Competitive Solicitation and Tender Management

Introduction and Context

Competitive solicitation is the structured process through which an organization invites potential suppliers to offer goods, services, works, or solutions and then evaluates those offers against predetermined requirements. It is central to procurement because it promotes competition, value for money, transparency, equal treatment, and accountability.

A competitive solicitation is more than sending a request to suppliers. It is a controlled governance process involving needs definition, market engagement, solicitation design, communication, bid receipt, evaluation, negotiation where permitted, award, notification, and record retention. Weakness at any stage can undermine the defensibility of the final decision. For example, an unclear specification may generate incomparable bids; inconsistent answers to bidders may create an unfair advantage; and poor records may make a correct decision impossible to demonstrate.

In public procurement, competitive solicitation is usually governed by legislation, procurement regulations, institutional policies, and treaty or donor requirements. In private organizations, it is governed primarily by internal policy, delegated authority, commercial objectives, and contract law. Although procedures differ, the fundamental principles are similar: fairness, transparency, proportionality, competition, confidentiality, integrity, and documented decision-making.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:

• distinguish among RFIs, RFQs, RFPs, e-auctions, and formal tenders;
• select a solicitation method appropriate to the procurement need and market;
• prepare a clear and complete solicitation package;
• establish fair communication and clarification protocols;
• design defensible evaluation criteria and scoring methods;
• administer bid receipt, opening, evaluation, negotiation, and award;
• maintain an auditable procurement record;
• identify ethical, legal, operational, and technology-related risks; and
• apply these principles to a practical procurement scenario.

1. The Procurement Solicitation Architecture

A solicitation normally connects five elements:

1. The requirement: what the organization needs and why.
2. The market: suppliers capable of satisfying the requirement.
3. The solicitation instrument: the method used to request information, prices, or solutions.
4. The evaluation model: how offers will be compared.
5. The governance record: evidence that the process was fair, authorized, and properly administered.

The quality of the outcome depends on alignment among these elements. A low-value, standardized product may require only a price-focused RFQ. A complex information system may require an RFP because suppliers must propose different technical and implementation solutions. A new or poorly understood market may first require an RFI.

Important principles

Competition means that qualified suppliers have a genuine opportunity to participate. Competition should be proportionate: inviting an excessive number of suppliers can waste resources, while inviting too few can reduce market tension.

Equal treatment requires that suppliers receive the same material information, deadlines, and opportunity to respond. Equal treatment does not mean that every supplier must receive identical informal interactions; it means that material information affecting competition must be shared consistently.

Transparency requires that the process, criteria, conditions, approvals, and decisions are sufficiently clear to be understood and reviewed.

Proportionality means that requirements, controls, financial conditions, documentation, and evaluation effort should be appropriate to the value, complexity, risk, and sensitivity of the procurement.

Confidentiality protects supplier information, evaluation materials, security-sensitive data, and commercially sensitive proposals. Confidentiality must not be used to conceal improper conduct or prevent legitimate oversight.

Integrity requires avoidance and disclosure of conflicts of interest, prohibition of improper influence, protection against collusion, and consistent application of policy.

2. Choosing the Solicitation Method

Request for Information (RFI)

An RFI is a market research instrument. It seeks information about supplier capabilities, technologies, commercial models, implementation approaches, risks, and market availability. It normally does not constitute an offer request and should not imply a commitment to purchase.

An RFI is appropriate when:

• the organization does not fully understand available solutions;
• specifications may unnecessarily restrict competition;
• emerging technology or alternative delivery models are being considered;
• an estimate of market capacity is required; or
• the procurement strategy needs validation.

An RFI should clearly state its purpose, expected response format, confidentiality position, deadline, and the fact that participation does not guarantee future business. Information obtained through an RFI must be used carefully. A supplier should not be allowed to design a future specification solely to its own advantage.

Request for Quotation (RFQ)

An RFQ is used when the requirement is sufficiently defined and offers can be compared mainly on price and compliance. It is most suitable for standard, commercially available goods or routine services with clear quantities, specifications, delivery terms, and quality requirements.

