QUEENSLAND CENTRE FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (QCPD) TENDERING SERVICE: TENDER BID DECISION, PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION PROCEDURES

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1 PROCEDURES QUEENSLAND CENTRE FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (QCPD) TENDERING SERVICE: TENDER BID DECISION, PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION PROCEDURES PURPOSE These procedures provide guidance on the process of tendering for the delivery of education and training services by CQUniversity Australia. They cover sourcing, reaching a decision to bid or not, bid preparation and submission. These procedures apply to University staff engaged in bidding for the delivery of education and training services with government and non-government agencies. They detail the processes for the development, review, approval and submission of tender bids to ensure due diligence, corporate probity and strategically successful tender submissions. These procedures apply to the CQUniversity tendering process for all higher education and VET tenders for education and training courses and their relevant qualifications, as well as for training programs and educational products and services submitted with the assistance of the Queensland Centre for Professional Development (QCPD) Tendering Service. PROCEDURES 1 Sourcing and Deciding upon Tender Bids 1.1 Strategy development in identifying opportunities for tender takes place prior to the release of a Request for Tender / Request for Proposal or a call for an Expression of Interest. It happens as soon as the University knows the client and an opportunity presents itself. 1.2 Having a strong relationship with the procurement agency is a key indicator for bid success. Knowing our competitors in any tendering process is essential for bid success. 1.3 A process of staff awareness-raising to gain an understanding of competitor weaknesses is vital to a whole-of-business approach to tendering. Formal tender training through Staff Development and Training will be offered to all academic staff twice per year. 1.4 Deans / Directors use the Tender Viability Indicator in making the decision to bid or not to bid and this is signed and returned to the Tender Manager and stored in TRIM along with the completed tender documentation submitted. 1.5 Bid / No Bid Process: There are four reasons not to bid with varying levels of corporate risk which must be considered: price, time limitations, reputational damage and staff morale. The Tender Viability Indicator will assist Deans / Directors to value the opportunity by verifying the University s position to pursue the tender, promptly make a bid decision and determine whether or not to initiate a full proposal preparation process. 2 Preparing Bids 2.1 Once the Bid Preparation Team is identified for preparing the bid, the following minimal bid process is undertaken. The Bid Planning Worksheet template is used in order to ensure a winning response to the request for tender. QCPD Tendering Service - Tender Bid Decision, Preparation and Submission Procedures Page 1 of 6

2 The diagram below illustrates the minimal bid process to be followed: Strategy Development Bid / No Bid Compliance Checklist Writing Initial Review Pink Team Review Outline Final Review Red Team Review Submit 2.2 The Bidder Comparison Chart template is used to identify competitors, to mitigate risk and to determine the University s advantage in order to profile itself accordingly and produce a compelling bid. 2.3 Joint or collaborative bids with other universities or companies must be assessed for viability as per the Queensland Centre for Professional Development (QCPD) Tendering Service Procedures. 2.4 Diligence in responding promptly to internal timeframes for preparing a bid is critical. Every effort must be made by approval authorities, as well as those academics / researchers engaged in preparing a proposal, to expedite the tendering process. 3 Pricing Tender Bids 3.1 A Costing Model Template will be used to assist accurate and uniform pricing of services. 3.2 Tender bids will be reviewed for purposes of financial sensitivity, viability and sustainability of the tender in liaison with the Financial Services Division. Cost schedule analysis of individual tenders will also ensure efforts are made to maximise opportunities for collaboration in specific areas of business development, whether in delivery of education and training courses or in commercialisation of research. 3.3 The pricing approach to be taken should be discussed by the Bid Preparation Team prior to the development of a price schedule for individual tenders. The basis of the pricing approach should be duly considered (ie whether on a cost or competitive basis, the prospect s budget / expectation or on a value for money basis). 3.4 A baseline price should be established as early as possible in the bid preparation process along with the baseline solution to be offered. 4 Reviewing Bids 4.1 A systematic bid review process will strengthen the University s capacity to increase its tender win rates. Two review teams should be engaged to assist the Bid Preparation Team. 4.2 The initial review team (Pink Team) will ensure the bid sponsor s as well as senior level commitment to the bid strategy, review the outline and confirm the bid strategy is clearly understood in the executive summary. QCPD Tendering Service - Tender Bid Decision, Preparation and Submission Procedures Page 2 of 6

