RFP Response Form

Suggested instructions for Respondents

• Please use this Response Form in responding to our RFP. It is important that you do not change
the structure (section headings and sequence). Changing this structure will make it harder for
the evaluators to find relevant information quickly.
• Before starting to complete this form please make sure that you have read the Request for
Proposals (RFP) in full and understand our Requirements (RFP Section 2), our Evaluation
Approach (RFP Section 3) and the RFP Process, Terms and Conditions (shortened to RFP-Terms
described in Section 6). If anything is unclear or you have any questions please get in touch with
our Point of Contact (RFP Section 1 paragraph 1.3) before the Deadline for Questions (RFP
Section 1, paragraph 1.2).
• We have included supplier tip boxes to help you understand what is required. The areas
highlighted in yellow indicate where you are to write your response.
• Remember to delete the supplier tip boxes and remove the highlight from your answers before
sending us your response – they are for your use only!
To remove highlight from text: select the text you want to remove
the highlight from. In the ‘Home’ tab in the ‘Font’ group select the
arrow at the right of the ‘Text highlight colour’ and select ‘no colour’.

• For more general information on how to respond to tenders refer to the suppliers’ resource
centre at: www.procurement.govt.nz/for suppliers.
Check list for Respondents
Task ✓

1. Complete all sections of the Response Form.

2. Delete all ‘supplier tip’ boxes from the Response Form.

3. Remove all yellow highlight from the Response Form.

4. Make sure that you have complied with the following instructions:
• mailbox size: ensure that your email attachment/s is no greater than 5MB.

5. Arrange for the declaration to be signed.

6. Prepare your Proposal for electronic submission by creating a final soft copy
file.

7. Arrange for the Proposal to be submitted electronically before the Deadline

for Proposals.
Response Form
In response to Request for Proposals
by: [insert your name]
for: [insert your organisation or collaboration]
ref: [insert project name and reference number]
Date of this Proposal: [insert date of this document]

Words and phrases that have a special meaning are shown by the use of capitals e.g.
Respondent, which means ‘a person, organisation, business or other entity that
submits a Proposal in response to the RFP. The term Respondent includes its officers,
Supplier employees, contractors, consultants, agents and representatives. The term
tips Respondent differs from a supplier, which is any other business in the market place
that does not submit a Proposal’. Definitions are at the end RFP Section 6.
1. About the Respondent
• The section gives the Buyer basic information about your organisation and
identifies your Point of Contact for the duration of the RFP process.
• If an item is not applicable e.g. you do not have a registered office complete the
Supplier box by stating ‘not applicable’.
tips
• If you are submitting a joint or consortium Proposal complete an ‘Our profile’
table for each Respondent. Cut and paste the table as appropriate. Provide only
one Point of Contact for your joint/consortium Proposal.

Our profile
Choose one of these statements to complete, and delete the others
This is a Proposal by [insert the name of your organisation] (the Respondent) alone to supply the
Requirements.
OR This is a [joint/consortium] Proposal, by [insert the name of your organisation] and [insert the
name of the other organisation/s] (together the Respondents) to supply the Requirements.
Item Detail
Trading name: [insert the name that you do business under]
Full legal name (if different): [if applicable]
Physical address: [if more than one office – put the address of your head office]
Postal address: [e.g. P.O Box address]
Registered office: [if you have a registered office insert the address here]
Business website: [url address]
Type of entity (legal status): [sole trader / partnership / limited liability company / other
please specify]
Registration number: [if your organisation has a registration number insert it here e.g.
company registration number]
Country of residence: New Zealand
GST registration number: [NZ GST number / if overseas please state]

Our Point of Contact

Item Detail
Contact person: [name of the person communicating with the Buyer]
Position: [job title or position]
Phone number: [landline]
Mobile number: [mobile]
Email address: [work email]

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2. Response to the Requirements
• In this section you are asked to provide your response to our Requirements (RFP
Section 2) by demonstrating your organisation’s ability to meet our criteria (RFP
Section 3: Our Evaluation Approach). Carefully read RFP Sections 2 and 3 before
Supplier completing this part.
tips • If there is anything that you do not understand ask our Point of Contact to clarify.
• If any information you provide is commercially sensitive to your business you
must let the Buyer know. Please mark the information ‘commercially sensitive’ or
‘Confidential Information’. It is not acceptable to render this whole document
confidential unless this is truly the case. The Buyer has a duty to protect
Confidential Information, subject to the exceptions in the RFP-Terms (Section 6).
• If some of an answer is in another document e.g. a marketing brochure, copy and
paste the relevant extract into this Proposal. Do not submit the whole brochure.
Please do not include any advertising brochures or similar material in your
Proposal.
• You may include information not specifically requested by us in your Proposal.
But only if it adds value and is relevant to the Requirements.