An RFQ should identify the item description, quantity, unit of measure, delivery location, required date, warranty, taxes, payment terms, quotation validity, and any mandatory compliance conditions. The purchaser should specify whether evaluation will use total delivered cost rather than unit price alone.

Request for Proposal (RFP)

An RFP is used where suppliers must propose a solution, methodology, team, implementation plan, service model, or risk treatment. It allows evaluation of both technical and commercial dimensions.

RFPs are suitable for consulting, software implementation, managed services, engineering design, outsourcing, and other complex requirements. They require well-designed criteria because suppliers may present different but potentially valid solutions. The RFP must distinguish mandatory requirements from scored criteria and state whether negotiation, demonstrations, presentations, or best-and-final offers may occur.

Formal tender or invitation to tender

A tender is generally a formal, structured solicitation in which suppliers submit offers by a stated deadline under defined conditions. In many legal systems, a compliant tender may create significant contractual or procedural obligations. Formal tenders are common for construction, infrastructure, public-sector purchases, and high-value goods or services.

Tender documentation normally includes instructions to tenderers, specifications or terms of reference, conditions of contract, pricing schedules, forms of tender, qualification requirements, evaluation methodology, and submission requirements. A tender process often places greater emphasis on bid security, sealed or controlled submission, formal opening, and strict treatment of late bids.

Electronic auction

An e-auction is an electronic, time-limited competitive event in which qualified suppliers submit changing prices or other permitted values, often after an initial qualification and evaluation stage. E-auctions are most effective when the requirement is clearly specified, suppliers are sufficiently numerous, and price competition is meaningful.

They are less suitable where quality, innovation, relationship management, or total life-cycle performance cannot be represented adequately through the auction variables. An e-auction should not be used merely because technology is available. The organization must define eligibility, starting conditions, decrement or increment rules, auction duration, extensions, visibility of rankings, and procedures for technical failure.

3. Planning Before Publication

A defensible solicitation begins before the document is drafted. The procurement team should confirm the business need, budget, authority, category strategy, market conditions, risk level, and desired contract outcome.

Requirement definition

The requirement should describe the intended result rather than unnecessarily prescribing a particular brand, supplier, or technology. Specifications may be expressed as:

• functional requirements, describing what the solution must achieve;
• performance requirements, describing measurable output or service levels;
• technical requirements, describing necessary technical characteristics; or
• design specifications, describing the exact configuration required.

Functional and performance specifications usually support broader competition, while design specifications may be justified where compatibility, safety, regulation, or standardization requires precision.

A good specification is clear, measurable, complete, neutral, and testable. It should identify quantities, standards, interfaces, acceptance criteria, service levels, documentation, training, maintenance, and warranty obligations where relevant.

Market analysis and supplier selection

Market analysis determines whether the market is competitive, concentrated, local, international, innovative, regulated, or capacity constrained. The buyer should consider supplier capability, geographic coverage, financial resilience, lead times, subcontracting, sustainability, and potential barriers to entry.

The supplier list should be developed using objective criteria. Possible sources include approved-supplier records, prior performance, market research, professional associations, public advertisements, and supplier registration portals. A supplier should not be excluded merely because it is unfamiliar, nor should an incumbent receive automatic preference.

Procurement plan

The procurement plan should establish:

• procurement objectives and estimated value;
• funding and approval route;
• proposed solicitation method;
• timetable and key milestones;
• evaluation committee and conflict declarations;
• contract strategy and risk allocation;
• communication and document-control arrangements; and
• expected records and retention period.

4. Structure of a Solicitation Package

A professional solicitation package commonly contains the following components:

1. Invitation and procurement schedule: title, reference number, issuing entity, deadlines, contact point, and submission method.
2. Instructions to suppliers: eligibility, format, language, validity, costs of participation, clarification process, and late-submission rules.
3. Statement of requirements: specifications, scope, quantities, locations, milestones, standards, and acceptance criteria.
4. Supplier response forms: technical response, pricing schedule, declarations, experience, personnel, and references.
5. Evaluation methodology: mandatory conditions, weighted criteria, scoring scale, and treatment of non-compliance.
6. Draft contract: terms, deliverables, payment, liability, insurance, intellectual property, confidentiality, termination, dispute resolution, and change control.
7. Ethical and compliance provisions: anti-bribery, conflict of interest, sanctions, labor standards, environmental requirements, and data protection where applicable.

