I have recently written a tender for a client spending my time as usual gathering information, ensuring the model of delivery is what the commissioner requires, reviewing, uploading and being ‘compliant’ with the commissioning LA processes. To our surprise (or was it really?) we got a message from procurement last week to say ‘Unfortunately after careful consideration the Council have taken the decision not to award this contract due to a change in requirements. We thank you for the time you have taken in order to prepare your documentation/submission and hope this does not prevent you from submitting in future’.

My questions are:
1) Why do LA commissioners not get their ‘requirements’ right in the first place so they can avoid valuable resource, time and money for both themselves and their potential suppliers?
2) Do they really think that we will be ‘encouraged’ to submit bids in the future with the knowledge that they can ‘change their minds’ mid process and withdraw the opportunity?
3) I am being a cynic to think they have tested the market for price (there was no indicative budget and asked us to price accordingly) and to gather training lesson plans and models of delivery that they can now deliver internally?

This is not the first time this has happened and I am sure there are plenty of other examples of this happening but are they really being ‘fair, transparent and offering equal treatment’ to suppliers as per good old procurement rules?!