In planning procurement, ministries/agencies, municipalities and broader public-sector partners (referred to in this section collectively as "proponents") should:
• at the outset, list all the skills inputs required during procurement;
• consult with other departments and organizations that have carried out similar initiatives, to assess whether all the inputs that they may need have been identified;
• identify the in-house expertise available for the initiative before considering the role to be played by external advisers. This way, proponents will avoid appointing external advisers who replicate what is already available or appoint an overqualified organization for relatively routine functions;
• ensure there is an open and fair process for the selection of external advisers;
• in retaining external expertise, consider opportunities to transfer skills so that in subsequent procurements, there is less dependence on external advisers; and
• appoint an initiative manager and decide on an initiative management structure and membership at the outset.