Introduction to LSC eTendering Process

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• Introduction to LSC eTendering Process
• Pre-Qualification on the Qualified Provider
  Framework (QPF)
• October 2008

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Content

• Pre-qualification Overview
• Benefits to Providers
• LSC eTendering Portal Overview
• Provider Process Flow Chart
• Registration Process
• Completing the Category Tree
• Responding to PQQs (same process for ITTs)
• Tips for a stress-less tender
• Summary

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Pre-Qualification on the QPFBrief Overview

• The pre-qualification stage on the QPF is a
  completely electronic system that has been
  established by the LSC to purchase education and
  training services.
• The pre-qualification stage of the QPF will be
  open throughout its duration for admission to
  those providers who meet the selection criteria
  set out by the LSC and who submit an indicative
  tender that complies with the specification.
• The LSC will clearly define the evaluation
  criteria and electronic means of accessing the
  PQQs upon its launch.
• The QPF will be established for the period of 4
  years.
• The LSC will issue targeted Invitations to Tender
  (according to provider categorisation) to all
  those providers who have successfully been
  admitted to the QPF.
• Access to the list will occasionally be frozen to
  allow tender rounds to be administered. These
  freeze periods and the associated rules will be
  published well in advance of each tender round.

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What does this mean for providers?

• Key Benefits
• Improved efficiency (faster response / evaluation
  and reduced EU Timescales)
• Reduced tendering costs (no courier / printing
  costs)
• Delivers Best Practice
• Improved tendering visibility and governance
• Access to your profile 24x7 / 365 days a year,
  allowing organisations to apply for
  pre-qualification at a time convenient to them.
• Robust Audit Trail and Auditing
• Provider profiling and responses pre-population.
  You only ever need to answer a question once and
  from then on every PQQ/ITT where that question is
  used, your response will pre-populate
• Provider Categorisation against Types of
  provision. You can communicate to the LSC exactly
  what areas of provision your organisation is
  interested in and only has to answer questions
  related to that provision.
• Alerting to publication of Invitations to Tender

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LSC eTendering Portal Overview
The LSC eTendering Portal is available at
https//lsc.bravosolution.co.uk/ The LSC
eTendering Portal is available FREE to all
suppliers, system requirements are minimal (PC,
Internet Explorer 6, Internet access) Mac users
should refer to the specification document for
further advice. The Portal is provided by
Bravosolution UK, official UK Public Sector
eTendering Service Provider. The portal is
fully compliant with EU procurement legislation,
confidential and independently security
accredited.
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Provider Process Overview
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Application process flow chart 1
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Application process flow chart 2
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Application process flow chart 3
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Which PQQs should be completed?
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Which PQQs should be completedWorked Examples

• 1. An organisation applying for Regional
  Responsive Train to Gain or Apprenticeships
  contract for a specific employer.
• Complete Complete Me First
• Type 1 Regional Responsive Questionnaire
• 2. An organisation applying for Employer
  Focussed (e.g. Train to Gain or Apprenticeships)
  contracts for any employer.
• Complete Complete Me First
• Type 2 Generic Questionnaire
• Type 2 Employer Focussed Provision

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Which PQQs should be completedWorked Examples
continued

• 3. An organisation applying for Learner Focussed
  (accredited) contracts.
• Complete Complete Me First
• Type 2 Generic Questionnaire
• Type 2 Learner Focussed Accredited
  Provision

