The decision what to buy and who to buy it from is a pivotal moment in any procurement. For public officials, deciding who to contract with for a big, long-term project can feel akin to buying your first new car, committing to a house, or choosing your life partner! The decision of who to contract with also will not only directly impact how a government is able to deliver services to residents, it will also mean that some vendors—and not others—are awarded a government contract and allocated public resources. For this reason, the decision must also be open, fair, and transparent.
This how-to guide will offer suggestions for approaching proposal evaluation as a tool for systematic decision-making. You'll learn how to customize your approach to proposal evaluation along standard dimensions at all stages of the evaluation, while still balancing fairness, consistency, openness, and efficiency.