Qualification requirements in tenders function as a filter — but how proportionate are your requirements? The experts at Etenders.ge explain 6 categories with concrete examples of proportionate and disproportionate requirements.
Qualification requirements represent the minimum standards that potential suppliers must meet in order to participate in a procurement procedure. These requirements function as a filter, ensuring that only those suppliers who genuinely possess the technical, financial and organisational capabilities to perform the contract to a high standard participate in the tender.
The most important principle when defining qualification requirements is proportionality. This means that every qualification requirement must be defined purposefully and with moderation, taking into account the specifics, volume, complexity and delivery timeframe of the procurement object.
Correctly defining qualification requirements is critically important for two reasons:
— Risk management — ensures that the winning supplier will have the necessary resources, experience and capabilities
— Promoting competition — moderate and proportionate requirements increase the number of participants and improve prices
1. Confirmation of Technical Knowledge
Purpose: to ensure that the person(s) responsible for project execution on the supplier's side possesses the relevant technical knowledge, expertise and qualifications.
Typical requirements: specialised technical personnel; professional certificates and accreditations; technical licences; documents confirming completion of specialised training.
✅ Proportionate: requiring the involvement of a certified network engineer for the implementation of complex network infrastructure.
❌ Disproportionate: requiring a certified network engineer on staff for a one-time supply of network equipment.
2. Confirmation of Experience
Purpose: to confirm that the supplier has a successful track record of executing projects of similar complexity and volume (typically over the last three years).
Typical requirements: analogous projects within a defined period, confirmed by contracts and acceptance certificates.
✅ Proportionate: for a 500,000 GEL IT infrastructure project — experience of successfully completing at least 2 analogous projects over the last 3 years.
❌ Disproportionate: for a 10,000 GEL computer equipment procurement — experience of at least 10 analogous deliveries.
3. General Capabilities and Technical Resources (Turnover)
Purpose: to assess whether the supplier has the organisational resources and capacity needed to properly perform the contract within the set timeframes.
Typical requirement: total value of analogous works performed over a defined period (e.g. last 3 years) — turnover.
✅ Proportionate: for 500,000 GEL construction works with a 10-month completion period — an average of 300,000 GEL of analogous works per year over the last 2 years.
❌ Disproportionate: for the same 500,000 GEL construction project but with a 30-month completion period — the same turnover requirement of 300,000 GEL.
4. Material and Technical Base
Purpose: to ensure that the supplier possesses the necessary equipment, infrastructure and technical means.
Typical requirement: list of equipment, geographical location of service centres, transport vehicles (the supplier may use both owned and leased resources).
✅ Proportionate: for regional transportation — at least 3 transport vehicles (with defined specifications).
❌ Disproportionate: for small-scale cleaning services — ownership of 10 units of specialised equipment.
5. Organisational Capability
Purpose: to confirm that the supplier has sufficient organisational capacity and management systems.
Typical requirements: quality management system (ISO 9001, ISO 14001); safety and health management systems (ISO 45001); project management methodologies.
✅ Proportionate: for managing critical IT infrastructure — ISO 27001 certification.
❌ Disproportionate: for the supply of office paper — requiring ISO 9001 certification.
6. Reliability and Reputation
Purpose: to confirm that the supplier has a positive reputation and a history of proper contract performance.
Typical requirements: verification that the supplier has not been on a register of unscrupulous persons during the last 2 years.
✅ Proportionate: for a 100,000 GEL IT project — at least 2 reference letters from analogous projects.
❌ Disproportionate: for a small 5,000 GEL delivery — requiring 5 references from different countries.
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Author: Aleksander Chkhikvishvili
