Supplier selection
Exclusion grounds
Details on exclusion grounds can be found in the Procurement Journey.
Selection
Any selection criteria deemed relevant and proportionate to your procurement exercise must be tested through the Single Procurement Document (SPD).
Sub-contractors
Where a contracting authority decides that there may be a risk of exclusion grounds applying to a sub-contractor, it can choose to verify this at any stage in the procurement process. This can be an effective way to help ensure a robust approach is taken throughout the supply chain. A contracting authority should only ask for verification of exclusion grounds from sub-contractors in circumstances where it is regarded as proportionate and necessary to do so.
While supplier capacity and capability for delivery of community benefit requirements may not always be necessary in procurements that include them, it is possible that selection criteria may address social issues.
This can be done by applying relevant criteria in respect of the technical capabilities that will be required of suppliers. For example, where relevant and proportionate it may be appropriate to ask bidders to operate to minimum training standards and evidence systems and / or to have processes in place to manage inclusive training and recruitment.
Care must be taken to make sure that small and medium sized enterprises and new suppliers in the market are not deterred from bidding.
See Annex A for examples.