5.16 Pre-qualification of bidders is essential for the establishment of a successful tendering exercise as it confirms at an early stage the expressions of interest for the market test. Interested bidders should be required to complete a pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) that aims to confirm in outline the financial, technical and operational capability of the organisation to contract for the services. The invitation to submit a PQQ should be accompanied by an outline of the services to be tendered and key requirements of the tendering process. The PPP contractor should ensure that the financial covenant of prospective bidders is equivalent to that required when the contract was first awarded.
The public sector client has a right to challenge the inclusion or exclusion of any company, and is encouraged to suggest companies for inclusion, e.g. where it has evidence of good performance. This challenge should apply equally to pre-qualification lists and the evaluation of responses.