Rated criteria are the point-scored evaluation factors that determine which compliant bid offers the best value to the government. Unlike mandatory criteria that simply pass or fail, rated criteria let evaluators differentiate between qualified bidders by scoring elements like technical capability, experience, methodology, and proposed resources. Your total score on these criteria, combined with your price evaluation, determines where you rank against competitors.
How It Works
After your bid clears the mandatory requirements, evaluators assess your rated criteria. According to Subsection 4.35.5 of PSPC's Supply Manual, these criteria typically evaluate your company's experience, proposed methodology, the resources you'll assign to the project, and your management plan. Each criterion receives a numerical score based on a rating scale disclosed in the solicitation—often ranging from zero to five points or using percentage-based scales.
Here's the thing: the weightings matter enormously. A solicitation might allocate 60% of the total evaluation to technical rated criteria and 40% to price, or use different ratios depending on the procurement's complexity. Treasury Board Contracting Policy Section 10.7.25 requires that these weightings accurately identify all performance elements significant to project success. Many solicitations also establish a minimum technical threshold—say, 70 out of 100 possible technical points—that you must achieve before your price is even considered. Fall below that threshold and you're out, regardless of how competitive your pricing is.
In practice, PSPC and other departments structure their evaluation in phases. Subsection 4.35.1 of the Supply Manual confirms that mandatory criteria get assessed first on a pass/fail basis. Only then do evaluators score your rated criteria. Finally, they combine your technical score with your financial evaluation using the formula specified in the solicitation—typically either a points-based system or a rating-to-cost ratio that determines overall best value.
Key Considerations
- Page limits kill good scores. When a solicitation restricts your technical proposal to 20 pages, evaluators can only score what you include. Exceed the limit and they won't read past the cutoff, leaving criteria unaddressed and points on the table.
- The rating scale isn't always linear. Some departments use scales where a "3" means "meets requirements" but a "5" requires you to substantially exceed them. Others use binary scoring—full points or zero—for specific sub-criteria. Read the evaluation grid carefully.
- Minimum thresholds are non-negotiable. You might submit the lowest price by 30%, but if you score 68 points when the minimum is 70, you're eliminated. Treasury Board policy Section 10.7.27 supports this approach for complex requirements where technical capability is paramount.
- Weightings reveal priorities. When DND allocates 25% of technical points to "personnel qualifications" versus 10% to "corporate experience," they're telling you what matters. Align your proposal effort accordingly rather than treating all criteria equally.
Related Terms
Mandatory Criteria (M Criteria), Financial Evaluation, Point-Rated System
Sources
- Supply Manual - Section 4.35: Evaluation Criteria
- Procurement Practice Review EPA-PPR-05-2023, Office of the Procurement Ombud
- Treasury Board Contracting Policy - Section 10.7
The solicitation document is your blueprint. When it tells you exactly how points are allocated and what rating scale applies, believe it—and structure your proposal to maximize every available point.