F.a.Q.

At its simplest, electronic tendering ("eTendering") is a process for sending and receiving tenders by electronic means, rather than the paper based method. Instead of inserting documents into an envelope and posting them, we – and you – will now exchange them securely via the Internet.
The basic principles of tendering will not change, just the method of working.

We are using eTendering as it is more efficient and quicker than a traditional paper-based process. It will also reduce costs and improve our access to management information. In addition, under the new EU Consolidated Regulations, eTendering will mean that some mandatory timescales can be shortened.

We feel that eTendering has potential benefits for both you and the YHCPC.
For Suppliers, advantages include:
- Reduced costs – No postage and printing for tenders to be sent to us.
- Speed – Using the service means we will be able to shorten tendering periods for EU tenders, eliminate postage delays and rapidly disperse tender returns for evaluation, so providing faster decision-making.
- Peace of Mind - Eliminates worries regarding delivery of documents to a deadline by giving instant delivery and real-time feedback on the progress of the procurement.
- Efficiency – Enables tenders to be created, exchanged and stored electronically
For the YHCPC, similar advantages accrue and we will also find it easier to access management information and ensure a clear audit trail.

The BravoSolution eTendering platform has been chosen by OGC after a rigorous EU Tender process. This solution is being used by many of the NHS Collaborative Procurement Hubs and their member trusts, and the YHCPC is certain that it will offer all the functionality that we – and our Suppliers – will need. It is User-friendly and it is likely that as its use is adopted pan-Government, many Suppliers will become familiar with the platform.

We believe that this eTendering service is safer than paper based services. The service is hosted remotely by BravoSolution and both the application software and data will be held on the technology provider's secure servers.
There are a number of safeguards built into the service – for instance; we cannot view any Tenderers submission until the stated closing date/time for tenders, nor can we make any changes to tenders.
All information on the service, and all Buyer and Supplier actions, are recorded and are fully auditable.

Registration is designed to be a straightforward process which involves agreeing to the Terms and Conditions of use for the service, selecting a User ID, and then supplying contact details for Business and User Profiles.
Once a new Supplier’s details have been verified a system-generated password is issued by email. New Users are requested to change their password when they first login, so the system-generated password can be replaced by something memorable to the User. Users are able to manage their own Business and User Profiles within the service, and can change their password at any time.
To register, click here

No. The eTendering service and the Helpdesk which supports its use are completely free of charge to all Suppliers.

The service is web-based and is designed to be accessible to any prospective Supplier using a computer (PC or Mac) equipped with a dial-up Internet connection and recent mainstream web browser software, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer version 5.5 or Netscape version 6. That means that if you are reading this page on the Internet, then you can probably use the service.
The service is designed to be viewed at a display resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels or above
The YHCPC uses standard Microsoft Office business productivity software to create tender documentation. As part of a tendering exercise you may be required to view and edit documents created in Microsoft Word.