A market consultation is a formal process by which a contracting authority gathers feedback and information from potential bidders before the formal tender is issued. This process allows suppliers to provide input on the tender design, technical specifications, and feasibility of the stated requirements. Market consultations give companies the opportunity to influence the procurement call at an early stage, which can lead to more favorable terms for their own offer.
Market consultations are important because they allow you to understand the needs and expectations of the contracting authority before the formal tender takes place. This gives you the opportunity to ask questions, get clarifications, and make suggestions that can influence the procurement to your advantage. By participating in a market consultation, you can gather valuable information that will make your bid stronger, while also having the opportunity to demonstrate your expertise and added value to the contracting authority.
Benefits of market consultations:
1. Prepare well:
Before participating in a market consultation, it is important to be well prepared. Read through the existing documentation and understand the scope of the potential procurement. Make a list of questions, suggestions and points you want to discuss, and make sure you can back them up well with facts and examples. This may also mean conducting an internal SWOT analysis to determine where your company sees opportunities.
2. Ask relevant questions:
Market consultations provide an opportunity to ask questions about the technical requirements, execution, and schedule of the contract. Ask questions that can not only strengthen your own position, but also contribute to the clarity of the tender as a whole. For example, if you feel certain technical requirements are too stringent, you can ask for clarification and suggest alternatives that are equally effective but better suited to your expertise.
3. Make suggestions that add value:
Use market consultation to make proactive suggestions that add value for the contracting authority. This could include innovative solutions, alternative methods of risk management, or ways to control costs. Show that you can not only identify problems, but also offer solutions that align with the contracting authority's objectives.
4. Show your expertise:
Market consultations provide a platform to demonstrate your expertise and experience to the contracting authority. By asking insightful questions and making valuable suggestions, you can position yourself as a serious and competent party. This can help favor the contracting authority over your bid once the tender is officially published.
5. Pay attention to signals from the contracting authority:
During market consultation, the contracting authority may raise certain preferences, concerns or priorities. Pay close attention to these signals and adjust your tender accordingly. This may mean that you put extra emphasis on specific aspects in your plan of approach or that you pay more attention to topics discussed during the consultation.
6. Open yourself to dialogue:
A market consultation is not only an opportunity to speak, but also to listen. Be open to dialogue with the contracting authority and with other market participants. Sometimes insights can emerge during the consultation that you had not yet considered, and which can further strengthen your strategy.
7. Prepare an internal report of the market consultation:
Document the main points raised during the market consultation, including feedback from the contracting authority and suggestions you made. Use this report to further improve your risk management plan, USPs, and other parts of your bid.
Suppose you are participating in a market consultation for a large infrastructure procurement. During the consultation, you find out that the contracting authority is concerned about possible delays in the supply chain. This gives you an opportunity to put extra emphasis on your risk management measures in your bid and show how your company can solve this problem. By proposing an alternative approach, you can convince the contracting authority that your company is better prepared than competitors.
Common mistakes in market consultations:
Market consultations offer a unique opportunity to influence the final procurement request. By participating well prepared, asking relevant questions and making valuable suggestions, you can not only help shape the tender conditions in your favor, but also strengthen your position by demonstrating your expertise. Market consultations are a strategic tool that, if used properly, can significantly increase your chances of success in the procurement process.
