Open Competitive Procurement

The purchase of goods and services at or greater than $100,000 must be available to all qualified suppliers in the market, and issued via open tender calls by Procurement Services on behalf of Faculties, Divisions, and Departments at the St. George campus (UTM and UTSC may have differing thresholds).

Commencing the competitive purchase of goods or services at or greater than $100,000 requires the completion and submission of the Competitive Bid Request form.

Once the form is completed and forwarded, a Procurement Officer is assigned and will reach out to the requestor to begin the process. The preliminary discussion will identify best procurement method to utilize depending on the particular nature and requirements of the project.

Open Competitive Procurement (RFx) Overview

The open competitive procurement process typically requires a minimum of four months to complete from the submission of the Competitive Bid Request form. However, the timeline can extend significantly depending on the project’s complexity, the chosen sourcing method, and the product or service category being procured. To ensure timely completion of your procurement project, it’s crucial to start the RFx process as early as possible, allowing ample time for the planning phase. Proper planning helps reduce the likelihood of additional effort during the later phases of the RFx process.

The information below outlines the roles and responsibilities for each phase of the RFx project.

PHASE 1: PLANNING

Determining procurement needs and value
Identifying RFx participants including subject matter experts on specification development (i.e. technical requirements)
Consulting with Procurement Services where guidance is required prior to completing the Competitive Bid Request form
Completing the Competitive Bid Request form with all required information
Attending the project kick-off meeting
Reviewing Schedule D and the RFx document prior to posting

Client Lead Role

Procurement Officer Role

Serves as the main client representative, working closely with the assigned Procurement Officer throughout the RFx process
Identifies subject matter experts, RFx reviewers, evaluators (minimum of 3) and negotiators
Collaborates on identifying the most appropriate sourcing method for the intended procurement
Ensures funding is available and approvals are obtained to proceed with the RFx process
Completes and submits the Competitive Bid Request form
Provides relevant statement of work, financial and technical information

Leads the RFx project, ensuring compliance with all policy and legislative requirements
Schedules the project kick-off meeting and advises on the most suitable sourcing strategy, process, expectations, timelines, and requirements
Drafts the RFx, including Schedule D (technical and financial information) based on requirements
Consults with IT and coordinates the Information Risk and Risk Management (IRRM) assessment, if applicable
Finalizes Schedule D and reviews it with the Client lead to ensure accuracy of all relevant information
Obtains RFx posting approval

PHASE 2: TENDERING

Posting the document for the required number of calendar days
Coordinating site visits if required
Developing and posting questions from bidders pre-closing deadline

Client Lead Role	Procurement Officer Role
Ensures compliance with black-out period requirements, refraining from communication with potential bidders Provides responses to bidder questions to the Procurement Officer, who handles all bidder communication Coordinates bidder site visits as needed or applicable	Posts RFx documents on MERX and creates the Bonfire submission link Monitors and addresses bidder questions Posts addenda, if applicable Attends site visits or bidder meetings, if required

PHASE 3: EVALUATION

Kick-off meeting to review the evaluation process and provide instructions for using the online evaluation tool (Bonfire)
Initial review of submissions before releasing proposals to the evaluation committee via Bonfire
Consensus meeting to review individual scores, finalize overall scores, determine which bidders proceed to the next phase, and schedule interviews, demonstrations, or presentations if needed
Conduct bidder reference checks

Client Lead Role

Procurement Officer Role

May serve as an evaluator or ensures evaluators follow the evaluation guide and instructions
Completes evaluations independently using Bonfire
Attends consensus meetings, presentations, and/or interviews (if required)
Provides names of additional observers/evaluators for demos or bidder presentations
Participates in reference checks
Confirms bidder selection after the evaluation process is completed

Leads the evaluation kick-off meeting
Provides a project-specific evaluation guide and relevant training on the evaluation process
After individual evaluations are completed in Bonfire, conducts the price evaluation using the formula provided in the RFx
Facilitates the consensus meeting (if applicable)
Coordinates any required demonstrations or presentations once the bidder(s) has been selected
Requests the Privacy and Security Assessment after confirming the selected bidder
Conducts reference checks
Notifies evaluators of the selected bidder(s)

PHASE 4: NEGOTIATION

Prepare negotiation requirements, including business terms and conditions, while the Information Security team conducts the IRRM process for the selected bidder
Meet with the selected bidder to finalize business requirements and review the draft agreement to address any material changes; involve other internal stakeholders, such as Legal, as needed

Client Lead Role

Procurement Officer Role

Provides negotiation requirements
Responds to questions from the Risk and Assessment Team for the IRRM (if applicable)
Participates in meetings with the selected bidder
Facilitates internal business decisions during negotiations
Reviews the draft agreement before sending it to the selected bidder
Reviews the selected bidder’s edits for business decisions and consults with Legal as needed

Facilitates Information Risk and Risk Management (IRRM) and Supply Chain Risk assessments for hardware purchases, if applicable (*Note: This process may take 4+ weeks)
Consolidates negotiation requirements
Invites the selected bidder to enter negotiations
Reviews contract changes submitted by the selected bidder and consults with legal if needed (*Note: Material changes requested by the bidder may require additional legal review, which could take 4+ weeks)
Drafts the agreement based on successful negotiations
Circulates the agreement for internal review and approval
Sends the approved agreement to the selected bidder for signature
Receives the signed agreement from the selected bidder*

* Once the contract is finalized by both parties, the process moves to the Award phase

PHASE 5: AWARD

Posting award notice on MERX (electronic tendering system)
Issuing Purchase Order

Client Lead Role	Procurement Officer Role
After the agreement is signed, creates a Purchase Order in FIS Monitors contract and the successful bidder’s performance to ensure adherence with contract terms and conditions	Reviews and Release Purchase Order in FIS Notify all participants that the successful bidder(s) were selected, and posts a formal Award Notice on MERX

PHASE 6: POST AWARD PROJECT WRAP-UP

Preparing project close-out report
Completing electronic file with all relevant project documents
Conducting bidder debriefing for unsuccessful bidders if requested

Client Lead Role	Procurement Officer Role
Stores all signed and approved documents at the departmental level Provision of Deliverables	Provides Debriefings to unsuccessful bidders upon request (Bidders may request within 60 days of award notification) Prepares RFx project close-out where required Ensures appropriate document retention of all related RFx documents (electronic file)

RFx Methods

Request for Proposal (RFP): for complex products or services, or to provide alternative options or solutions, it is a process that uses predefined evaluation criteria in which price is not the only factor.
Request for Supplier Qualifications (RFSQ): to gather information on supplier capabilities and qualifications, with the intention of creating a list of pre-qualified suppliers.
Request for Quotation (RFQ): to request a response to the defined requirements and where price is the main criterion for award.
Request for Information (RFI): to gather information on supplier interest in an opportunity or information on supplier capabilities/qualifications.
Requests for Tender (RFT): to request a response to supply goods or services based on delivery requirements, performance specifications and terms and conditions.