Feature Article

procurement zone

Why Pleasantness Matters in Procurement - The Art Of Debriefing

Denis Chamberland

I have always thought that a debriefing was supposed to be like a chat between friends, perhaps not on a par with sipping a glass of Beaujolais by the fireplace or on the terrace, but pleasant. “Pleasant,” however, is not always the word that comes to mind when the word “debriefing” is mentioned. Most debriefings are civil and productive; some are not – which is most often the case when the parties involved fail to appreciate the real purpose of debriefings, as happened recently on a water and wastewater procurement.

Real Purpose of Debriefing

What is the real purpose of a debriefing? There are two main objectives. The first is to help the bidder gain a better understanding of its tender deficiencies so that it can improve the quality of its bids on future submissions, and increase its chances of success. Seen that way, it is an investment into the future.

The second objective relates to the obligation of the municipality (or any public sector body) in procurement to achieve best value for taxpayers. Helping unsuccessful bidders to improve the quality of their bids contributes to that broader social and economic objective. But, often because they feel unsure about the appropriate level of disclosure of information that can be made, many municipalities do not groom suppliers to become better bidders.

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A strategic plan should, in a sense, be an organic continuation of the entire history of the community – a sort of logical response to the various forces that have shaped it up to this point in time. Therefore, it is important for everyone involved in the shaping and final articulation of the plan to at least have some notion of the history of the place and how it got that way.— Jon Linton, Director, TCI Management Consultants
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