Procurement and Tendering

Question 1

What is Procurement?

Answer 1

• The overall act of obtaining goods and services for a construction project.
• There are several routes by which the design and construction of a building can be procured. The selected procurement route should follow a strategy which fits the project criteria and objectives.

Question 2

What are the main factors that typically govern procurement route selection?

Answer 2

• The key is to identify the client’s objectives and key drivers in terms of time, cost and quality. Other factors such as risk allocation should also be considered.

Question 3

What procurement options are you familiar with?

Answer 3

• Traditional procurement
• Design and build
• Management contracting
• Construction management

Question 4

What is Traditional Procurement?

Answer 4

• The traditional procurement route involves separating design from construction. The employer first appoints consultants to design the project in detail, contractors are then invited to submit tenders based on a fully operational scheme.

Question 5

What are the key advantages? (Traditional Procurement)

Answer 5

• The employer retains control of the design
• The design is largely finalized before the contractors tender for the build, this means the employer knows exactly what they are getting
• All tenderers produce a submission based on the same information (tender returns easier to compare)
• Assuming the design is robust, reasonable price certainty is achieved at contract award
• Minimal built-in contractor risk premium (unlike design and build)

Question 6

What are the key disadvantages? (Traditional Procurement)

Answer 6

• The overall project duration may be longer than design and build
• Zero or limited contractor builder input
• Design risk is retained by the employer, any changes post contract will be a variation or compensation event
• Dual point of responsibility (employer for design and contractor for construction)

Question 7

When might traditional procurement be appropriate?

Answer 7

• The employer may have specific or detailed design requirements
• Cost certainty is important
• The shortest overall programme is not the employer’s main priority

Question 8

What is Design and Build?

Answer 8

The contractor is responsible for completing the design and executing the construction phase of the project. This is a completely different approach to delivering a project via traditional procurement, where the client appoints consultants to undertake the design and then a contractor is appointed to construct the works.

Question 9

What are the key advantages? (Design and Build)

Answer 9

• Single point of responsibility for design and construction (contractor)
• Earlier commencement on site is possible (if design and construction can be overlapped)
• Benefit of contractor’s experience harnessed during design (buildability input)
• Design and construction risk rest with the contractor
• Provides more cost certainty than traditional procurement

Question 10

What are the key disadvantages? (Design and Build)

Answer 10

• The design is only as good as the employer’s requirements
• More complex to compare tender returns
• Employer changes can be difficult to value and expensive
• the employer may have less control over aesthetics and quality
• The contractor will build in risk premiums into their tender returns

Question 11

When might design and build be appropriate?

Answer 11

• Where there is need to make an early start on site (D&B has the potential to overlap design and construction)
• Where the employer wishes to minimize their risk profile
• For technically complex projects, the design will benefit from the contractor’s buildability input.
• Where retaining control of the design is not the priority

Question 12

What additional insurances might be needed under a D&B contract?

Answer 12

The contractor and their design team will have design responsibility, therefore, it is likely additional professional indemnity insurance (PII) will be required.

Question 13

What are employer’s requirements (ERs)?

Answer 13

The expression employer’s requirements is used to describe the document(s) produced by the employer to set out its requirements in relation to the project and this is what the design and construction of the works will be based on.

Question 14

What are contractors proposals (CPs)?

Answer 14

• CPs are prepared by the contractor which responds to the employer’s requirements.
• In this document(s), the contractor will set out a more detailed design (based on the employer’s requirements), which will require further development throughout the course of the project.

Question 15

Which procurement route poses the least risk to the employer?

Answer 15

Design and build, this is because design risk is transferred to the contractor.

Question 16

Why does the employer usually pay a premium for design and build procurement at tender stage?

Answer 16

The contractor will usually factor in an allowance within their tender return in exchange for taking on the design risk.

Question 17

Under design and build, who executes the design for the contractor?

Answer 17

The contractor may use their own in-house designers or they can appoint external consultants. The employer’s original design team can also be novated to the contractor.

Question 18

What is Construction Management?

Answer 18

The employer directly appoints multiple subcontractors (known as trade contractors) instead of employing a single main contractor. The single feature that makes construction management unique, particularly from management contracting, is that the employer places individual contracts with separate specialist trade contractors themselves.