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1. Viewing opportunities
Opportunities and Notices allows you to view
tendering opportunities that are available to
your organisation. NOTE View current/past
opportunities and notices details tendering
opportunities that are specific to the
LSC. View current pan-government
opportunities details tendering opportunities
across the UK public sector. 1.1 Click the View
pan-government link
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2. Registration
2.1 To register your organisation on the LSC
eTendering Portal, click Click here to register.
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2. Registration
2.2 All organisations should read through the
User Agreement. You must then tick the box that
states I agree and click the GO button to
continue
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2. Registration
2.3 Please complete ALL the Registration Data
and click save. This will generate an
auto-alert to the registered email address
detailing a unique password.
Note The Registration form contains two
sections Organisation Details and User
Details. You should enter user details for the
individual responsible for completing ALL
tenders. TIP Ensure you have entered a
memorable username and a valid email address.
All future correspondence regarding tender
activities will be sent to this registered email
address.
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3. Completing the Category tree
3.1 To access the Category Tree you must click on
Manage Your Profile
The Category Tree will allow you as a provider to
categorise yourself against various
provisions/programmes and then be alerted/invited
to those opportunities if deemed successful.
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3. Completing the Category tree
3.2 You must click on the main tab that states
Categories
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3. Completing the Category tree
NOTE Categories allow you to communicate to
the LSC which Types of Provision you are
interested in receiving invitations to Tender
for.
3.3. To add a category please click Add
Category
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3. Completing the Category tree
NOTE By clicking Expand All you are able to
view all the possible category options that you
are able to select.
3.4 To select a Category you must tick the box to
the left of the Category and then click Select
found at the head and foot of the this particular
screen.
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3. Completing the Category tree
NOTE Having selected a category there may be
specific questions or instructions associated to
that category which you need to acknowledge,
understand, and potentially respond to.
3.5. ...Once you have answered the Category
specific questions (if applicable), please click
Save to progress.
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3. Completing the Category tree
NOTE Your Category has now been saved and the
status column at the right hand side of the
screen indicates you have answered all the
related questions or not. Use the legend on the
left hand side of the screen to understand the
icons being used.
3.6 To add any more Categories, simply click Add
category and begin the loop again...
IMPORTANT NOTE For each category that you have
selected, you must respond to the appropriate
PQQs within the timeframes specified by the LSC.
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4. Responding to PQQs
4.1 To view a list of Pre-Qualification
Questionnaires that are available, click the
PQQs Open to All Suppliers link NOTE Open
Access PQQs/ITTs is a list of projects that are
Open to any registered supplier to view and
participate in. My PQQs/ITTs are projects
specific to you either you have been invited
into or have previously expressed interest
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4. Responding to PQQs
4.2 Here you can see the list of PQQs. (note
this is an example your screen might have more
or less PQQs)
4.3 Please select the relevant PQQ that you would
like to complete.  Then click on the PQQ Title to
express an interest
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4. Responding to PQQs
4.4 This will take you to a summary page showing
a description, closing date and the current
status of the PQQ
4.5 Click on Express Interest to register your
interest with the LSC and to view the
Pre-Qualification Questionnaire
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4. Responding to PQQs
Note Once you Express an Interest the PQQ will
automatically move into My PQQs - This is
often referred to as your reserved area on the
portal where PQQs will be listed that you have
expressed interest in or published a response to
the buyer
4.6 Please select the appropriate PQQ and click
on the Title to begin completing your response
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4. Responding to PQQs
4.7 This will take you to a summary page showing
a description, closing date and the status of the
PQQ Also note the number of attachments shown
in the Attachments button on the left-hand side
of this page (to download these attachments,
please refer to the supplier attachments
guide) It is important to download ALL
attachments before completing your response.
Attachments contain key information and
instructions on how to publish a fully complete
response. Please click Buyer Attachments
4.8 To respond to the PQQ click Reply. You can
choose not to respond by clicking Reject and
providing a reason as to why you do not wish to
respond
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4. Responding to PQQs

• 4.9 This takes you to the next screen, known as
  the Technical Response screen, it is here that
  you will answer the questionnaire
• note the following
• The form is constructed in sections with
  questions below, work your way through the
  sections/questions observing the red asterisks
  indicating mandatory questions.
• Regularly click the Save button to ensure that
  your information is saved and not lost if your
  connection is lost.
• For security purposes the portal will log you
  out after 15-20 minutes of inactivity.
• Text fields are limited to 2000 characters for
  brief responses only.
• Note If a question refers you to an attachment
  that needs to be completed, ensure it is
  downloaded and saved on your own pc, and once
  complete - upload the attachment back into
  technical parameters

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4. Responding to PQQs
4.10 Once you have entered your response and
attached all the requested documents, please
click Publish
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4. Responding to PQQs
4.11 The system will summarise your response,
please review and click Confirm to submit it
Note This screen will display your response to
both qualification and technical parameters and
any attachments that you have successfully
completed. It is strongly recommended that you
double check your response is complete before
confirming it and submitting it to the LSC. Also
note that prior to the deadline, if needed, you
can re-publish your existing response. (i.e. if
you need to change a response to a question that
you originally entered incorrectly)
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4. Responding to PQQs
4.12 The response window will then close and the
My PQQs screen will refresh and show the new
Response status as Response Submitted to
Buyer
NOTE The registered email address will also
receive confirmation that your response has been
successfully published
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Tips for a Stress-less Tender

• Ensure that you read and digest all documentation
  thoroughly and make note of key actions and
  deadlines (you may want to create a checklist of
  actions to review prior to publishing your
  response).
• Dont leave your response until the last minute
  if you have problems you may not be able to
  resolve them before the deadline for responses.
• Always use the secure messaging tool for
  communicating with the LSC.
• Only upload attachments when requested. Try to
  avoid uploading very large files.
• Try and answer all questions not just the
  mandatory ones.
• Ensure that you follow all instructions carefully
  (including those in an online opportunity, the
  PQQ attachments and in the online forms
  themselves) it is critical that you thoroughly
  review the advice given in all Supplier Help
  Guides and READ ME FIRST documents within the
  online tender.
• Please treat your username and password securely
  if you lose or forget your password there is a
  link on the portal homepage where it can be
  emailed to the registered email address.
• Please ensure that colleagues completing your
  responses have a basic level of literacy with
  common PC applications and internet based
  software.
• Consistently SAVE your work security protocols
  will automatically time-out after 20 minutes of
  inactivity
• Please remember you MUST publish your response to
  make it visible to the LSC.

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Summary

• Register / Login to portal
• Complete Category Tree (as per instructions in
  this manual)
• Complete the appropriate PQQs according to your
  Categorisation
• Upload ONLY requested attachments as part of your
  indicative tender response
• Interact with the LSC commercial team using the
  messaging service
• Publish your responses back to the LSC (as
  instructed)
• Receive a shortlist or exclusion notification
• Receive Invitation to Tender
• Complete and publish your ITT responses
• For further assistance on sending / receiving
  messages and uploading / downloading attachments,
  please refer to the online help content and
  tutorial found in the online help area.