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

  • Miami University Approves New $242M Multipurpose Arena

    Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, recently announced that its Board of Trustees has approved construction of a new multipurpose arena at Cook Field, according to university news. The $242-million project will serve as a new centralized hub for student life and create space for economic development on campus.

  • Full Sail University Announces First Student Housing Facility

    Full Sail University in Winter Park, Fla., recently announced that development has begun on its first student housing community, according to a news release. The university is partnering with Nvision Development for construction and long-term management of the facility, which will stand five stories and have the capacity for more than 570 beds.

  • North Texas School District Completes Third New Elementary School

    The Denton Independent School District in Dallas, Texas, recently finished construction on its third prototype design elementary school, Reeves Elementary, according to a news release.

  • California School District Completes Elementary School Modernization

    The San Diego Unified School District in San Diego, Calif., recently held a ribbon-cutting for a whole-site modernization of Pacific Beach Elementary School, according to local news. The school first opened with one building in 1930 and added six more between 1938 and 1957.