The course content

Programme Agenda

Five practical days that follow the tender process in order: strategy, procedures, tender documents, evaluation and contract award.

5Training days
5Practical themes
1Reference manual of model documents & templates

Day 1 – Setting the Strategy for Bids & Tenders. As a procurement professional you need to lead, or support others, in setting the purchasing strategy and turning it into an effective tender plan.

Key behaviours

What you will practise

  • Leadership within your function
  • Setting the direction of the purchasing project
  • Tender process planning and management
  • Giving advice and guidance to requesting departments
Topics

Topics covered

  • Competitive and non-competitive bids
  • Selecting the tender strategy
  • Creating the tender plan
  • Using e-procurement techniques
  • Analysing tendering risks
  • Choosing the best contract type: lump sum, fixed price, cost reimbursement and measurement contracts
  • Industry-specific contract types

Day 2 – Best Practices in Tender Procedures. As the procurement lead, or a significant contributor to the tender plan, you need an excellent understanding of the tender process and how to add value to it.

Key behaviours

What you will practise

  • Expedite the selection of bidders
  • Facilitate and enhance the development of an internal cost estimate
  • Constructively challenge the requirements assessment
  • Manage the tender activities efficiently and effectively
  • Avoid external communications traps
Topics

Topics covered

  • The end-to-end procurement cycle
  • Seeking expressions of interest
  • Advertising the contract
  • Pre-qualification methodologies
  • The importance of the internal cost estimate
  • What is the role for negotiation?

Day 3 – Optimising the Tender Documents. The tender process depends on bidders receiving documents they can understand and that encourage cost-effective solutions. Every document in the invitation pack can improve or reduce the prospects of a successful competition.

Key behaviours

What you will practise

  • Suggest improvements to the statement of requirements
  • Contribute to the debate about the terms and conditions to apply
  • Identify the unintended consequences of scope of work documents
  • Plan a robust and realistic tender response schedule
Topics

Topics covered

  • Contents of the tender package
  • Ensuring a robust specification / scope of work
  • Defining the response you require from bidders
  • Essential clauses in the draft terms and conditions
  • Anticipating and reducing the risk of scope change

Day 4 – Managing the Technical & Commercial Evaluation. The cheapest compliant proposal may not give the best value for money. How do you run a fair and transparent process that lets you select a bid that is not the lowest price?

Key behaviours

What you will practise

  • Understand the evaluation options
  • Make the case for alternative evaluation and award criteria
  • Construct an evaluation framework
Topics

Topics covered

  • The purpose of bid evaluation
  • Lowest price or best value for money?
  • Stages of the evaluation
  • Clarifying bids to assist the evaluation
  • Choosing evaluation and award criteria
  • Techniques to carry out the evaluation

Day 5 – Managing the Contract Award Stage. The evaluation should lead to an award to the winning bidder and rejection of the unsuccessful bids – but results are sometimes challenged, or the winner declines. Learn the traps to avoid so the competition leads to contract commencement.

Key behaviours

What you will practise

  • Avoid process traps for the unwary buyer
  • Deal with disappointed losing bidders
  • Secure the commitment of the winners
Topics

Topics covered

  • Communicating the results internally and externally
  • Working with tender bonds and performance guarantees
  • Dealing with disputed contract awards
  • Operating under pre-contract letters of intent
  • Managing pre-contract scope changes

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Certification

ICL Certificate of Completion

Delegates who attend the full programme receive the Institute of Corporate Learning Certificate of Completion on the final day.

Ready to book?

Run tenders that deliver value – and stand up to scrutiny.

Classroom in Johannesburg or Live Online · 22 – 26 February 2027. Seats are limited to keep the sessions interactive.

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