Cloudia Sourcing is a browser-based tendering system designed for public-sector procuring entities. It enables procuring entities to handle the entire sourcing process from start to finish, from the call for tenders to the procurement contract, centrally and entirely electronically over the internet.
The purpose of the service is to facilitate the work of procuring entities, reduce excess routine work, make the entire process more managed and decrease the possibility of errors occurring. It is easier and less complex for suppliers to submit tenders using the service (the supplier portal) so procuring entities using the service can receive tenders that are more precise and more valid.
The service was designed in collaboration with procurement professionals and it complies with procurement legislation and common practices in the procurement sector. The service is suitable for competitive tendering for purchases of goods and services. It covers all procurement procedures and national and EU procurements and small-scale procurements. HILMA integration, flexible specifications of dynamic procurement objects and eligibility criteria, and numerous automated functions reduce the procuring entity's workload and contribute to ensuring higher-quality tendering processes.
The service offers suppliers a clear and secure way of submitting tenders via the Tarjouspalvelu.fi supplier portal.
The service can be deployed rapidly as a cloud service. The procuring entity is not required to make any investments in technology – a web browser is all that is needed. The service is scalable, extensible and capable of being integrated into current and future systems. The service is part of the Cloudia Procurement system, which covers the management of electronic auctions, contracts and complaints.
Simple tendering process
- Specifying criteria and scoring for the procurement object
- In accordance with the chosen selection criteria, the procuring entity specifies the procurement objects, the criteria set for the objects and any other information that suppliers may be requested to provide, whether the information is mandatory, minimum and maximum values, and the scoring principles for the criteria.
- The procurement objects (object groups) can also be imported onto the form from an Excel document in standardised form or via a separate customer-specific integration with an external system.
- The supplier enters information on the Tarjouspalvelu.fi supplier portal
- When the supplier is submitting its tender on the Tarjouspalvelu.fi supplier portal, it receives a series of forms to complete in order to respond to the criteria and questions set by the procuring entity.
- Automatic comparison table and automatic scoring in the comparison phase
- When the deadline has passed, the procuring entity receives a comparison table that is generated automatically from the criteria the procuring entity has specified and the responses provided by the suppliers.
- If automatic scoring has been selected, the scores will be calculated automatically and entered into the table (scores that require an evaluation are entered manually, along with related reasoning).
Specifying criteria and scoring for procurement objects using forms requires a careful, planned approach but there are numerous benefits.
- More careful planning
- Precisely specifying criteria and scoring for procurement objects using forms is part of good, careful procurement planning.
- The supplier enters information about the procurement object on behalf of the procuring entity
- On the basis of the specified criteria, the supplier receives a form to complete in order to submit its tender on the Tarjouspalvelu.fi supplier portal. This ensures that the procuring entity receives all of the desired responses as entered by suppliers instead of having to compile and enter information itself during the comparison phase. This reduces the workload and the possibility of errors occurring.
- Automatic comparison table
- A comparison table is generated automatically on the basis of the criteria specified in the comparison phase and the responses provided by suppliers. The procuring entity does not need to manually create a comparison table.
- Automatic score calculation
- If automatic scoring is specified for criteria, all of the scores will be automatically calculated and entered into the comparison table (naturally, criteria that depend on evaluations can be scored and entered into the table manually, along with related reasoning).
- You will receive all of the desired data in the desired format in the form of precise tenders (Tenders received)
- By setting criteria as mandatory and specifying minimum and maximum values, you can obtain all of the desired information in the desired form at a single time. Tenders are also more precise and clear, and they do not contain any unnecessary excess information.
- Prevent ineligible tenders from being submitted
- Minimum and maximum values can be specified for criteria and responses can be set as mandatory to prevent ineligible tenders from being submitted on the Tarjouspalvelu.fi supplier portal.
- All information is stored centrally (Documents)
- All of the information entered by suppliers is stored in the database and can be used in the future for purposes such as reporting, other functionality and integrations.
- Excel import or integration
- Large numbers of procurement objects (object groups) can be imported onto the specification form directly from an Excel file in standard format. Customer-specific arrangements can be made to fetch objects directly from the customer's own system (and to export data to another system)
- This also makes it easier for suppliers to submit tenders
- The form on the Tarjouspalvelu.fi supplier portal also reminds suppliers to respond to all of the essential points.