3 4.3 The final review team (Red Team) will involve senior management (Dean / Director, professional staff) to ensure compliance to tender requirements, the bid s alignment with the key deliverables and the effectiveness of its strategy. 5 Approval, Submission and Handover 5.1 The relevant Dean/Director decides on tender viability using the Tender Viability Indicator and ensures this document is signed off and a Project Lead is nominated. The Director, Queensland Centre for Professional Development (QCPD), Division of Industry, Vocational Training and Access Education, also signs off on the Tender Viability Indicator. 5.2 The Queensland Centre for Professional Development (QCPD) Tender Manager is responsible for coordination of the tender submission in collaboration with the nominated Project Lead. Formal recognition of who is involved in the Bid Preparation Team and their designated responsibilities is required. 5.3 The Queensland Centre for Professional Development (QCPD) Tendering Service is responsible for the submission of the tender offer and storing a record of the tender in TRIM. 5.4 With successful tenders, the relevant Dean / Director is to sign a copy of the contract and return it to the Queensland Centre for Professional Development (QCPD). The Queensland Centre for Professional Development (QCPD) Tender Manager lodges the contract with the procurement agency and ensures a record is placed in TRIM. 5.5 An Implementation Action Plan is designed in collaboration with the Project Lead and responsible officers are nominated. A formal handover to the School / Institute is then completed. 6 Communication and Implementation 6.1 The request for tender is clarified in terms of the source from which the potential bid may come and whether or not there is any existing relationship between the client and the University. 6.2 An accompanying due diligence process will underpin bid preparation, specifically in terms of the compliance requirements of the tender, corporate probity and financial implications. 6.3 Once services are implemented, monitoring of the client relationship will take place through regular client evaluation, an acquittal meeting and post-project review facilitated by the Queensland Centre for Professional Development (QCPD). DEFINITIONS Request for Tender: a request for tender is a formal offer to carry out a stated delivery of services project for an agreed price. Expression of Interest: a call for an Expression of Interest is a precursor to a call for tender but is not a funding mechanism in itself. It is an instrument by which potential applicants can influence and shape work programs and is also used to establish lists of potential tenderers for specific restricted tenders (as distinct from open tenders, to which anyone can apply). Tender Viability Indicator: assists Deans / Directors to assess the tender opportunity by considering its strategic value, potential risks and benefits and the University s position to pursue the tender. Bidder Comparison Chart: the Bidder Comparison Chart is used to identify competitors, to mitigate risk and to determine the University s advantage in order to profile itself accordingly and produce a compelling bid. By researching and analysing the customer and the competitors it assists in validating the tender opportunity. QCPD Tendering Service - Tender Bid Decision, Preparation and Submission Procedures Page 3 of 6

4 Implementation Action Plan: an action plan outlining, for example, a timeline, key milestones and achievements, reports and actions to be achieved by a specifed date and by a responsible person, within the Project Team. It is prepared by the Queensland Centre for Professional Development (QCPD) Tender Manager in consultation with the Project Team. This document, once agreed upon, will be signed off by the Queensland Centre for Professional Development (QCPD) Tender Manager and the Project Lead and will then complete the handover process from the Bid Preparation Team to the Project Team. Costing Model Template: the Costing Model Template was developed in consultation with the University Financial Services Division and is a comprehensive model taking into consideration, for example, direct and indirect costs, overheads, taxes and profit margins. It will be used to assist in the costing of bids to ensure financial sensitivity, viability and sustainability and maximise tendering opportunities. RESPONSIBILITIES The Queensland Centre for Professional Development (QCPD) Tender Manager will be responsible for managing the bid preparation and tender submission process by: a b c d e f sourcing potential business opportunities and preparing tender summaries for uptake by Deans and Directors in alignment with their operational plans and the University s strategic goals; assisting and managing as necessary the preparation of costings and the writing and editing of compelling, clear, fee-for-service proposals for tenders in consultation with internal stakeholders; ensuring compliance with relevant legislative and policy requirements; establishing and maintaining accurate records of all tenders and their outcomes; liaising and consulting with other departments and staff as well as externally to build and sustain relationships, recognising the benefits of engagement whilst working towards mutually beneficial outcomes; and supporting the tendering process and facilitating the relationship between the Procurement Agency / client and the relevant School / Institute. The Tender Manager is not responsible for the project management of the delivery of services bid for and won. RECORDS Records management and the storage of tender documentation will be on TRIM in order to align corporate governance and due diligence requirements as well as ensure accuracy and consistency of corporate information. The Director, Queensland Centre for Professional Development (QCPD), will ensure tender records are stored on the corporate electronic records management system. All documentation associated with the tender process shall be maintained by the University for a period of seven years. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS QCPD Operational Plan 2013 Tender Viability Indicator QCPD Tendering Service - Tender Bid Decision, Preparation and Submission Procedures Page 4 of 6

5 WORKFLOW QCPD Tendering Service - Tender Bid Decision, Preparation and Submission Procedures Page 5 of 6

6 Approval Authority Vice Chancellor and President Administrator Director, Queensland Centre for Professional Development (QCPD) Original Approval Date 4 December 2012 Amendment History Date of Next Review 4 December 2015 Related Documents QCPD Tendering Service - Tender Bid Decision, Preparation and Submission Procedures Page 6 of 6