Procurement process acronyms explained

Procurement Process Acromyms

ITT, RFQ, PQQ, RFP, RFI, PIN, what is this strange language I am speaking?

​In this blog post, management consultant Naomi Clews demystifies the most important public procurement  process acronyms for you.

Naomi Clews explains what each procurement acronym stands for and at which stage of the public procurement process the procurement acronym is relevant. If you want to be clued up on procurement language read on. ​

What is an acronym?

​The Cambridge Dictionary defines an acronym as an abbreviation  consisting of the first letters of each word in the name of something, pronounced as a word. For example, CCS is an acronym for the Crown Commercial Service.

Why are acronyms important?
​

​The correct use of acronyms is important because they provide universal understanding across languages. 
 
My professional qualifications are better known by their acronym and my chartered institute is better known by its acronym!

​Over 66 percent of all organisations I’ve previously worked for - are better known by their acronym – National Health Service (NHS)
 
If you want to succeed in the business world, having a basic understanding of how and when to use acronyms is essential.

Tender process acronym - list
​

ITT
Invitation To Tender

RFQ
Request For Quote
 

RFP
Request For Proposal
 

RFI
Request For Information
 

RFT
Request For Tender
 

PQQ
Pre Qualification Questionnaire
 

SQ
Standard Selection Questionnaire
 

ESPD
European Single Procurement Document 
 

PIN
Prior Information Notice
 

EOI
Expression Of Interest
 

MEAT
Most Economic Advantageous Tender
 ​

What does each procurement acronym mean?
​

Below I have provided a concise description of the procurement acronym and the intended purpose in the procurement process. 

What is ITT in procurement?

ITT is the acronym for Invitation To Tender.

An ITT is used in a competitive procurement process as an instruction manual to assist suppliers in responding to the procurement tender.

​The public sector can also issues tender instruction manuals called: 
​

• RFQ is the acronym for Request For Quote,
• ​RFP is the acronym for Request For Proposal, 
• RFI is the acronym for Request For Information, and 
• RFT is the acronym for Request For Tender.​​

What is the difference between ITT, RFP, RFQ, RFI and RFT?
​

Although the acronyms ITT, RFP, RFQ, RFI and RFT all stand for different things they essentially all ask the same question - do you supply the goods/services I want to buy and what do you charge.  

The use of a particular acronym is often the personal preference of the purchasing organisation or the buyer who completes the tender instruction manual. 

RFI and ITT are the acronyms the UK Government prefers to us for competitive procurement processes. However, the acronyms RFI and ITT are not synonymous with public procurement internationally or in the UK. 

For example, the acronym ITT is already in use in the education sector. The ITT acronym stands for Initial Teacher Training. 

The acronyms RFP and RFQ are both internationally recognised acronyms for competitive procurement processes.

A supplier anywhere in the world will understand what the acronyms RFP and RFQ stand for. 

What is PIN?
​

The acronym PIN stands for Prior Information Notice. 

PIN is the tool used by procurement to communicate its intention to tender a requirement at a later date.

The PIN may request any interested supplier submit an EOI which is the acronym for Expression of Interest. This may be a simple email to the buyer, ticking a box in a tender portal or it may require the supplier to complete an RFI which is the acronym for Request For Information. 

​What is RFI? 
​ 

RFI is the acronym for Request For Information. 

The RFI is a scoping tool used by procurement prior to a procurement tender process. 

The RFI helps the buyer to obtain market information about suppliers, industries and sectors to assist them in writing the tender documents. 

What is PQQ?
​

PQQ is the acronym for Pre Qualification Questionnaire. 

The PQQ is a selection questionnaire that requires suppliers to provide information about their organisation. 

ESPD is the acronym for the European Single Procurement Document. 

​The PQQ was replaced by the SQ in 2016 to fully align the UK to the ESPD. ​However, the PQQ is still used in construction tenders. 
 
SQ is the acronym for the Standard Selection Questionnaire. 

What is ESPD? 
​

ESPD is the acronym for European Single Procurement Document. 

The ESPD is provided exclusively in electronic form in a central location where suppliers can upload supporting documents or other documentary evidence commonly asked for in public procurement processes. 

The ESPD consists of a formal statement by the supplier that the relevant ground for exclusion does not apply and, or alternatively, that the relevant selection criteria is fulfilled and shall provide the relevant information as required by the contracting authority.

The contracting authority can obtain the relevant supplier information and supporting documents by accessing the suppliers ESPD online.

Suppliers may reuse an ESPD which has already been used in a previous procurement procedure, provided that they confirm that the information contained in it continues to be correct. 

What is SQ?
​

SQ is the acronym for Standard Selection Questionnaire.

SQ is a pre qualification questionnaire that all suppliers must complete to provide information about their organisation.

SQ consists of 3 parts.

Part 1 and part 2 consist of questions that must be asked as part of all public procurement tender processes. 

Part 3 replicates the PQQ in that procurement has the freedom to ask their own questions. 

Why is the acronym SQ and not SQQ?
​

The SQ breaks the acronym rule because the Crown Commercial Service are the ultimate procurement authority for the Standard Selection Questionnaire acronym, and they chose SQ.
 
Procurement professionals (I included) have always referred to the Standard Selection Questionnaire as SQ.​

What is MEAT? 
​

MEAT is the acronym for Most Economically Advantageous Tender. 

MEAT is the basis upon which purchasing organisations award contracts to suppliers.

MEAT includes an assessment of both the suppliers quality and price. 

About the author
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Naomi Clews

Naomi Clews, management consultant and owner of boutique procurement advisory firm Naomi Clews Consultancy Limited has 18 years public procurement process knowledge, experience and skills. Find out more here. ​​