Overview of our solution

Please provide an overview of your solution. For example, describe the technical aspects of the
product and/or elements of the service offering.

Questions relating to the evaluation criteria

• Here you are asked to answer questions relating to the evaluation criteria. Your
Proposal will be scored against your answers to these criteria. Aim to give
answers that are relevant, concise and comprehensive.
Supplier • Consider the % weighting for each criterion. The higher the weighting the more
tips important it is. Take the weightings into account in deciding how much detail to
include.
• If you have made any assumption about the Requirements or delivery, clearly
state the assumption.
• There may be several questions that relate to one criterion. If these questions are
not individually weighted assume that they are of equal importance.

1. Technical merit/ fit for purpose Weighting 40%

Describe how you will deliver the Requirements.

[insert your answer here]

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Describe the methodology that you will use. Include how Kaupapa Māori features within the project
design.

[insert your answer here]

Describe how you measure quality in meeting or exceeding our Requirements.

[insert your answer here]

Describe any new ideas or processes you offer which are innovative or can add value to the
proposed project. Describe the benefits of these e.g. greater efficiency, better quality solution etc.

[insert your answer here]

Describe all significant risks associated with your solution and how you propose to mitigate them
(prevent them from happening) and manage them (in the event that they do happen).

[insert your answer here]

2. Capability of the Respondent to deliver Weighting 40%

Describe your organisation’s track record in delivering similar goods/services (same quantity,
quality, delivered on time, to specification and within budget).

[insert your answer here]

List the relevant qualifications and experience of named personnel to deliver the Requirements.

[insert your answer here]

Describe your understanding and experience of Māori research methodologies and Māori language
revitalization.

[insert your answer here]

Describe any iwi, hapū, Māori or stakeholder relationships that you have that have influenced the
design of the project, or would be material to the project outcomes.

[insert your answer here]

Provide information about your operational and financial systems to track and manage delivery.

[insert your answer here]

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 3. Capacity of the Respondent to deliver Weighting 20%

When will you be able to commence work? Can you deliver the project within the estimated
timeframes? Why/ why not?

[insert your answer here]

Describe the staffing capacity for the project.

[insert your answer here]

Describe any contingency plans that you have to recruit additional capacity to the project should the
need arise?

[insert your answer here]

Assumptions
Please state any assumptions you have made in relation to the Requirements. Where you have made
assumptions in relation to the costs and pricing information please state these in the next section.

3. Price
• In the RFP Section 4 we have outlined the pricing information that we are
seeking. This should inform you how to present your proposed price. Where we
have provided a template you must use this for your pricing information.
Supplier • In preparing your pricing information you must consider all risks, contingencies
tips and other circumstances relating to the delivery of our Requirements and include
adequate provision for them. You must also document any assumptions that you
have made in costing the full delivery of the Requirements.

Price
Value narrative
4. Value for money
method

Provide the total price and a breakdown of the total costs over whole-of-life
of the Contract.

Detail any other cost and benefits.

Pricing schedule
Please submit your financial information and pricing using the following pricing schedule (this may
be a separate document e.g. Excel spreadsheet).

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 Milestone/Deliverable Sub-total
excluding GST
[$ X]

[$ X]

Total [$ X]

Assumptions
Please state any assumptions you have made in relation to the cost and pricing information.

4. Proposed Contract
• In the RFP Section 5 we have detailed the terms and conditions of our Proposed
Contract. We need to know whether or not you are prepared to do business
based on the Proposed Contract.
Supplier • If you have any points that you wish to make about the Proposed Contract this is
tips where you tell us. Note below any suggestions or changes you wish to propose.
• It is important that, if asked, you are able to explain why your changes are
important to you.
• In deciding which Respondent/s to shortlist the Buyer will take into account each
Respondent’s willingness to meet the Proposed Contract terms and conditions.

Choose one and delete the other:

Having read and understood the Proposed Contract, in the RFP Section 5, I confirm that these terms
and conditions are acceptable. If successful, I agree to sign a Contract based on the Proposed
Contract, or such amended terms and conditions of Contract as are agreed with the Buyer following
negotiations. OR
Having read and understood the Proposed Contract, in the RFP Section 5, I have the following
suggestions to make. If successful, I agree to sign a Contract based on the Proposed Contract subject
to negotiating the following clauses:
Clause Concern Proposed solution
[insert [briefly describe your concern [describe your suggested alternative
number] about this clause] wording for the clause or your solution]
[insert [briefly describe your concern [describe your suggested alternative
number] about this clause] wording for the clause or your solution]

5. Referees
• Here you are asked to provide the names and contact details of your referees.
These must be work related referees i.e. not a friend or family member.

