Simplified bidding for public sector contracts
18 February, 2016This article was first published on the Enterprise Europe Network on 12/01/2016.
A new process has been introduced which aims at simplifying the way businesses bid for public contracts and at encouraging small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to participate in public tenders.
The European Public Procurement Document (ESPD) was adopted on 5th January 2016 as part of the implementation of EU Directive 2014 on public procurement.
It is a standard electronic document that a company willing to participate in a public tender will be asked to fill in and which replaces the documents and self-declarations that businesses previously had to submit in order to prove their suitability and reliability to bid for public contracts.
Established at European level as a universal template, it will be accepted by public buyers in all EU member states which means that cross-border tendering should become easier.
From 26 January, bidders will use the ESPD to declare that none of the non-exclusion grounds apply to their company, and that their company meets the relevant selection criteria for the contract.
Once the evaluation stages have taken place, only the successful bidder will be required to submit all documentation to evidence that it qualifies for the contract.
It is anticipated that contracting (public) authorities will start using the ESPD from the end of January and that the Crown Commercial Service will issue guidance imminently.
However the new EU legislation does not require the exclusive use of electronic communication in public procurement processes until 18th October 2018. This means that until that date it is likely that bidders will be asked to print off and complete the form manually before submitting it electronically.
The ESPD form and the EU Regulation are available here.
Enterprise Europe Network provide a Tenders Alerting Service for clients looking to monitor public procurement contracts. Our specialist advisers can also advise on getting ready for winning public contracts internationally. For more information or to find out more about the new legislation contact us on 0845 641 9955 or email [email protected]
