Government agencies must inform all tender participants of the outcome of a tender. Depending on the type of tender, agencies may offer a debrief to all tender participants in the tender process.
This guidance describes factors to consider when you are receiving a debrief from an agency or asking for feedback about your bid. Win or lose, always obtain feedback from the tender evaluation committee to help you to understand your strengths and weaknesses and make you more competitive for future bids.
The debrief process
Debriefing is the process by which a Government agency provides participants with feedback on their tender submission. A debrief is generally available to both successful and unsuccessful participants.
The debrief process helps to identify areas where participants can improve. It gives participants the chance to ask questions to improve their knowledge and understanding of the agency and the Government procurement process.
Debriefs provide the agency with the opportunity to be fully accountable and transparent and demonstrate that the procurement was conducted fairly. Debriefs also provide the opportunity for Government agencies to receive feedback from participants.
A debrief generally occurs at the end of the tender process – that is, after the contract has been executed with the successful participant.
During the debrief, the agency will explain the decision-making process that led to the tender outcome. They won’t be able to discuss specifics in the final contract or bid, such as the pricing or exact contract terms, as these are considered to be confidential.
Debriefs can be held in person, via invitations to virtual meetings or via email depending on the agency and the nature of the tender.
Advising unsuccessful participants of the outcome of the procurement is different from a debrief. Advising the outcome is specifically about letting participants know they were unsuccessful, rather than providing a more detailed debrief about the reasons. The opportunity to receive a debrief is usually included in the Tender documentation. You should take this opportunity up as the feedback may assist you to be successful next time.
Internal debrief
In addition to receiving feedback from the agency in the debrief, it is good practice to debrief with your internal tender team to reflect on and capture insights on what worked well and what can be improved in the future. This will help your business with opportunities for continuous improvement.