Evaluation and clarification questions
Evaluation can take weeks or months. Buyers may send clarification questions to understand your bid or confirm details. Answer promptly, precisely and within the scope of the question. Clarifications cannot be used to change your tender materially, so do not try to improve your offer.
Assessment summaries
Under the Procurement Act 2023, the buyer must give each supplier that submitted an assessed tender an assessment summary before publishing the contract award notice. It explains how your tender was assessed against each award criterion, compared with the most advantageous tender. These replace the old "standstill letters".
The standstill period
After the contract award notice, there is usually a mandatory standstill period of eight working days before the contract can be entered into. It gives unsuccessful suppliers time to consider the decision and, if necessary, challenge it. Under the old regulations the standstill period was ten calendar days, which is why many people still quote that figure. Some awards are exempt or use a voluntary standstill.
If you win
- Watch for the contract award notice and then the contract details notice on Find a Tender.
- Prepare for mobilisation: onboarding meetings, TUPE where relevant, insurances, KPIs and reporting.
- For most contracts over £5 million, buyers must set and publish at least three KPIs and assess performance against them.
If you lose
Read the assessment summary carefully, compare your scores with the winning bid, and note what you would change. Many suppliers win the next opportunity by acting on this feedback. If you think something has gone wrong, take legal advice quickly: challenge deadlines are short.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the standstill period under the Procurement Act 2023?
Eight working days for the mandatory standstill period, starting when the contract award notice is published. Under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 it was ten calendar days.
Is a clarification question a good sign?
It usually means the buyer is evaluating your bid seriously, but it is not an indication of the outcome.
Sources
General information, not legal advice. Always follow the tender documents and take legal advice where needed.