAP).

  • Photo credit - Chuck Coates

    Florida District Modernizes Central Energy Plants at Two High Schools

    Flagler Schools, a public school district in Flagler County, Fla., recently partnered with Matern Professional Engineering to modernize the central energy plants at two of its high schools, according to a news release. The project is part of a larger, district-wide effort to reduce energy costs and operational expenses.

  • 144-Year-Old High-School Campus Debuts New Academic Facility

    San Diego High School (SDHS) in San Diego, Calif., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new student services and classroom building; the project is part of a larger SDHS Whole Site Modernization project that began in 2022.