Sourcing items and criteria

The ‘Sourcing items and criteria’ section is used for defining the supplier’s entry forms regarding sourcing items and the related criteria. The section is also used for defining criteria for supplier`s evalution, i.e. scores/weights and the ways they are calculated (see Scoring the criteria). These will also be shown in the evalution table (see Viewing the evalution table).   

A desired number of necessary criteria is defined for the sourcing items or object group/sub-area. 

The criteria can be: 

• Requested information 

• Requirements imposed on the object 

• Factors affecting the award criterion 

• Matters to be communicated for information 

• As well as subheadings structuring the content 

Scores/weights can be defined for criteria. For more detailed information about scoring the criteria, see Scoring the criteria and Scoring price and quality points. 

Create criteria

Before creating criteria, set up a group/sub-area and define the objects (see Creating Sourcing objects). 

Criteria can be created for a specific sourcing items, for all the objects in a group/sub-area at the same time, or generally for a group/sub-area.  

Object criteria 

• The criterion is requested under the object concerned on the supplier’s query form 

• Enter a name for the criterion in the ‘New object criterion’ field 

• Select the type (the types are described in the next section) 

Criteria applicable to all objects in the group 

• The criterion will be requested for each object in the group/sub-area (NOTE! These criteria cannot be scored) 

• Enter a name for the criterion in the ‘New criterion applicable to all objects in the group’ field 

• Select the type (the types are described in the next section) 

General criteria of the group 

• The criterion pertains to the entire object group generally and it will be requested on the supplier’s form as the last item in the group/sub-area 

• Enter a name for the criterion in the ‘New general criterion’ field 

• Select the type (the types are described in the next section)

FIGURE: The group ‘Tractors for training use’ includes one object, ‘Forwarder for training use’. Criteria can be set for it in the criteria section. If another object is added to the group, the ‘Criteria applicable to all objects in the group’ can be utilised. The sections where a new criterion is created is highlighted in blue. 

Criterion types 

The criterion type is used for defining what kind of information suppliers may enter in the section concerned when they are filling out the electronic tender form. 

Mandatory requirements can be set for criteria, in which case the suppliers must enter information or answer in a certain way to meet the minimum requirements set in the request.

Select the type of criterion 

• Numeric

  • The tenderer enters numerical information 
  • Select the field suffix or unit 
  • Minimum and/or maximum values can be defined if applicable   
  • Can be defined as mandatory by selecting ‘Entry is required’ 
  • The number of decimal places in the value entered by the tenderer can be restricted

FIGURE: Setting a numeric criterion. In the example, the first criterion is a blank numeric criterion, and below it is an example criterion where the wheel size of the forwarder is requested to be entered. The wheel size must be 26.5” at minimum.

• For your information 

  • Text for information for the tenderer, no answer required 

• Uploadable 

  • The suppliers uploads a file 

  • Can be defined as mandatory by selecting ‘Uploading is required’ 

• Text 

  • The suppliers enters free-form text 

  • Can be defined as mandatory by selecting ‘Entry is required’ 

  • A maximum length can be defined for the answer (X characters) 

  • The suppliers allowed answer can be defined as being:  

    • single-line 

    • multiple-line 

    • or single or multiple-line

FIGURE: Setting a text criterion. In the example, the first criterion is a blank text-type criterion, and below it is an example criterion where the wheel width of the forwarder is requested to be entered. The length of the answer is limited to 20 characters, and the question is mandatory.

• Menu 

  • A drop-down menu from which the supplier may choose the desired option 

  • Restrictions can be defined for the options selectable by the suppliers :  

    • Selection not restricted 

      • The suppliers may choose any number of options or leave the question unanswered 

    • Choose not more than one 

      • The suppliers may choose one option or leave the question unanswered 

    • Choose at least one 

      • The suppliers must choose one or several options (the question is mandatory in this case) 

    • Choose one 

      • The suppliers must choose one option (the question is mandatory in this case) 

  • To add a menu option, enter the selection in the ‘New selection row’ field

FIGURE: Setting a menu criterion. In the example, a forwarder is queried about the lubrication options. There are three options, of which one must be chosen. 

• Yes/no 

  • The suppliers answers ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ 

  • The question can be mandatory or optional 

  • Yes or No answer can be defined as mandatory 

  • Conditional criteria can be defined for a criterion 

    • The ‘Includes criteria for which "Yes" is required’ option can be used for defining a new question that will be shown to the suppliers if they answer ‘Yes’ to the original question 

    • The ‘Includes criteria for which "No" is required’ option can be used for defining a new question that will be shown to the suppliers if they answer ‘No’ to the original question

FIGURE: Setting a Yes/No criterion. In the example, the first criterion is a blank criterion of the yes/no type, and below it is an example criterion where the forwarder is required to have an output and working hours monitoring system in place (‘yes’ is required). When the supplier answers yes, the question ‘Upload system brochure’ is shown to the tenderer, in response to which the supplier is required to upload an attachment. 

• Record 

  • Prepare a desired set of questions the tenderer will be required to respond to x times (e.g. references) 

    • Create the questions/criteria one below the other under ‘Record criteria’ 

  • You can define the minimum and/or maximum number of times the supplier is required to answer to the set of questions 

    • The question will be voluntary if you do not define values for these 

  • The supplier may add a new set of questions in the Supplier Portal under ‘Add row >>’

FIGURE: Setting a record criterion. In the example, the first criterion is a blank record-type criterion, and below it is an example criterion where the servicing history data of the forwarder is requested to be entered. The suppliers must answer at least once, but they may not give more than three answers. For each answer, the supplier is required to enter the servicing year and the servicing carried out. 

• Subheading 

  • Subheadings for structuring and clarifying the requirements

NOTE! To preview the sourcing item and criteria from the suppliers`s point of view, click the eye icon in the top corner.

Sorting and removing criteria

• You can change the order of the criteria by dragging and dropping a criterion to the correct place 

  • NOTE: The order of the criteria can only be changed by dragging and dropping   

• Click the red cross to remove a single criterion 

• In the ‘Functions’ menu, you can: 

  • Close a criterion to minimise it as a single row 

  • Move or copy a criterion to general criteria pertaining to all objects or under a specific criterion (click here for general instructions for moving and copying objects and criteria)

  • Add additional information for a criterion 

    • This will be shown under the question mark for the criterion concerned in the Supplier Portal

FIGURE: The ‘Functions’ button opens additional options for editing criteria. 

• Remove criteria en masse 

  • Select a criterion by checking the box at the end of the criterion  

  • From the top of the group, select ‘Delete the selected objects and criteria of the group

  • See article criteria library

Shared criteria 

When a request is prepared, shared criteria can also be set for the sourcing items. These criteria concern the re in general and do not pertain to specific products or services.  

• General criteria are defined according to the same principle as when defining criteria that directly pertain to the procurement objects.