What is a tender debrief?

A tender debrief is a formal feedback session where contracting authorities explain to unsuccessful bidders why their tender was not successful, covering evaluation scores, weaknesses, and the winning bid's advantages.

What is a Tender Debrief?

A tender debrief is a structured feedback process where public sector contracting authorities provide unsuccessful bidders with detailed information about why their tender submission was not selected. This mandatory process under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 helps suppliers understand their performance and improve future bids.

Legal Requirements and Timing

Under Regulation 55 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, contracting authorities must provide debriefs to unsuccessful tenderers within 15 days of receiving a written request. The debrief must be delivered within 48 hours if requested during the standstill period (minimum 10 calendar days between award decision and contract signature).

The debrief must include specific information: the relative advantages of the successful tender, the unsuccessful bidder's score and feedback on their submission's strengths and weaknesses, and details of any characteristics and advantages of the winning bid. Authorities cannot disclose commercially sensitive information or details that would prejudice fair competition in future procurements.

What's Covered in a Debrief

Debriefs typically cover evaluation scores against each award criterion, specific areas where the submission was strong or weak, examples of how responses could have been improved, and clarification of how the evaluation was conducted. The contracting authority should explain their scoring methodology and provide constructive feedback that helps suppliers understand the gap between their bid and the winner.

For complex procurements, debriefs may be conducted face-to-face or via video conference, allowing for interactive discussion. Written debriefs are more common for straightforward tenders. Some authorities provide template feedback forms to ensure consistency across all unsuccessful bidders.

Benefits and Best Practice

Effective debriefs benefit both suppliers and contracting authorities. Suppliers gain valuable insights to improve future bids, whilst authorities demonstrate transparency and professionalism in their procurement processes. This helps maintain market engagement and encourages continued participation from capable suppliers.

Best practice includes providing specific, actionable feedback rather than generic comments, explaining scoring rationales clearly, and being available to answer follow-up questions within reason. Authorities should ensure debrief information is consistent with their evaluation records and avoid raising expectations about future procurement opportunities unless genuinely appropriate.