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Bid Preparation Service

With multi-million dollar contracts on the line, a professionally developed and compliant bid document can provide a winning result.  There is more to the process than merely preparing a document and making sure it is submitted on time.  Other crucial elements include:

·            Assessing the competition and ensuring your bid scores highest technical marks

·            Developing a communication strategy during and following the bid process

·            Assigning a critical path for staff to feed individual contributions into the document

·            Ensuring the format and contents meet the requirements of the RFI, RFQ or RFP and especially the compliance selection criteria

·            Designing a document that is professional looking and easy for the customer to read and review 

·            Coordinating revisions and additions as the bid document progresses

·            Proof-reading and editing to ensure content is appropriate and accurate

PAI has a proven track record for assisting its clients in pre-qualifying, becoming short-listed for negotiations, preparing winning proposals for competitive railway and systems bids and preparing winning Best And Final Offer (BAFO) bids.  PAI has prepared complete technical and program documentation for system, vehicle and vehicle subsystem bids for submission to transit, airport and railway authorities.

PAI has provided comprehensive bid support services to clients for over 20 different projects in countries such as Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Canada and the United States. 

Our success is due to our systematic application of an established and proven set of steps that address all aspects of an international bid preparation process.

PAI’s process as described is completely customizable, depending on the needs of the client and the particular project. 

Phases in the Bid Preparation Process

The four key phases in the PAI bid Preparation Process are:

1. Start Up

2. Draft

3. Finalization and Production

4. Post-bid Submission

A sample of some of the individual tasks for Phases 1 through 3 and their sequence are shown in the following figure.

These tasks are assigned to either PAI or its client (or a Consortium). However, these assignments can be changed to accommodate particular requirements.  PAI’s role can range from providing the tools to complete all of the tasks, overseeing and coordinating each task of the Bid Preparation Process, to preparing or reviewing technical documentation, or all of these tasks.

Phase 1: Start Up

The following six tasks simplify the preparation of a bid.  These tasks ensure that:

·         Bid requirements are transformed into a comprehensive set of lower level tasks.

·         Structure and format guidelines are established.

·         Final documents are fully responsive to the Transit Authority’s request.

1. Review and Analysis of Bid Documentation

PAI will review and analyze the complete set of bid documents, performing a Requirements Analysis which is translated into an Annotated Table of Contents (ATOC) for the bid submission.   This document is a valuable planning tool for the rest of the bid preparation work.  The ATOC is completed and distributed to all team members early in the process.

PAI assists in this activity by supplying our standard format, performing the Requirements Analysis and drafting the ATOC.

2. Bid Plan and Schedule

PAI develops a Bid Plan and accompanying Schedule for each bid preparation.  It has been PAI’s experience that soliciting input from all team members and stakeholders early in the work effort is beneficial.  This input helps to anticipate time constraints, such as the impact of other work on the bid submission, the availability of key staff, and design issues.  The Bid Plan is developed from the Requirements Analysis.

Each department or group from both PAI and the client, is requested to provide input regarding tasks, durations and issues known or expected to have an impact on the bid preparation and submission.

3. Client Meeting

An initial briefing meeting with the assembled team members serves to reinforce the collective effort required for the bid preparation work.  A Client Meeting is used to accomplish this step.  It also provides an opportunity to:

·        Review the Bid Plan and Schedule.

·        Establish procedures for submitting and receiving data.

·        Distribute final versions of reference material required for the work, such as the configuration summary (see below) and acronyms list.

It is imperative that both PAI and its client agree on the Bid Plan and Schedule before the work effort begins.  Task assignments are made once the Plan and Schedule have been agreed upon.

4. Document Templates and Internal Bid Manual

A quality bid provides the Transit Authority with all the required information, presented in a clear and easily understood format.  Achieving this can be a challenge, as there are often time constraints, lack of clarity or specificity in the bidding documents, and the need to protect proprietary information, all contributing to the challenge.  The Bid Manual simplifies the integration of material from a variety of sources into the final document.  It also defines the technical and stylistic standards that are to be followed in preparing the bid, and includes the document template.  Hence, the system contractor, subcontractors and vendors have explicit guidelines for providing input into the bid package, which greatly simplifies the assembly of the final bid document during the subsequent phases of the bid preparation.  This manual is customizable depending on bid requirements.