Supplier

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 tips • The best referees are those for whom you have recently delivered similar goods
or services.
• Before including their details check with them to make sure that they consent to
acting as referee on behalf of your organisation.

Please supply the details of two referees for your organisation. Include a brief description of the
goods or services that your organisation provided and when.
Please note: in providing these referees you authorise us to collect any information about your
organisation, except commercially sensitive pricing information, from the referees, and use such
information in the evaluation of your Proposal. You also agree that all information provided by the
referee to us will be confidential to us.
First referee
Name of referee: [insert name of the referee]
Name of organisation: [insert name of their organisation]
Goods/services provided: [brief description of the goods/services you provided to this
referee]

Date of provision: [insert the date when you provided the goods/services]
Address: [insert street address]
Telephone: [insert mobile or landline]
Email: [insert email address]

Second referee
Name of referee: [insert name of the referee]
Name of organisation: [insert name of their organisation]
Goods/services provided: [brief description of the goods/services you provided to this
referee]
Date of provision: [insert the date when you provided the goods/services]
Address: [insert street address]
Telephone: [insert mobile or landline]
Email: [insert email address]

Please contact me before you approach a referee for a reference Yes/Not required

6. Our declaration
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 • Here you are asked to answer questions and make a formal declaration.
• Remember to select ‘agree’ or ‘disagree’ at the end of each row. If you don’t you
will be deemed to have agreed.
Supplier
• Remember to get the declaration signed by someone who is authorised to sign
tips
and able to verify each of the elements of the declaration e.g. chief executive or
a senior manager.
• If you are submitting a joint or consortium Proposal each Respondent (supplier
involved in the joint or consortium Proposal) must complete a separate
declaration.

Respondent’s declaration

Topic Declaration Respondent’s

declaration

RFP Process, Terms I/we have read and fully understand this RFP, [agree / disagree]
and Conditions: including the RFP Process, Terms and Conditions
(shortened to RFP-Terms detailed in Section 6, as
amended by Section 1, paragraph 1.6. if applicable).
I/we confirm that the Respondent/s agree to be
bound by them.

Collection of further The Respondent/s authorises the Buyer to: [agree / disagree]
information: a. collect any information about the Respondent,
except commercially sensitive pricing
information, from any relevant third party,
including a referee, or previous or existing client
b. use such information in the evaluation of this
Proposal.
The Respondent/s agrees that all such information will
be confidential to the Buyer.

Requirements: I/we have read and fully understand the nature and [agree / disagree]
extent of the Buyer’s Requirements as described in
Section 2. I/we confirm that the Respondent/s has the
necessary capacity and capability to fully meet or
exceed the Requirements and will be available to
deliver throughout the relevant Contract period.

Ethics: In submitting this Proposal the Respondent/s warrants [agree / disagree]

that it:
a. has not entered into any improper, illegal,
collusive or anti-competitive arrangements with
any Competitor
b. has not directly or indirectly approached any
representative of the Buyer (other than the Point
of Contact) to lobby or solicit information in
relation to the RFP

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 c. has not attempted to influence, or provide any
form of personal inducement, reward or benefit
to any representative of the Buyer.

Offer Validity I/we confirm that this Proposal, including the price, [agree / disagree]
Period: remains open for acceptance for the Offer Validity
Period stated in Section 1, paragraph 1.6.

Conflict of Interest The Respondent warrants that it has no undeclared [agree / disagree]
declaration: actual, potential or perceived Conflict of Interest in
submitting this Proposal, or entering into a Contract
to deliver the Requirements. Where a Conflict of
Interest arises during the RFP process the
Respondent/s will report it immediately to the Buyer’s
Point of Contact.

Details of conflict of interest: [if you think you may have a conflict of interest briefly describe the conflict
and how you propose to manage it or write ‘not applicable’].

DECLARATION
I/we declare that in submitting the Proposal and this declaration:
a. the information provided is true, accurate and complete and not misleading in any material
respect
b. the Proposal does not contain intellectual property that will breach a third party’s rights
c. I/we have secured all appropriate authorisations to submit this Proposal, to make the
statements and to provide the information in the Proposal and I/we am/are not aware of any
impediments to enter into a Contract to deliver the Requirements.
I/we understand that the falsification of information, supplying misleading information or the
suppression of material information in this declaration and the Proposal may result in the Proposal
being eliminated from further participation in the RFP process and may be grounds for termination of
any Contract awarded as a result of the RFP.
By signing this declaration the signatory below represents, warrants and agrees that he/she has been
authorised by the Respondent/s to make this declaration on its/their behalf.

Signature:

Full name:

Title / position:

Name of
organisation:

Date:

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