The buying process for a dynamic market can be completed in the following 10 steps:
1. Find a dynamic market
Before you can buy from a dynamic market, you must find one that meets your needs.
2. Access agreement on the supplier registration service
To use the dynamic market, you will need to register as a buyer on the supplier registration service (SRS). Once registered you will need to:
- scroll down until you find the specific dynamic market you want to use
- select the access as a buyer option
- accept the customer access agreement
3. Create specification and assessment criteria
This is where you determine exactly what your needs are and what you want from the contract. For example:
- what do you want to buy in this contract
- how long do you want the contract to last
- are you buying the product or service once or will it be a longer term arrangement
You’ll also need to prepare your questions and the criteria for evaluating supplier responses. This is how you will determine which supplier is most able to meet your needs.
4. Publish Tender Notice
Use the specification to create your UK4 Tender Notice. You must publish your Tender Notice before you can begin your competitive process.
5. Create supplier shortlist and invite suppliers to bid
A supplier shortlist will help you to reduce the number of suppliers who could meet your needs. To create your shortlist you must:
- Find and select the dynamic market on the SRS
- Select category export
- Use the filters provided to select what you need
- Save and export the list into a spreadsheet
Once you have your shortlist you must invite all suppliers on the list to a competitive flexible procurement. At this point suppliers will be able to put in bids for your business.
6. Ensure suppliers are not excluded or excludable
When you have received all the bids from interested suppliers you should make sure that they are not on the debarment list.
This is a published list of suppliers who are excluded from public procurements because of past behaviour or circumstances. Any supplier who is on the list will not be able to win the contract.
7. Evaluate supplier responses
This is where you look through all the supplier responses and evaluate them to determine which supplier best meets your needs.
You will use the award criteria you set out to evaluate and assess their answers.
8. Award your contract and notify all suppliers
Use the score you gave at assessment stage to identify the winning supplier. Before you can award the contract to them you must notify all suppliers of the result.
Notify the winning supplier or suppliers and publish a UK6 Contract Award Notice. You should dispatch letters to unsuccessful suppliers at the same time.
You must publish a contract award notice on the central digital platform to say you intend to award a contract to a specific supplier or suppliers before the optional standstill period.
9. Include a standstill period (optional)
The standstill period should be at least 8 calendar days. During this time the contract award process is suspended. This gives unsuccessful suppliers an opportunity to consider feedback, request further information or call for a review of the decision.
Once the standstill period has passed you can begin your contract with the winning supplier.
Speak to your commercial team or legal advisors if you need advice to decide if this is appropriate for your procurement or not.
10. Publish contract details notice
You must publish a contract details notice setting out that you have entered into a public contract within 30 days of having entered it.
