What is an awarding entity?

Ok, I go to the grain: when we talk about “awarding entity” we are talking about the typical public body that is responsible for organizing competitions to see who takes the contracts of works, services or supplies paid with State Pasta. That is, they are like the judges of a party where companies compete to see who does the job ... and who charges.

Who can that entity be? Well, from a ministry to a town hall, through hospitals, public universities, or any beach bar nourished by public funds. And yes, each country has its own rules, but in general the idea is that the process is clean, transparent and without scams. No favoritism or rear doors ... at least, in theory.

The movement of these entities is to prepare all the bidding paper (which I already tell you, sometimes it seems like a master's degree in bureaucracy), put the clear bases, review the offers that arrive, and decide who takes the cat to the water. All this, supposedly, fairly and giving everyone a real opportunity. That is, I shouldn't win the usual just because you meet someone, do you understand me?

If you are a company and want to catch a hurry in this tenders, you have to understand very well how the awarding entity plays. Know what they are looking for, how the offers score and, above all, not to lite it with the legal requirements. Because, yes, each country has its own instruction manual: in Europe is the famous 2014/24/EU directive; In the US, the Federal Acquisition Regulation. It is not that they are header books, but it is convenient to take an eye.

A trick? It is not bad to become a friend (professionally speaking, of course) of the awarding entity: go to events, present decent offers, and fulfill what is promised if they catch you for a contract. That adds points, even if they do not put it on the form.

In summary, if you want to play in the world of public procurement, you have to know who distributes the cod (the awarding entity), how it does, and not fall asleep in the laurels with the bureaucracy. If you get the trick, just even take a contract. Good luck with that!