Understand the bid process and documentation

The investigator should then obtain from the RA the relevant bid documentation, including the bid procedures; project owner’s budget price; invitation to bid; bid programme; bid submissions from all competitors; bid evaluation criteria and evaluation report; contract award notification; contract conditions, drawings, specification, programme; and procurement audit report (if any). 

Establish from the documentation the following information:

• procedure for obtaining bids (e.g. how many bidders should be requested to bid; how the bid is advertised; any pre-qualification process)
• bid timetable (when are bidders notified of the bid opportunity; how long do they have to bid; when do they have to bid by)
• procedure for evaluating the bids (who evaluates the bids; how are the evaluators selected; what criteria do they judge the bids on)
• procedure for awarding the contract (when is winner notified; what contract conditions will apply; is there an appeal process for disgruntled losing bidders)
• the respective bid prices from all competitors
• the evaluation of the bids (how were the bids actually evaluated; bid evaluation report)
• contract award (how was the contract actually awarded; actual contract conditions).

The investigator will then understand the overall parameters and facts in relation to the bid, and can then look in detail at the specific allegations, supported as necessary by the technical and commercial experts.