Question 19

What are the key advantages? (Construction Management)

Answer 19

• Speed to get to site
• Overall project duration reduced by overlapping design and construction
• The construction manager can contribute to the design and project planning processes
• Changes in the design can be accommodated without paying a premium
• Prices may be lower due to direct contracts with trade contractors
• The employer has means of redress with trade contractors through direct contractual links.

Question 20

What are the key disadvantages? (Construction Management)

Answer 20

• Price certainty not achieved until the last trade package is let
• The procurement route requires an informed, experienced and proactive employer to work
• the employer has a lot of consultants and contractors to manage.

Question 21

When might construction management be appropriate?

Answer 21

• The employer is experienced in construction and has the suitable resources to manage the project.
• the employer wants to achieve an early start on site.
• the employer wants the flexibility to make minor changes to the design/specification throughout the process with minimal impact on time or finances
• the project is technically complex and requires detailed engagement of specialist consultants and trade contractors

Question 22

Which is the riskiest procurement route for the employer?

Answer 22

Construction management. This is because the employer places individual contracts direct with each trade contractor and the construction manager carries no risk (barring professional negligence)

Question 23

What is Management Contracting?

Answer 23

• The employer appoints a management contractor to manage the entire building process who in turn appoints trade contractors to carry out the construction works
• The management contractor is usually paid a fee percentage based on construction costs
• The management contractor has a direct contractual link with the trade contractors and is responsible for the overall construction works.

Question 24

What are the key advantages? (Management Contracting)

Answer 24

• Overall project duration can be reduced by overlapping design and construction
• The management contractor will provide buildability input
• Single point of responsibility (management contractor)
• Trade packages are let competitively and transparently
• There can be considerable flexibility in the design, with changes being made throughout the construction process

Question 25

What are the key disadvantages? (Management Contracting)

Answer 25

• Price certainty not achieved until the last trade package is let.
• Requires an informed and proactive employer to be successful
• Depending on how the construction manager is remunerated, there may be a built-in disincentive for the construction manager to minimize costs.

Question 26

When might management contracting be appropriate?

Answer 26

• When an early start on site is a priority
• Flexibility in design is required
• Buildability input from the management contractor is required
• Where cost certainty is not a priority for the employer

Question 27

What is the key difference between management contracting and construction management?

Answer 27

Construction management - The employer directly appoints multiple trade contractors to execute the works
Management contracting - the employer appoints a management contractor who in turn appoints the works contractors

Question 28

What is a Framework Agreement?

Answer 28

• A framework agreement is an umbrella agreement that a party enters with one or more suppliers (who may be contractors, suppliers or consultants) to establish governing terms.
• A framework usually sets a strategic partnering relationship for the procurement of goods, works or services.

Question 29

How long can a framework be?

Answer 29

Typically, a framework agreement lasts for 5 years. however this is determined by the buyer. They can range between 2 and 10 years.

Question 30

What are the key advantages? (Framework Agreement)

Answer 30

• Framework agreements help develop stronger relationships between the parties involved and encourage long term collaboration and co-operation
• Time saving (can speed up the procurement of goods and services)
• Repeat work and continuity of delivery
• Rates and prices are usually agreed upfront

Question 31

What are the key disadvantages? (Framework Agreement)

Answer 31

• The contractor, suppliers or consultants can become complacent
• Bidders will invest time and money to be awarded onto a framework and then potentially not receive any work through them
• May be restrictive to new suppliers who offer innovative, new, solutions with the changing nature and evolving nature of technologies for example.

Question 32

Why might the employer choose a framework agreement to procure goods and services?

Answer 32

• Employers that are continually commissioning construction works might want to reduce procurement timescales, learning curves and other risks by using framework agreements
• A framework allows the employer to invite tenders from suppliers of goods and services on a call-off basis as and when required.

Question 33

What’s the difference between a framework agreement and a contract?

Answer 33

• A framework agreement rarely provides any specific commitment in terms of project and value of works. It is more focused around being an approved supplier.
• A contract is usually a specific fee, with project scope and timelines allowing you to quote a tailor your product/service for the specific job at hand.

Question 34

What is Project Partnering?

