A suppliers' meeting (also known as a bidder's conference) is where all tenderers are invited to attend at the same time and venue to discuss the Invitation to Tender (ITT). This can happen before or after ITT is issued. The purpose of the meeting is to highlight and clarify aspects of the ITT. Commercially sensitive information should be guarded at all times (e.g. you may not wish to reveal project/budget information).
Sufficient time must be allowed for tenderers to take account of outcomes from the supplier’s meetings.
The meeting should be opened by setting out the agenda and introducing the personnel involved. This will be followed by a presentation, setting out the aims of the procurement process and expected business benefits. If appropriate, there can then be a walk round of the facilities/site, otherwise it is straight into a question and answer session.
The overriding principle that should be applied is equality of information; questions raised and answers provided should be confirmed in writing and sent to all tenderers whether they were represented at the meeting or not. This information should be provided not later than six working days before the tender return date. In conjunction with the information provided, suppliers may wish to take notes of the proceedings. Suppliers should not however, be permitted to use audio or visual recording equipment at any time during the course of the meeting. This should be made clear to suppliers when invited to attend the meeting.
A suppliers meeting will not always be necessary for every tender exercise. A judgement will have to be made, prior to the issue of the ITT, whether or not such a meeting is required, in order that it may be planned into the procurement timetable.
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