5. Communication and Action Tracking Protocols

PAI utilizes an action tracking database for the management of all its activities during the preparation of a bid.  PAI issues regular action item reports to all team members in order to track and monitor compliance with the schedule.

Communication guidelines and protocols are agreed at the Client Meeting and are included in the Internal Bid Manual.

6. Configuration Summary

A critical early activity is the selection of the design concept.  Once the concept has been selected, a Configuration Summary defines the concept and guides the design activities of all the participating companies.  The Configuration Summary is a controlled document that is issued with a version number to communicate all concept changes.

 Phase 2: Drafting (First and Second Drafts)

1. Compliance Matrix

The Compliance Matrix is a tool provided by PAI to its clients to assist them in effectively managing their scope and that of their suppliers, thereby enabling them to refine their price offer. 

The Compliance Matrix is a complete copy of the Technical Specification formatted into a spreadsheet with each explicit requirement having its own numbered row. 

Each requirement is assigned to a design authority, which is either the contractor, subcontractor or both.  The Compliance Matrix provides a definitive means for making these assignments and for obtaining confirmation of compliance with the Technical Specification.  This enables PAI’s clients to carefully review each and every requirement to determine their degree of compliance with the entire Specification.  This process has been extremely helpful in determining precise areas of non-compliance and where exceptions must be declared.

With increasing frequency, the Transit Authorities are requiring that a Compliance Matrix or detailed Exceptions List be submitted with the bid submission.

 2. Systems Engineering Support

PAI prepares the technical bid document for the client to present to the Transit Authority.  It includes the client’s design concept, a commentary regarding the interpretation of the design package provided by the client, and subsystem information.

PAI’s Systems Engineering responsibilities can include some or all of the following:

1.            Preparation of the Configuration Summary.

2.             Preparation, as required, of any subcontractor Subsystem Technical Specifications.

3.             Review of the client-prepared Subsystem Technical Specifications for clarity, sizing, etc.

4.            Preparation of Request for Clarifications to be submitted to the Transit Authority, as appropriate.

5.          Recommendation of any additional figures, drawings and/or other information required from the client to enhance the technical bid contents.

6.          Confirmation of the suppliers’ submissions versus the Subsystem Technical Specification issued by the Transit Authority and the client’s configuration and design requirements.

7.            Confirmation that suppliers have submitted all the requirements of the Transit Authority’s bid documents, PAI’s client Request For Proposal requirements and ensuring they are comprehensive and fully responsive.

8.            Coordination and/or presentation of requests for clarification from suppliers, where compliance is unclear.  PAI will notify the client of areas where the supplier is non-compliant.

9.            Recommendations to the client of how to address areas of potential non-compliance.

10.       Preparation of assigned technical bid sections with information provided by the client and/or supplier submissions.

11.       Integration of the technical sections into the entire bid, with consistency of terminology and technical information among the sections and highlighting the technical strengths which are the selling points.

12.         Review of the Compliance Matrix sections to confirm that the bid document accurately reflects the contents of the technical bid descriptions and vice versa.  Ultimately, the client takes responsibility for the engineering design drawings, Compliance Matrix and technical description offered in the bid.  However, PAI’s Systems Engineers are required to demonstrate the process by which they develop technical statements that are included within the bid.

3. Procurement Support

PAI offers Procurement Support to its clients during the preparation of the bid.  PAI has developed a process, documentation, templates and guidelines that facilitate the collection of supplier submissions, which in turn reduces the efforts of PAI’s client.

PAI has prepared and transmitted Supplier Commercial Specifications to define and control the submission requirements for the various commercial forms from subsystem suppliers, which need to be included in the bid document.

PAI prepares, issues and monitors responses to the Supplier Request for Proposal document.  PAI’s key to successful management in the preparation of this document is a comprehensive definition of work scope, unambiguous requirements and firm and specific contractual terms and conditions.

PAI will obtain proposals from potential suppliers and assist its clients in supplier selection, negotiation and administration to the level desired.  PAI will support its clients by reviewing the suppliers submissions, preparing an evaluation summary and advising of non-compliance and other supplier issues.

