CarlJohnson

Your tender process does not necessarily need tons of paperwork, just be clear on your requirements, their importance and how you can score them. Interesting on the term "preference", there must be something in the performance or functionality that leads to this preference and this can absolutely be included in any scoring mechanism, as long is the question itself does not preclude other providers. The things you mention such as staff training etc. are all things that can be scored, this is all part of fully understanding your requirements, engaging with all key stakeholders and then going to market in a structured and robust way. No one is going to sue if done properly.

Why and on what grounds would they have to sue if a transparent, compliant, auditable and fair process has been followed? They may challenge a decision as is their right, but these challenges can be a great exercise to demonstrate how robust your process is and to ensure that no bridges are ever burnt. You would not want to exclude them from future opportunities.

I am brand new to this forum and have read this thread with interest. There appears to be a theme here whereby there seems to be a reluctance go to market for MIS systems. Whilst this thread relates to MIS I would like to add the following points which apply to any product or service: 1. If change is being made, why wouldn't you take the opportunity to carry out a robust review of what is currently in place v what is currently required? Requirements change over time as does the service offering. 2. Change is defined as not only how a product or service is being delivered, value is also a criteria e.g. if a service was tendered for a particular value and that spend has increased significantly, maybe due to the addition of schools to a mat, then this can be seen as a fundamental change. 3. Public Procurement regulation are fundamentally about good transparent and fair practices. Yes, there are thresholds at which OJEU will apply, but for anything else, following an agreed policy, or at least having a documented and transparent procedure that has been followed is a must. 4. I agree, some organisations may not have the resources or expertise of an in house Procurement department to carry out a full tender process, but access to compliant frameworks has improved in recent times which makes the process easier. 5. Never be afraid to challenge the status quo and investigate the latest offerings, you may be surprised at where this takes you. Just a few of my thoughts.