How to overcome e-tendering communication issues

e-tendering process

You’re clear on what you want to achieve from your e-tendering process, but are your suppliers?

​An e-tendering process has many benefits but there is one BIG drawback – e-tendering processes can fail if communication is poor.

How can this be avoided?

How do we ensure we communicate effectively with ALL suppliers at the same time and remain compliant with public procurement law?

In this blog I shall highlight common communication difficulties buyers experience when using e-tendering processes and suggest strategies to overcome each communication issue.

Maintaining supplier relationships
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Once a tender process is live, all individual supplier communications must stop.

​This can be particularly difficult for your existing supplier who you talk to on a daily basis.

​They message you and just want to ask you a quick question about the tender process.

You discuss the tender with your incumbent supplier, which compromises the legality of your tender process.

​How can this situation be avoided?

All communication must be provided through a controlled method and be fully auditable. Acceptable methods of communication include:

• a message through the e-tendering portal,
• a joint supplier event, conference call, and/or webinar,
• a guidance document.

 
The key thing to remember is suppliers must receive the same information at the same time. 
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If you involve procurement in your tender process, you can refer all supplier questions to the procurement department.

This means you can maintain your day to day working relationship with your supplier and procurement can answer all their awkward questions.

Answering supplier questions 
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It's your first time running an e-tendering process. You’ve had a hectic week; you are ready to go home. You send a response to a supplier question through the e-tendering portal and leave the office.

Only one supplier understands what your message relates to. All other suppliers are confused.

​You return to work on Monday to find multiple clarification messages in response to your message.  

A supplier’s biggest fear is miss understanding an instruction or missing vital information.

If you make changes to the tender process without alerting suppliers to exactly what has changed, it causes suppliers stress!

This situation can be avoided by creating a clarification question log. 

Every question a supplier asks is recorded in the question log along with your response. The question log is shared with all suppliers, at the same time through the e-tendering portal and updated and re-shared at regular intervals.  
 
Suppliers who join the procurement process at any point can read questions previously asked by other suppliers.

​This avoids answering the same question multiple times and ensures that you provide a response to every question asked.

Setting realistic timescales 
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The e-tendering process will require you to communicate to suppliers your timescales for the start and end of the tender process. 

The time allocated to suppliers to prepare and submit their response must be sufficient.

After the tender is released, it may become clear that your instructions are not commonly understood. And you may need to revisit your tender documentation.

If this is the case, tell suppliers when you will provide the revised information.  
 
The key is to create a realistic timescale and aim to stick to it, as far as possible. ​This helps suppliers to plan their workload and resources too. 
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If your timescales do slip, promptly advise suppliers of your revised timescales.

Leaving suppliers in the dark (once the deadline has passed) will only lead to more questions from suppliers and more work for you. 

In summary
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e-tendering best practice is about communicating effectively. Before sending a communication to suppliers, take an objective look at the facts:

• is my ask clear?  
• am I using plain English?
• Can my message be simplified?

  
Share your written communications with your co-workers, ask them to validate your tender message.

​Do they understand it? If your co-workers understand your message, hopefully your suppliers will understand it too. 
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By improving your written communication skills you will get the best from your suppliers and your e-tendering process too.

About the author 
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Naomi Clews

Naomi Clews is a UK public procurement consultant with over 18 years experience of running successful e-tending public procurement processes on behalf of the NHS and the UK Government.