Point-Rated Criteria

Point-rated criteria are evaluation criteria used in Canadian government procurement to assess the relative technical merit of competing proposals. Each criterion carries points, and the scores help an evaluation team distinguish one proposal from another. Treasury Board guidance says point-rated criteria help identify the best overall value to the Crown (Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat).

They differ from mandatory criteria, which are met or not met. Point-rated criteria look at value-added factors that go beyond the mandatory requirements of the solicitation. Related expressions include rated criteria, point-rated technical criteria, rating scales, minimum passing marks and basis of selection.

Where point-rated criteria sit alongside mandatory criteria

CanadaBuys describes three evaluation approaches: mandatory technical criteria only, point-rated technical criteria only, or a combination of the two. In a combined evaluation, bids are assessed against the point-rated criteria after they satisfy the mandatory requirements. A bid that fails a mandatory requirement is not scored on the rated criteria. The approach for a given solicitation is set out in the tender documents (CanadaBuys: how bids are evaluated and selected).

What a solicitation must state about points and minimums

CanadaBuys says tender notices identify the minimum points that must be achieved and the maximum points available for each criterion. A solicitation may set a minimum passing score overall, for individual criteria, or both.

For professional services, PSPC assessor guidance requires point-rated technical criteria to be consistent with the statement of work and to describe the requirement clearly. Scoring rules must produce a defined score, and any minimum total or criterion-specific score must appear in the solicitation (PSPC bid solicitation preparation guidance).

Factors that are commonly rated

PSPC supplier seminar materials list examples of point-rated factors:

• strategy
• principles
• methodology
• company experience
• team or resource experience
• facilities and equipment

Treasury Board guidance adds that criteria should identify significant performance elements. They should measure both the supplier's competence and the value of its technical approach. The seminar examples are set out in the PSPC seminar notes on bidding opportunities.

Use in defence and best-value selections

Department of National Defence solicitations use the label "Point Rated Technical Criteria", usually in an evaluation plan or annex. A National Defence request for proposal for vehicle chassis and electrical components, for example, states that its point-rated technical criteria are evaluated under an annexed evaluation plan (National Defence request for proposal on CanadaBuys).

Some solicitations carry the technical score into the selection calculation. One example is evaluated price divided by total technical points, often called a price-per-point selection. Under that method, neither the highest technical score nor the lowest price alone decides the award.

What it means for a supplier

Read the evaluation section of each solicitation before writing. Meet every mandatory requirement first, because rated criteria are assessed after that step. Then answer each rated criterion with specific evidence, and follow the requested format and scoring instructions.

• Check the minimum points, overall and per criterion, and treat them as pass marks.
• Check the maximum points for each criterion, and put the most effort into the criteria that carry the most points.
• Confirm the basis of selection, since a price-per-point method weighs technical score and price together.