2-26.8 Other Evaluation Factors

2-26.8.1 General

In addition to past performance and supplier capability, other evaluation factors may include:

• Supplier’s understanding of the requirement.
• Supplier’s superiority of technical approach.
• Supplier’s managerial and organizational descriptions (including, where appropriate, its subcontractor plans).
• Supplier’s personnel and resources available for the project.
• Supplier’s delivery and scheduling.
• Other supplier information, such as information attained in a supplier survey that contains referral list of customers, number of employees, credit references, and compliance violation history (if any).

2-26.8.2 Use

Unless simplified purchasing is used (see Section 2-43, Simplified Purchasing) RFPs must include a description of the evaluation factors, their weights, how they will be evaluated, and the relative importance of price to the factors (see Section 2-26.3.1, Relationship of Cost or Price Factors to Other Evaluation Factors). Suppliers must also be made aware that best value to the Postal Service will be the basis for selection. Evaluation factors can play two roles: (1) They help clarify the Postal Service’s objectives for a particular purchase; and (2) they help suppliers develop their proposals. The proper weighting of the evaluation factors is essential to effective evaluation; evaluation factors should represent the elements that are critical to the purchase’s success. Using too many evaluation factors should be avoided, because it can unintentionally level evaluation scores (as when high scores for less significant evaluation factors offset low scores for more important evaluation factors).

2-26.8.3 Scoring Systems

Many forms of scoring systems (adjectival, numerical, etc.) are suitable for proposal evaluation; however, and depending on the particular purchase, some are more suitable than others. The selected scoring system should be simple and practical. When developing the proposal evaluation strategy, the following activities must be completed:

• Identify the stakeholders (purchase/SCM team, proposal evaluation team members).
• Define roles (who determines proposal evaluation factors, who performs evaluation).
• Define guidance for evaluators evaluating the proposal (weighting factors, scoring system).
• Define process for communications with potential suppliers, including debriefing.