eAuctions are an element of the UK Government Procurement Strategy for central civil government. They are an innovative procurement technique using secure Internet based technology, whereby suppliers compete in real time by bidding lower as the auction unfolds until all bidders have reached their final offer.
The auction does not replace the traditional evaluation of tenders in terms of suppliers' ability to meet the requirement and provide a consistent and quality service. These aspects are evaluated first, suppliers that pass this qualitative evaluation stage are invited to take part in the auction, where the focus is on price. The award decision is made on the basis of value for money (the combination of quality and price) It is DCA policy to, wherever possible, to include eAuctions in the procurement process. All appropriate future contracts will be assessed for their suitability and the auction element will be stipulated at the start of each tender exercise.
DCA utilises the framework agreement set up by the Office of Government Commerce for the supply of eAuction services to the public sector. More information on this agreement can be found on the OGCbuying.solutions website.