DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE RFP EVALUATION CRITERIARFP EVALUATION CRITERIA

Partners In Public PurchasingPartners In Public PurchasingDecember 17, 2004December 17, 2004

Donnell Fowler, CPPB & Keri Stocks, Donnell Fowler, CPPB & Keri Stocks, CPPBCPPB

What Will We Be Covering?What Will We Be Covering?

Why use a Request for Proposal?Why use a Request for Proposal? Who’s involved?Who’s involved? How do you determine what to How do you determine what to

evaluate?evaluate? How do you evaluate?How do you evaluate? How do you bulletproof your How do you bulletproof your

evaluation?evaluation?

When Do You Use an RFP?When Do You Use an RFP?

Want to consider factors other than priceWant to consider factors other than price QualificationsQualifications ReferencesReferences Solutions that best meet organizational needsSolutions that best meet organizational needs

End result is known but do not know how End result is known but do not know how to get thereto get there

Multiple solutions availableMultiple solutions available

Project and Evaluation Project and Evaluation TeamTeam

May assist in the development of the May assist in the development of the solicitationsolicitation

May assist in the response to vendor May assist in the response to vendor clarificationsclarifications

May assist in the development of the May assist in the development of the evaluation criteriaevaluation criteria

Reviews and evaluates proposalsReviews and evaluates proposals

Who Should be on the Who Should be on the Team?Team?

Actual End UsersActual End Users Financial Financial ProcurementProcurement Other Agency RepresentativesOther Agency Representatives

Defining Your NeedDefining Your Need

Brainstorming SessionBrainstorming Session What is it you really needWhat is it you really need If a replacement is being procured, what If a replacement is being procured, what

is liked or disliked about the system, is liked or disliked about the system, service, etc. that you already haveservice, etc. that you already have

What functionality or added benefits are What functionality or added benefits are availableavailable

Separate the requirements from the wish Separate the requirements from the wish listlist

Getting StartedGetting Started

Develop a thorough briefing Develop a thorough briefing Adequate backgroundAdequate background Define Define

ObjectiveObjective StrategyStrategy Known requirementsKnown requirements FunctionalityFunctionality

Criteria EssentialsCriteria Essentials

Mandatory RequirementsMandatory Requirements Scored Mandatory RequirementsScored Mandatory Requirements DesirablesDesirables

Mandatory RequirementsMandatory Requirements Describes the deliverables Describes the deliverables

What is requiredWhat is required When will it occurWhen will it occur End resultEnd result Detail is essentialDetail is essential

Pass/Fail – no ifs, ands, or butsPass/Fail – no ifs, ands, or buts Must be measurableMust be measurable

Identify the minimum acceptable limitsIdentify the minimum acceptable limits

RequirementsRequirements

Mandatory requirements that are not Mandatory requirements that are not well written or well planned may well written or well planned may result in:result in: An unacceptable project or serviceAn unacceptable project or service Cancellation of the RFPCancellation of the RFP Additional costs Additional costs Legal problemsLegal problems

Vague DetailVague Detail

The scanning system must be able to The scanning system must be able to capture and edit high resolution for capture and edit high resolution for output to a laser image setter for all output to a laser image setter for all documents.documents.

Better DetailBetter Detail

The scanning system must capture The scanning system must capture and edit high resolution (up to 1,200 and edit high resolution (up to 1,200 dots per inch) for output to a laser dots per inch) for output to a laser image and must accommodate image image and must accommodate image areas up to 11 inches by 17 inches. areas up to 11 inches by 17 inches. Proposer shall include any published Proposer shall include any published literature verifying the proposed literature verifying the proposed system meets this requirement.system meets this requirement.

MeasurementMeasurement

Need: A technician to respond quickly Need: A technician to respond quickly to photocopier maintenance requeststo photocopier maintenance requests Proposer must have a local office with a Proposer must have a local office with a

30-mile radius of the main office.30-mile radius of the main office. Doesn’t guarantee quick responseDoesn’t guarantee quick response

Proposer must provide evidence of the Proposer must provide evidence of the ability to respond to service calls within ability to respond to service calls within two hours of initial call.two hours of initial call.

Scorable Mandatory Scorable Mandatory RequirementsRequirements

Proposers must provide a responseProposers must provide a response Defined point valueDefined point value

Added value (beyond the requirement)Added value (beyond the requirement) QualificationsQualifications ReferencesReferences

DesirablesDesirables

Proposers are not required to Proposers are not required to respondrespond

Wish ListWish List Not required but would like to haveNot required but would like to have

Defined point valueDefined point value

Defining Point ValuesDefining Point Values List all items to be scoredList all items to be scored Categorize into themes or groupsCategorize into themes or groups Prioritize and weigh by importancePrioritize and weigh by importance Discuss how each will be evaluatedDiscuss how each will be evaluated

Clear measurement Clear measurement Preference for specific solutions or responsesPreference for specific solutions or responses Comparison to the pastComparison to the past

Ensure points are available for the method Ensure points are available for the method of evaluationof evaluation

Test the evaluationTest the evaluation

Pricing ProposalsPricing Proposals

Scored Mandatory RequirementScored Mandatory Requirement Defined point valueDefined point value Define how the pricing is to be Define how the pricing is to be

submittedsubmitted Provide a pricing form to ensure Provide a pricing form to ensure

uniformityuniformity Mandatory vs. desirable pricingMandatory vs. desirable pricing

Submitted separately from rest of Submitted separately from rest of proposalproposal

Evaluating Pricing ProposalsEvaluating Pricing Proposals

Easy ComparisonEasy Comparison Clear formula determines lowest costClear formula determines lowest cost

Intermediate ComparisonIntermediate Comparison Matrix of pricingMatrix of pricing Unable to easily determine lowest cost from face Unable to easily determine lowest cost from face

valuevalue Complex ComparisonComplex Comparison

No way to determine lowest cost from face valueNo way to determine lowest cost from face value Too many unknownsToo many unknowns

BulletproofingBulletproofing Do your homework Do your homework

AffordabilityAffordability AvailabilityAvailability

Define your requirementsDefine your requirements Define your evaluation processDefine your evaluation process Educate the teamEducate the team

Do’s and don’tsDo’s and don’ts User friendly evaluation formsUser friendly evaluation forms

Helpful HintsHelpful Hints

Don’t scatter information that Don’t scatter information that requires responserequires response

Provide evaluation forms to teamProvide evaluation forms to team Ensure involvement of your teamEnsure involvement of your team Having the team meet prior to Having the team meet prior to

scoringscoring Post project reviewPost project review

Questions?Questions?

Thank you for coming – Happy Thank you for coming – Happy Holidays!!Holidays!!