Evaluation Criteria

The predetermined standards and weightings used to assess and score bids in public procurement, ensuring fair, transparent evaluation against requirements.

How it works

Evaluation criteria are the specific standards, requirements and weightings that public sector organisations use to assess and score supplier bids during procurement exercises. These criteria must be established before the procurement process begins and clearly communicated to potential suppliers in the tender documentation.

Under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, contracting authorities must evaluate tenders using either the most economically advantageous tender (MEAT) approach or lowest price. For MEAT evaluations, criteria typically include quality, technical merit, aesthetic and functional characteristics, environmental considerations, running costs, cost-effectiveness, after-sales service, technical assistance, and delivery date.

Criteria are assigned percentage weightings that reflect their relative importance to the contract. For example, a complex IT project might weight technical capability at 60%, price at 30%, and social value at 10%. Each criterion includes sub-criteria with detailed scoring methodologies, often using 0-5 or 0-10 point scales with clear descriptors for each score level.

Why it matters

Well-designed evaluation criteria ensure procurement decisions are made objectively, transparently and in accordance with legal requirements. They protect against bias, discrimination and challenge by unsuccessful bidders. The criteria must be relevant and proportionate to the contract's subject matter and value.

Poor evaluation criteria can lead to procurement challenges, delays and potential legal action. They must be sufficiently detailed to enable consistent scoring across multiple evaluators whilst remaining practical to apply. The weightings should reflect genuine procurement priorities rather than being artificially constructed to favour particular suppliers or approaches.