C013569 Inclusive Sports Programme

This tender presents a clear need for a socially impactful program but suffers from significant deficiencies in transparency, particularly regarding evaluation criteria, which could undermine fairness and competition.

The tender generally complies with basic legal requirements, featuring a reasonable submission deadline (23 days), a clearly defined open procedure, and an appropriate CPV code. The 'Find a Tender' notice indicates adherence to UK national disclosure requirements. However, the absence of a 'reveal date' and the lack of specific mandatory exclusion grounds in the summary are minor disclosure issues.

The project description and core eligibility/technical requirements are clear and unambiguous. However, the critical absence of specified evaluation criteria ('No evaluation criteria specified' and 'Adhere to the unspecified award criteria') severely impacts the clarity of how bids will be assessed, making it difficult for bidders to formulate competitive proposals.

Basic information such as title, organization, reference, description, estimated value, duration, and key dates are well-populated. The existence of tender documents is noted. Nevertheless, the crucial omission of detailed evaluation criteria renders the tender incomplete from a bidder's perspective, hindering comprehensive proposal preparation.

While the submission deadline is reasonable and requirements appear generic, the lack of specified evaluation criteria is a major concern for fairness and transparency. Bidders cannot understand the basis of award, potentially leading to subjective decisions. The absence of e-submission also limits equal access for all potential providers.

The contract start date and duration are clearly specified, which is practical for planning. However, the lack of electronic submission ('No e-submission') is a significant practical drawback in modern procurement, potentially increasing administrative burden for bidders and the contracting authority.

The tender information is largely consistent, with most key fields populated, logical dates, and no reported disputes or suspensions. The 'Value Classified: Yes' alongside a disclosed estimated value is a common nuance for below-threshold tenders and not a significant inconsistency.

The tender's core purpose, providing inclusive sports for children with additional needs, is inherently social and aligns with social sustainability goals. However, the documentation does not explicitly include additional green procurement criteria, innovation focus, or indicate EU funding, which typically drives higher sustainability standards.