Pre-Bid Conference Requirements and Scope
- At least one pre-bid conference must be conducted for procurements with an Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) of One Million Pesos (P1,000,000) or more.
- For procurements less than P1,000,000, pre-bid conferences are discretionary.
- The pre-bid conference serves as a forum for the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) and prospective bidders to discuss and clarify bidding requirements, terms, conditions, and specifications.
Discussions During the Pre-Bid Conference
- Eligibility requirements, technical and financial contract components must be clarified.
- Questions and clarifications by prospective bidders before and during the conference must be addressed.
- Attendance is open but not mandatory.
- For consulting services, the shortlisted bidders may attend, and clarificatory meetings may also be held before eligibility checking.
Amendment to Section 22.4 of the 2016 IRR - Minutes of Pre-Bid Conference
- Minutes must be recorded and prepared within five (5) calendar days after the pre-bid conference.
- They must be made available to prospective bidders within five (5) days upon written request.
- The minutes shall also be posted on the procuring entity's website to enhance transparency.
- Any amendments to Bidding Documents must be issued in writing through Supplemental/Bid Bulletins at least seven (7) calendar days before bid submission deadline.
Measures Introduced in the 2016 IRR to Minimize Bidder Disqualifications
- Mandatory use of PhilGEPS Certificate of Registration under the Platinum Category to reduce document submissions.
- Alternative documents allowed for eligibility requirements such as Mayor's Permit substitutes and financial capacity computations.
- Relaxation of eligibility requirements for foreign consultants and separate requirements for individual consultants.
- Less stringent rules on bid sealing and marking.
Issues Despite Existing Measures
- Still frequent failures of bidding due to bidder non-compliance, often avoidable through careful examination and clarifications during pre-bid conferences.
Circular on Conduct of Pre-Bid Conference (Circular 02-2018)
- Applies to all government departments, agencies, state universities, government-owned corporations, financial institutions, and local government units.
- Emphasizes maximizing pre-bid conferences to minimize bidder disqualifications.
- Defines pre-bid conference as a forum to discuss procurement requirements and facilitate clarifications.
Roles and Responsibilities of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC)
- Proactively discuss all bidding requirements without waiting for bidder queries.
- Share common reasons for past bidder disqualifications and preventive measures.
- Entertain questions from all prospective bidders regardless of their purchase of bidding documents.
- Issue Supplemental/Bid Bulletins proactively or upon request at any stage.
- Post minutes of the pre-bid conference on the procuring entity’s website.
Responsibilities of Prospective Bidders
- Carefully examine the entire Bidding Documents prior to the pre-bid conference.
- Actively raise questions and clarifications during the conference.
- Ensure the representatives preparing the bids attend the pre-bid conference to reduce preparation errors.
- After the conference, obtain and review any Supplemental/Bid Bulletins issued via BAC, PhilGEPS, or the procuring entity’s website before submitting bids.
Additional Procedural Guidelines
- Clarificatory meetings may be held in consulting services procurement before eligibility checking, provided equal participation, proper notification, mandatory rules compliance, documentation through minutes, and issuance of bid bulletins posted publicly.
- Step-by-step methodologies are detailed in the Generic Procurement Manuals for guidance.
Effectivity
- The resolution and circular take effect immediately upon approval and issuance.