Dear Erb,
I’m starting on a new procurement and don’t know where to begin. How can I find the information I need to put together a solid bid document with my department?
Sincerely,
Starting From Scratch
Hi Starting From Scratch,
Starting a procurement in an unfamiliar area can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re not sure where to look for the right information. The good news is there are plenty of resources and tools available to help you and your department gather what you need to build a solid foundation for your bid document. Here are some practical places to start:
1. Start within your organization
Before looking outward, check what your own organization has done in the past. Has this been purchased before? Are there old bid documents, contracts, or lessons learned you can review? It’s also worth chatting with your internal stakeholders as they may have worked on something similar in the past, whether at your organization or somewhere else.
2. Tap into your procurement network
Procurement people are great at sharing. Whether you reach out to your peers or post on forums like OPBA MemberConnect, chances are someone has completed a similar bid and will be happy to point you in the right direction, or share their bid document.
3. Browse bidding platforms
Many platforms let you search past opportunities and view bid documents. It’s a quick way to see how others have approached similar procurements, and sometimes you’ll find contact names to follow-up with.
4. AI Tools (where permitted)
AI tools can be a helpful shortcut when you’re starting from scratch. You can ask for examples of similar bid documents or summaries of what to include. For example:
“As a municipal buyer, find recent bid document examples for [good/service] from agencies in [region] within the past [timeframe], and provide links to the bid documents or posting.”
You can refine prompts to generate organized outputs or summaries to make it easier to search through.
5. Good old-fashioned searching
Don’t underestimate a simple web search. Look up the product or service and industry standards. The more you understand what you’re buying, the easier it is to build a clear, thorough document.
6. Explore industry resources
Websites such as NIGP, Supply Ontario, and CanadaBuys, can offer valuable templates, guides, and reference materials to support your work.
7. Consider an RFI
If you can’t find much information to get started, consider issuing a Request for Information (RFI). This allows you to gather input directly from the vendor community, helping you better understand what’s available and how to structure your procurement.
When in doubt, start small, ask questions, and build from what’s already out there!
Sincerely,
Erb