Tender (RFx)

Include your sustainability expectations in your solicitation documents

Incorporate a sustainability section in the solicitation documents (Rfx – Request for Proposals (RFP), Request for Tender (RFT), Invitation to Tender (ITT)) to guide bids by outlining sustainable practices and requirements for bidders. Your tender should outline clear expectations for supplier and product/service sustainability, utilising the outcomes-based and technical specifications developed during the pre-qualification process, along with relevant standards and labels. Respect your bidders’ time and resources and try not to repeat questions already asked at the pre-qualification stage and instead focus on additional sustainable criteria. Avoid using criteria for measures or information you or your suppliers can't verify. Dedicate a section to sustainability to demonstrate commitment, including key metrics, eco-friendly materials, standards, or certifications where relevant.

EXAMPLE: Telecom company signals climate commitment expectations to suppliers

The telecommunications company, Ericsson, clearly articulates to all suppliers that the issue of climate is a priority by sharing a Supply Chain Climate Action letter which states that the company “is working in alignment with the 1.5°C ambition, and we expect our suppliers to join us on this crucial journey.”¹

Clarify the information you seek and your evidence requirements

In the RFx, clearly and transparently outline the information and evidence you will accept for selection, technical, and award criteria, such as policies, certifications, life cycle assessment results, or external standards and clarify how bidders can demonstrate their sustainability credentials and performance. This may include defining verification requirements for sustainability like publicly available goals or performance data or labels and certifications. Specify the necessary compliance documentation while clarifying the consequences of non-compliance with the documentation requirements, potentially including disqualification. But, be aware that demands for documentation and verification, such as ecolabels, can crowd out SMEs and diverse suppliers. Make verification reasonable and where possible, eligible for a process of continuous improvement (e.g., within contract clauses). Consider providing smaller suppliers with access to verification experts who can answer questions and guide the process.

Transparently outline what sustainability criteria you will use to evaluate bids

Provide bidders with guidance on how sustainability will be evaluated. Clearly and transparently outline how you will evaluate the submitted evidence, including your scoring rubric, and your award criteria weightings so bidders know how much effort to put into meeting each sustainable criterion. This transparency will help bidders understand the evaluation process and prepare bids that more clearly demonstrate their sustainability credentials.

Help ensure your procurement is accessible to diverse suppliers

Make sure to understand your supplier diversity baseline and targets, such as a spending threshold for diverse suppliers so that you can appropriately target the right suppliers in your RFx. Define small and diverse suppliers in the tender documents (e.g., BIPOC majority ownership or a social enterprise). Make solicitations accessible to diverse suppliers for sustainable solutions. If expecting smaller bidders, modify advertising, simplify documents and selection criteria, or allow joint tenders, bearing in mind that you may have social and environmental value factors that you still need to uphold that are non-negotiable. If dealing with larger bidders, consider including requirements, evaluation criteria, or contract clauses that the primary supplier must subcontract a percentage to smaller or diverse suppliers or provide a supplier diversity plan in the proposal. 

EXAMPLE: Vancouver's social value business exploration

The City of Vancouver is actively reaching out to social value businesses to understand their capabilities and promote diversity. Businesses can share insights about their goods and services through a brief questionnaire, contributing to the city's inclusive approach.²