Qualification of Tenders and Quotations is a Must!
In my experience, whether as the contractor or the client, the production of a qualification sheet to go with tenders and quotations is a must from a commercial perspective.
Historically, a qualification sheet submitted with a cost for a project has either been seen as making the offer unattractive or less competitive, as the client (issuing an acceptance) has seen a clean price – one with no qualifications – as the best way forward. However, this is not always the case.
I think that it is important to define what is meant by a qualification sheet. This usually forms part of the quotation/tender offer letter, where the contractor sets out for the client:
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Their inclusions & exclusions
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If they require more information to price a certain item (normally a provisional sum would be allowed)
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Conditions of work (normal/out of hours or a mixture of both)
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Their assumptions on a certain part of work
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How they may perform the work (e.g. type of access to be used)
In my opinion, a set of qualifications sets out the following:
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The contractor has thought about how the scope of works will be performed.
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You will know exactly what has been included/excluded in their price
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It gives the client a chance to think of things that they never thought of, which in turn are questions that can be asked of other tenders.
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It gives the client a better opportunity to level all prices before choosing which contractor to go with.
Remember: the cheapest price is not always the best route to go down. That cheapest price could cost you more money in the long run.