Answer 34

• Partnering is a broad term used to describe a collaborative management approach that encourages openness and trust between the contracting parties.
• There is more opportunity for building working relationships, finding improvements and planning investment
• Ownership of risk is spread between the parties and a collaborative approach is encouraged to delivering the solution and overcoming problems

Question 35

What are the key advantages or partnering?

Answer 35

• The overall construction and design programme can be shortened
• The likelihood of conflict is reduced
• Improved communication and mutual objectives
• Improved customer satisfaction
• Improved value for the employer
• Improved buildability
• Better predictability in terms of time and cost

Question 36

What are the key disadvantages of partnering?

Answer 36

• Less opportunity to understand what other contractors/potential partners have to offer
• Difficult to find a strong partner which the same objectives, ethics, attitude etc.

Question 37

What is Tendering?

Answer 37

Tendering is the process by which the employer invites the contractors to place a bid for work on a construction project. The overall objective is to obtain a price for the works.

Question 38

What is the difference between procuring and tendering?

Answer 38

• Procurement is the overall act of obtaining goods and services from external sources and deciding the strategy on how these goods are to be acquired
• Tendering is a phase in the procurement strategy and deals with obtaining a price through a bidding process and deciding how a contractor is appointed.

Question 39

What are the three main tendering options on construction projects?

Answer 39

• Single stage tender
• Two stage tender
• Negotiated tender

Question 40

What documents were included within your tender pack?

Answer 40

• Invitation to tender (ITT), including cover letter with tender return information.
• Form of tender
• Contract conditions and employer’s amendments
• Instruction to bidders including how errors will be dealt with
• Tender scoring matrix
• Project information, drawings, specifications, surveys, planning conditions etc.
• Pricing document
• PCI (Pre-construction information)
• Quality questions (such as experience and methodology)
• Receipt of tender

Question 41

What is a bona fide tender?

Answer 41

• A bid submitted in good faith, complete and in prescribed form which meets the conditions of the bidding requirements.
• Confirmation that the supplier has not colluded with another party when compiling the tender.

Question 42

What is an OJEU?

Answer 42

• The official Journal of the EU

- An online portal that houses public sector contracts that are over the stated procurement threshold

Question 43

What happens to OJEU now that the UK has left the EU?

Answer 43

• From the 1st of Jan 21 the UK is no longer subject to EU procurement regulations and therefore no longer follow rules outlined for OJEU tenders.
• Tenders will now be published on a new e-tendering portal, called Find a Tender Service (FTS)

Question 44

What is a PQQ (Pre-Qualification Questionnaire)

Answer 44

A pre-qualification questionnaire sets out a series of questions for potential tenderers to answer regarding their level of experience, capacity and financial standing etc. prior to being invited to tender.

Question 45

What is the purpose of a PQQ?

Answer 45

The pre-qualification questionnaire has the effect of reducing the number of potential tenderers to those that are genuinely appropriate for the project. This saves a great deal of time for potential tenderers who would not have any realistic change of winning the contract.

Question 46

What might the PQQ ask for?

Answer 46

• Company details
• Details of insurance cover
• Financial information
• Relevant experience
• Information about technical and professional ability
• Information capability and capacity
• Health and safety policy and records
• Quality assurance policy
• Environmental management policy
• Equal opportunities policy
• References

Question 47

A credit check is usually part of the PQQ process, where could you get a credit check from?

Answer 47

• Dun and Bradsheet report

- Credit agency such as Experian

Question 48

What is Single Stage Tendering?

Answer 48

Invitation to tender documents are issued to a number of competing contractors who are all given the chance to bid for the project based on identical tender documentation. This is usually done at RIBA Stage 4 so that the tendering contractors receive the most detailed information to base their bid on.

Question 49

What are the key advantages of single stage tendering?

Answer 49

• The employer benefits from a competitive tendering process which can lead to more competitive pricing
• The employer can benefit from a fixed price through this tendering process

Question 50

What are the key disadvantages of single stage tendering?

Answer 50

• No buildability input from the contractor (at the point of tender)
• The price is only as good as the design information
• Contractors may be unwilling to tender in a good economic climate (too much competition)

Question 51

If you had a £25m new build project under design and build procurement (single stage tender), how long would you allow for the tender period?

