Tool 10: Formulating GRPP award criteria

This tool can be used by contracting authorities to formulate award criteria for GRPP. It contains sample award criteria that may be appropriate for you, depending on the subject matter of the contract.

In each case, the award criteria should be further explained, ideally with examples of what you are looking for. These may be in the form of a non-exhaustive list, so that bidders are also free to come up with their own ideas that are relevant to the award criterion. The weight assigned to each award criteria must also be stated. Keep in mind that the approach to scoring determines the impact of the award criteria just as much as the weighting. Be prepared to use all of the available marks when comparing bids and assign scores that truly reflect the differences in what is being offered.

Sample award criterion 1:

Quality of methodology to ensure that both women’s and men’s needs are met in the delivery of the service

For this criterion, bidders are asked to set out the specific actions that they will take (e.g. to consult both women and men users of a service).

This award criterion could be relevant for any contract in which women’s and men’s needs are likely to be different, as determined at the pre-procurement stage (see Tools 3 and 4). For example, in a contract for mobility services, women and men may undertake different types of journeys and, in a contract for job training, women and men may have different training needs. When the contracting authority has specific information about these different needs, this should be shared with bidders in the tender documents. Bidders are then invited to set out their plans for ensuring the different needs are met in delivering the service.

Sample award criterion 2:

Gender balance within the team carrying out the work – teams with a more equal gender balance will receive more marks[1]

It should first be noted that this criterion applies only when team members are nominated as part of the tender.

This award criterion would be appropriate for contracts in sectors in which the gender balance of the workforce is a concern. Keep in mind that gender balance refers not only to numerical parity but also to the level of employment and roles/functions. To apply this criterion, bidders should be asked to specify the gender and role/level of each member of the team. This criterion would not be suitable for application in small contracts (e.g. with a workforce of fewer than 10 people) or in those for which very specific expertise/experience is required, meaning that the pool of potential team members is limited.

Sample award criterion 3:

Quality and quantity of staff training to ensure gender equality and non-discrimination in the delivery of the contract

For this criterion, bidders must describe the specific training to be delivered, including the topics covered and time allocated.

This criterion may be applied when

  1. a requirement for staff training in gender issues is included as part of the specifications or
  2. such training is not required, but may be proposed by bidders to gain additional marks.

For example, in a contract for health research services, the contractor may be required to train staff to be aware of specific health issues affecting women and men, gender-sensitive communication and other topics. Note that this criterion refers to both the quality and the quantity of training to be provided. To evaluate this, information regarding the duration, format, topics to be covered, trainers and materials should be requested as part of the bid.