Data Room - General Guidance: Partnerships Victoria PPP projects generally require significant market interaction including the issuing of the RFP and addenda, responding to Q&A clarifications and providing other relevant associated project information e.g. policy, standards, frameworks, feasibility studies, site information reports, demand estimates etc. Given the size and nature of these projects, there is a need for the interface with Respondents to be managed in a secure, organised and timely manner. The efficiency of this interaction process can be enhanced by the implementation of a Data Room to store and control access to information. It is common practice on all Partnership Victoria PPP projects for the State to adopt a virtual or Electronic Data Room (EDR). This form of cloud-based tender management is less time-consuming and labour-intensive, reduces manual processes, improves access, document security and the searching of large volumes of documents. There are several EDR providers in the marketplace who can set up, host, maintain, train, support and archive the EDR on behalf of the State. It is recommended that the State undertake their own research and due diligence on EDR providers to determine which EDR product functionality best meets the project specific needs of the State to enable the smooth and efficient running of all elements of the ITP. The State should consider making the Data Room available to Respondents prior to the release of the RFP and ideally when the EOI commences subject to potential Respondents acknowledging and agreeing to the Terms and Conditions. |
Data Room Management Plan - General Guidance: All Respondents should be offered the same opportunity to access Proposal related information and the State must not discriminate between Respondents in providing access to this information. The State should take steps well in advance of the Tender Process commencing to establish sound internal processes for controlling and monitoring the flow of information to and from Respondents. Communication of any Proposal related information should be in keeping with an approved predetermined process, in writing, and forwarded through the State Representative or relevant Project representative. Communication with any Respondent in respect of any aspect of the Tender Process should be held in accordance with a Data Room Management Plan. The purpose of the Data Room Management Plan is to document processes for the implementation and ongoing maintenance of the Data Room during the RFP Phase of the Project addressing the following issues: • key roles and responsibilities; • the initial identification and uploading of documents to the Data Room; • subsequent uploading (or revision) of documents in the Data Room; • removal of documents from the Data Room; • monitoring Data Room usage and interaction; • access to Data Room for project team members; • the question and answer process; and • relevant probity requirements. To ensure an effective Data Room is maintained throughout the RFP Phase, it is critical that the Data Room administrator manages all Data Room processes in accordance with the Data Room Management Plan. |