​​Receiving responses

Electronic responses

If you advertised your opportunity on GETS, you can use the electronic tender box to receive your responses. We recommend this approach as it manages your probity considerations.

Hard copy responses

If you plan to receive responses in hard copy, it's best if they are delivered to a secure tender box.

This:

• helps ensure the probity of the process
• makes it harder to lose or misplace responses.

When recording and opening proposals:

1. make sure a second person is present to witness what was received
2. both people sign the response receipt log
3. send out an acknowledgement of response as soon as you've opened all the responses.

The response receipt log should note:

• the supplier's name
• date received
• time received
• delivery mode
• the number of hard copies you receive
• whether there's a soft copy included.

Managing late responses

You need to document your policy on late responses in your procurement plan, and state it in the RFx. Normally the RFx will allow some discretion to accept late offers in extenuating circumstances. However, remember that:

• it could be seen as favouring a late supplier above the rest
• if submissions are opened and distributed before all offers are received, there is the risk that details of those submissions could be passed to other potential suppliers, creating a risk of collusion or unfair advantage.

Record the reasons for rejecting or accepting any late offer.

You may want to exercise discretion to accept a late offer in circumstances that aren't the supplier's fault, eg courier delays or natural disasters.

If you're using the GETS electronic tender box to receive your proposals, the default system setting will not allow late offers to be lodged. You can set a ‘late response’ window to allow late responses to be lodged within a defined time period (such as 30 minutes).