a) The two-stage bidding process shall comprise of an RFQ Stage as well as an RFP Stage. As part of the RFQ Stage, interested parties shall complete their registration in order to become Registered Entities. An RFQ document shall be issued to Registered Entities inviting them to participate in the bidding process. The Applicants shall thereafter submit their Applications in response to the RFQ.
b) The RFQ Stage of the bidding process shall include pre-qualification and shortlisting. The Applications shall be evaluated on the basis of pre-determined qualifying criteria stipulated in the RFQ. The Pre-Qualified Bidders shall thereafter be shortlisted in accordance with the process stipulated in the RFQ. The maximum number of Shortlisted Bidders shall be 5 (five).
c) Only those Applicants who pre-qualify and are shortlisted in line with the criteria set out in the RFQ under this RFQ Stage, shall be eligible to submit their Proposals during the RFP Stage of the bidding process.
d) During the RFP Stage, subject to the qualification criteria, the Shortlisted Bidders may be invited to submit their Technical Proposals and Financial Proposals in two separate, sealed envelopes enclosed together in an outer single envelope. Initially only the Technical Proposals shall be opened and evaluated in accordance with the RFP on the basis of the pre-determined selection criteria stipulated in the RFP. Thereafter, the Financial Proposals of only those Shortlisted Bidders who are compliant and who conformed to the specified requirements under the technical evaluation shall be opened and evaluated in accordance with the criteria stipulated in the RFP in order to select the Preferred Bidder.
e) Alternatively, during the RFP Stage, subject to the qualification criteria, the Shortlisted Bidders may be invited to submit only their Financial Proposals in sealed envelopes. Financial Proposals of the Shortlisted Bidders shall be opened and evaluated in accordance with the criteria stipulated in the RFP in order to select the Preferred Bidder.