Answer 51

The tender period is largely dependent on the complexity of the project. However, 10-12 weeks would be reasonable as it will take some time to interpret the employer’s requirements.

Question 52

What is Two Stage Tendering?

Answer 52

Stage 1:
The employer provides an outline project design and contractors then compete for preferred contractor status. the preferred contractor is usually chosen based on the quality of their bid, the quality of their team, preliminaries and OH&P allowances. The preferred contractor then joins the design team on a consultancy basis using a pre-construction services agreement (PCSA).
Stage 2:
Once the design has sufficiently progressed, the contractor enters into a detailed contractor negotiation with the employer to agree the final price, contract conditions and programme.

Question 53

What are the key advantages of two stage tendering?

Answer 53

• Early appointment of contractor to work in parallel with the design team.
• Early involvement of the contractor to benefit from the buildability input.
• Earlier start on site is possible.
• Employer involvement in subcontractor selection.
• Increase opportunity to value engineer with the contractors’ input.
• Increase opportunity to value engineer with contractor’s input.
• Improved opportunity to identify project risk.

Question 54

What is a Negotiated Tender?

Answer 54

A negotiated tender is effectively a single-stage tender carried out between the client employer and just one contractor. Negotiated tenders are obtained by the client, inviting one contractor of their choice to submit a tender response for the project.

Question 55

What are the key advantages?

Answer 55

• Simplicity
• Speed, a negotiated process can have programme advantages if undertaken in good faith
• The employer has flexibility in terms of choosing their preferred contractor
• Time and cost savings involved in comparing and analysing multiple tender submissions
• The process can allow early contractor involvement

Question 56

What are the key disadvantages?

Answer 56

• Possibility of delay if contract negotiations are protracted
• Potential cost premium due to lack of competition
• There is a heavy reliance on trust between parties
• It can be seen as anti-competitive and exclusive

Question 57

How could you justify value for money in a negotiated tender?

Answer 57

• Insist on an open book approach when agreeing subcontract packages and a minimum of 3 quotes to be provided for each element of the works (this would need to be agreed upfront with the contractor)

Question 58

What is a form of tender?

Answer 58

• The contractor usually signs and returns with their proposed tender submission
• It is formal acknowledgement that the tenderer understands the terms of conditions of the tender documents and any other requirements that are stipulated. The document also includes the contractor’s price and programme.

Question 59

What information is typically included in the form of tender?

Answer 59

• Tender sum
• The date until which the price remains valid
• Construction period
• Confirmation of the tender being genuine and bone fide
• Tenderer details and signature
• Acceptance of terms and conditions

Question 60

When seeking tenders for construction work, in addition to the actual price for the work, what additional information might be requested from the contractor?

Answer 60

• Track record of previous experience (for example case studies)
• Proposed team or hierarchy
• Methodology or approach
• References
• Programme
• H&S information
• Value engineering proposals
• Logistics plans
• Social value strategy
• Diversity and inclusion policy

Question 61

Once tenders have been submitted, what should be examined for compliance with the invitation to tender and tender instructions?

Answer 61

• Arithmetical errors.
• Pricing errors (items not priced)
• Pricing methods (front loaded)
• Compare the contractor’s proposals against the employer’s requirements for compliance (D&B procurement)
• Check the form of tender is complete and signed
• Resolve any qualifications

Question 62

What happens if a tender is submitted late?

Answer 62

• Private sector project - the documents should be accepted
• Public sector project - the matter should be discussed with the employer to understand if they would like to accept. The safest option is not to consider (potential fraud, collusion, bid-rigging risk etc.).

Question 63

Would you open a later tender submission for a school project?

Answer 63

The tender should be discarded on the basis the project is funded by the public sector.

Question 64

What is the danger of accepting a very low tender submission?

Answer 64

• The contractor may be trying to ‘buy’ the project to recover their costs with variations and/or claims.
• It could indicate the contractor is in a poor financial or cash flow position and they are eager to win the work at any cost.
• Areas of the project may not be priced accurately, potential for an adversarial relationship to develop post contract.

Question 65

How do you deal with qualifications within the tender submission?

