Competitive tender process

In order to achieve value for money, ANSTO uses a range of methods to procure products and services. The choice of method depends on the type of product or service and its overall value.

However, competitive tendering is ANSTO's preferred course of action for supplier selection and is generally utilised when the whole of life value of the goods and services to be purchased exceeds AUD $400,000, including GST. The methods associated with these processes are:

Open/restricted invitations:

• Open tendering: This is where the invitation is publicly available in AusTender for all interested providers to respond. From the AusTender site interested parties can download the invitation documents. AusTender also gives the location, date and time when tenders will close. All whole of life purchases of goods and services greater than $400,000 including GST are publicly advertised unless use of restricted invitations is adopted as per ANSTO internal processes that may also consider the CPG guidelines.

• Restricted/Direct tendering: This is where the invitation is issued to a predetermined, or restricted number of suppliers due to the nature of the requirement. These include: where an initial open market approach has occurred i.e. an EOI; where there are limited suppliers for goods or services such as property; cases of extreme urgency or emergencies such as insurance damage; or where a Commonwealth Government contract exists.
   
• A panel arrangement to support requirements can also be used as a result of the invitation process provided sufficient competitive tension has been established in the selection process. All restricted invitation processes require appropriate ANSTO approval. ANSTO ensures that direct sourcing is not used for the purposes of avoiding competition, or to discriminate against any domestic or foreign business.

Types of invitation

• Expressions of Interest (EOI) is used where the market is being tested for suitable respondents as ANSTO does not know the market fully or where there are likely to be too many respondents and use is made of this process to cull for the next stage of the invitation process;
• Request for Proposal (RFP) is used after an EOI process or directly where the requirement is to seek solutions, or a range of alternative innovative options, to meet ANSTO's needs;
• Request for Tenders (RFT) is used after an EOI process or directly where the requirements are specific and respondents can provide a definitive, quantitative response.
• Request for Quotations (RFQ) is used where the value is less than the $400,000 (including GST) threshold and the requirement is simple in nature i.e. off the shelf items, catalogue items 

Receipt of responses

All responses close at the location nominated by at the stipulated date and time. Late submissions received after the stated deadline will not be considered unless the delay was due solely to mishandling by ANSTO.

Invitation documentation/published criteria

All responses are evaluated as per the published criteria along with any other terms and/or conditions relevant to the evaluation of submissions. Please note that details of weighting, scoring and methodology are not furnished.

Mandatory Requirements. Responses failing to meet the detailed mandatory requirements will be excluded from further assessment and consideration at ANSTO’s sole discretion. Some common selection criteria are:

• Price/cost

Non Price consisting of:

• Meeting the required specifications
• Quality
• Service and support
• Insurance and risk
• Delivery
• Compliance to ANSTO’s standard Terms and Conditions
• Energy, environmental and OH&S aspects

All request documentation includes the following:

• Description of the product or service, and where known, the quantity required.
• Description of the nature of the procurement, the scope and any requirements to be fulfilled, including any detailed technical specifications, conformity certification, plans, drawings, or other materials to assist respondents in submitting a complying response.
• Specific conditions for participation i.e. mandatory requirements including pricing, any technical requirements and documents that potential suppliers are required to submit. Respondents not complying with mandatory requirements are not eligible to be considered for the evaluation process.
• Applicable ANSTO standard terms and conditions are also included along with a compliance statement.  Vendors are to pay particular attention to contracted terms and conditions, as these will not be amended once compliance statement has been agreed.

Evaluation of tenders

In order to preserve the integrity of the competitive process, the evaluation of responses is undertaken objectively, consistently and without bias towards any particular supplier/s.

Responses are evaluated against a pre-determined published set of criteria in the invitation documents. The weighting of criteria is determined before responses are received for evaluation as this provides the evaluation committee the right tools for an ethical, visible and accountable method of awarding a business opportunity that is not biased.

ANSTO will only award a contract to the supplier(s) it considers offers the best value for money and may seek Best and Final Offers (BAFO) as part of the evaluation and negotiation process. All contracts are only awarded after due internal approval processes and any contractual obligations occur only after issue of an official ANSTO purchase order or an executed contract signed by both parties.