How UKAEA assesses expressions of interest

It is important to understand how UKAEA assesses expressions of interest in order to best respond to an advertisement. At the prequalification stage the primary aim is to assess whether suppliers are suitable for the requirement and to select those that meet the criteria.

However, it is likely that the number of suppliers that meet the criteria is greater than the most suitable number of candidates for the tender. Scored and weighted assessments are therefore used in order to keep the tender listing to a suitable number.

Under EC rules, the scope of selection is limited to three key areas:

The supplier's eligibility in terms of insolvency, grave misconduct etc.
The supplier's economic and financial standing
The supplier's capability and capacity for the project and track record in providing similar services

UKAEA applies these principles to the assessment of all expressions of interest. However, the effort expended by both UKAEA and supplier should be commensurate to the size and complexity of the advertised requirement. For a low value, low risk requirement, a brief judgement of the three key areas will be made on the basis of each expression of interest.

The first two areas have to be at an acceptable level for a supplier to be considered further. They will typically be assessed as:

Acceptable
Conditionally acceptable, requiring clarification
Unacceptable

The third area (capability and capacity) will usually be scored and weighted for medium to high value / risk requirements. This will be used to establish a tender list with those suppliers that have demonstrated the most appropriate levels of capacity. Therefore, the quality of an expression of interest can affect a company's inclusion on a tender list.

Companies must demonstrate through their experience and capability that they should be included on the tender list. For further information, please see Guidance on expressing an interest.