Answer 65

• Procedures associated with qualifications should be outlined in the tender instructions.
• If the qualifications are unauthorized, it might invalidate the tender (leading to disqualification)
• The employer team and contractor should look to resolve the qualifications prior to signing the contract. Any outstanding matters should clearly be documented in the contract to avoid future disputes.

Question 66

How would you deal with errors identified in the tender submissions?

Answer 66

JCT have produced a tendering practice note where two options are suggested to deal with errors, one of these options is usually drafted into the tender pack.

Alternative 1: The tenderer should be given details of the errors and afforded the opportunity of confirming or withdrawing their tender.

Alternative 2: The tenderer should be given the opportunity of confirming their offer or amending it to correct genuine errors.

Question 67

What would you do if you considered a contractor submitting the lowest tender to be in financial difficulty?

Answer 67

• As part of the evaluation process, the company accounts would be reviewed to assess the financial stability of the contractor (if not already completed at the PQQ stage). This could lead to disqualification if the contractor is having financial difficulty.
• Consider a performance bond. In the event the contractor fell insolvent, the employer would be able to call on the bond and appoint another contractor to complete the project.
• Consider a parent company guarantee.

Question 68

On what grounds would you advise the client to re-tender?

Answer 68

• Not enough tenderers returned tenders
• The tendering procedure is compromised for some reason
• If tender were not at the cost level required and it was believed that re-tendering to different tenderers would provide a different result
• Design changes or VE has been carried out that has significantly changed the design that was originally tendered on

Question 69

How would you deal with a front loaded tender?

Answer 69

• Front loading is generally not considered a pricing error

- Request contractor removes front loading, if the contractor refuses, this may be grounds for disqualification

Question 70

How could you reduce the risk of contractors pulling out of the tendering process?

Answer 70

• Ensure the tender information is as accurate as possible
• Ensure the tender period is long enough (extend if required)
• Go through the PQQ (pre-qualification questionnaire ) to ensure the correct tenders are selected.
• Check the contractor have time capacity to complete the tender

Question 71

On what grounds would you advise your client to re-tender the project?

Answer 71

• Not enough tenders returned
• The tender procedure was compromised in some way (potential fraud, collusion, bid-rigging etc).
• Significant design, methodology or programme changes after issuing the tender documents.

Question 72

What is the contract sum analysis document under design and build procurement?

Answer 72

• A contract sum analysis (CSA) is an alternate pricing document to a schedule of works (SoW) or bill of quantities (BoQ). It’s often prepared in a standard form by the employer’s team to support the tender analysis. The employer’s team usually request that all tenders are returned on the same CSA format.

Question 73

What information is typically included in the tender analysis report?

Answer 73

• List of tenders received
• Initial tender return totals
• Any qualifications identified
• Post-tender adjustments
• Revised tender sum
• Issues to be resolved
• Comparison of tender returns
• Comparison with pre-tender estimate
• Recommendation

Question 74

If the tender was not received on time, but the works were delayed and did not commence until a few months later, what would you need to check?

Answer 74

Check the form of tender, this would should how long the price (the offer) was valid for (for example, 60 or 90 days after the tender return date).

Question 75

If the contractor (in their tender return) put a cost against an item and marked it as provisional, what would you do?

Answer 75

I would seek further information from the contractor and request this to be removed, subject to the tender instructions, this may invalidate the submission.

Question 76

If you think the delivery programme is tight, how can you give comfort to the contractor regarding liquidated damages (to avoid them excessively pricing in their tender sum)?

Answer 76

The contract can be amended to include a liquidated damage free period. For example, damages would not be levied for the first 3 weeks or levied at 50% for a defined period.

Question 77

What is the purpose of a pre-tender estimate?

Answer 77

• A pre-tender estimate (PTE) is the last cost check of the project before it is issued to tender. The design should be sufficiently developed at this stage; therefore, the PTE should be an accurate reflection of the works.
• The estimate can then be used to compare against the tender submissions.

Question 78

What happens if the tender prices are higher than the pre-tender estimate?

Answer 78

• This could be down to market conditions or some other external factor such as COVID-19 or Brexit.
• The employer’s team should reconcile the tenders against the pre-tender estimate to identify where the major differences are.
• The team could look to value engineer the project if the prices are over budget.