Quality Assurance

PAI has developed checklists that are customized for each bid, to be used by all of the team members participating in the preparation of the bid.  This includes the technical author and reviewer as well as editor and format reviewers.  These checklists are used to ensure that all sections of a document have been thoroughly reviewed for technical accuracy, correct grammar and language usage and quality before submission to the Transit Authority.

 Phase 3: Finalization and Production

The finalization and production may take place both on and off-site and with the client present to make important comments, changes and final decisions.  The following six tasks outline this process.

1.             A Mock-Up of the entire bid document is presented to the client.

2.             The client reviews all sections of the mock-up using the PAI Finalization and Change Sheets.  These sheets are used to track the progress of the document and are the mechanism for recording comments made by the client.  Team members use the comments provided on the sheets to make all requested changes.  As they review the mock-up, the client is asked to continue using Finalization and Change Sheets to identify any changes that are required.

3.             PAI team members ensure that all changes requested by the client are made.

4.             During the final review of the bid document, with Change Sheets attached, the client signs-off that they are satisfied with the quality and content of the document.  The document is finalized only when it has the client’s signature.

5.             The printing of the bid document is organized in advance by PAI.  The number of pages, number and size of binders and the time necessary to do the printing will have already been established.  After the client has signed off the bid sections, the document goes to print.

6.             PAI team members are responsible for page count, preparation of binders, and page insertion into the binders. At this time, the client may request “last minute” changes. All changes are made and printed only after the initial print job is complete. “Last minute” changes are also addressed by means of a Change Sheet ensuring that the proposal is under configuration control.

Phase 4: Post-bid Submission

The bid preparation process does not end with the submission of the bid document.  While the fourth phase, Post-bid Submission, is generally not as intensive as Phases 1, 2 and 3, it still requires effective coordination of activities and communication among team members. The implementation of Post-bid Submission procedures ensures that team members remain aware of all developments and can continue to contribute in an effective manner. These procedures also ensure that there is traceability for all changes made to the bid.

The most common steps in this phase include presentations to the Transit Authority, responses to Clarification Questions and preparation of a Best and Final Offer.

Presentations to the Transit Authority

It is a common bid requirement that a formal Presentation be made to the Transit Authority explaining the Team organization, its experience, design expertise and proposed design.  It is critical that responsibilities are clearly assigned to the team members and schedules are prepared and distributed to ensure that presentations are completed on time.  Team practice sessions prior to presentations to the client are valuable, particularly when there is a time limit to complete the presentation.  This provides an opportunity for team members to rehearse their delivery, time themselves and receive feedback regarding quality of the presentation.

Clarification Questions

The preparation of an assignment list and schedule for the completion of Clarification Questions is a valuable step of the fourth phase.  The preparation and distribution of templates can ensure a common format for replies to questions by all team members.  PAI offers support in this stage by preparing templates for all necessary submissions and reviewing work for both technical accuracy and quality.

A record of the impact of the answers on the bid content, scope of work and Compliance Matrix is maintained. A revision record that directly relates to the Transit Authority’s question scheme and format is constructed.

Best and Final Offer

For a completely new bid, the process of Phases 1, 2 and 3 are repeated. When permitted by the Transit Authority’s requirements, the original proposal is revised showing revision markings and includes revision logs in each section.

Experience

The following is a sample list of bids prepared using PAI’s Bid Preparation Service.  All were the successfully awarded to PAI’s Clients. 

·        New York City Transit (NYCT) R142, R143, R160, contracts.

·        Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH), PA-5 rail cars

·        Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), Blue Line/Orange Line and Greenbush bi-level commuter rail cars

·        Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), 6000 Series rapid transit cars,, RFP TC-6000/TGB

·        Chicago Metropolitan Area (METRA), Gallery Type Commuter Rail Cars

·      GO Transit - Union Station Rail Corridor Infrastructure Improvement Program for Signals, Electrical & Communications RFP No. IT-2005-GT-009 (pending)

·        Metro-North Commuter Railroad (MNR) - Auxiliary Inverter / Inverter Single Ended Blower / Battery Charger for M2 cars 

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