4.4.4  The Interactive Tender Process

The interactive tender process involves government holding a series of individual workshops with shortlisted bidders during the RFP 'bid' phase. Interactive workshops are conducted in accordance with the probity framework.

An interactive tender process provides shortlisted bidders with an opportunity to discuss the development of their concepts and designs and to seek clarification and feedback in the context of the government's output requirements, before lodgment of bids.

The objective is to improve the quality of bid submissions, and ultimately deliver better outcomes for the public, through clear communication of the government's requirements to ultimately influence the overall quality of RFP responses received from shortlisted bidders.

An interactive tender process may be appropriate to use where there is a high level of interface risk between government (as operators) and the private sector infrastructure providers (such as with social infrastructure projects). Generally the following types of interactive workshops are offered:

•  technical workshops dealing primarily with design and development approval issues;

•  services workshops; and

•  commercial, legal and/or financial workshops.

An important consideration is to involve technical specialists in these workshops.  The RFP should specify the procedures, timetable and protocols for the interactive tender process.

Further information on the interactive tender process is provided in the Practitioners' Guide.