Instructions must be internally consistent. For example, the deadline in the invitation must match the deadline in the electronic portal, and the pricing schedule must match the units and quantities in the specification. Before publication, a quality review should test the document from a supplier's perspective: Can a competent supplier understand exactly what to submit and how it will be assessed?

5. Evaluation Design and Scoring

Evaluation criteria must be established before bids are opened and must relate directly to the procurement objective. Typical criteria include technical compliance, methodology, experience, personnel, implementation plan, sustainability, risk, and price.

Mandatory requirements are pass/fail conditions. Examples include submission before the deadline, required licensing, minimum insurance, signed declarations, and acceptance of essential contractual terms. A mandatory requirement should be genuinely necessary; excessive mandatory conditions can eliminate capable suppliers and reduce competition.

Scored criteria allow comparative judgment. A weighted model may be expressed as:

where S is the total score, wᵢ is the weight assigned to criterion i, and rᵢ is the normalized rating for criterion i. Weights must be expressed on a consistent scale, and the sum of all weights should equal 1 or 100 percent. The model assumes that criteria are sufficiently distinct and that the selected rating scale is applied consistently.

For example, suppose technical quality has a weight of 60 percent and price has a weight of 40 percent. Supplier A receives a technical rating of 80 out of 100 and a price rating of 90 out of 100. Its total score is:

The result is 84 points out of 100. This calculation is valid only if both ratings use the same 0–100 scale and the solicitation disclosed this method.

Price normalization must be stated clearly. A common method is:

where Pᵢ is the price score for supplier i, L is the lowest evaluated price, and Cᵢ is supplier i's evaluated price. This method gives the lowest evaluated price 100 points and assumes that the prices are comparable, complete, expressed in the same currency, and adjusted consistently for taxes, freight, options, and life-cycle costs.

Evaluation should be conducted by authorized evaluators using an evaluation workbook or controlled system. Each evaluator should record evidence supporting the rating. Consensus meetings may be used, but consensus must not erase the reasoning behind individual assessments. Any clarification sought from a supplier must not allow it to materially improve or change its bid unless the solicitation and applicable rules expressly permit such action.

6. Communication and Clarification Protocols

Communication is one of the highest-risk areas in competitive procurement. A single uncontrolled conversation can create unequal access to information or the appearance of favoritism.

The solicitation should identify one official contact point. All supplier questions should be submitted through the stated channel by the clarification deadline. Responses should be reviewed by the procurement lead and, where necessary, technical, legal, finance, or security specialists.

A material clarification should be issued to all participating suppliers without identifying the supplier that asked the question. If the clarification changes the requirement, deadline, evaluation method, or contract terms, the organization should issue a formal addendum. The deadline should be extended when necessary to give suppliers a fair opportunity to respond.

A communication log should record the date, supplier, subject, response, approver, and whether the answer was distributed to all suppliers. Informal meetings, site visits, demonstrations, and conferences should be documented. Evaluators should not engage privately with bidders during the restricted period.

7. Receipt, Opening, and Evaluation of Bids

The procurement team should maintain a controlled submission process. Electronic systems should record receipt time, preserve the submitted file, restrict unauthorized access, and create an audit trail. Physical submissions should be date-stamped, secured, and opened according to policy.

Late bids require strict treatment. The rules should be stated in advance and applied consistently. A late bid should not be accepted simply because it appears attractive, unless the applicable policy provides a documented exception, such as demonstrable system failure not attributable to the supplier.

Opening procedures should protect commercial confidentiality while documenting essential facts such as suppliers received, time of receipt, and any required public-opening information. The procurement officer should complete a compliance check before detailed evaluation. Clarification of an ambiguity is different from allowing a supplier to submit a new offer.

An evaluation report should explain:

• the procurement need and approved method;
• suppliers invited and bids received;
• compliance findings;
• evaluation criteria and scores;
• clarification requests and responses;
• price and total-cost analysis;
• risks and mitigation;
• conflicts of interest and confidentiality controls;
• recommended supplier; and
• required approvals.

8. Negotiation, Award, and Contract Formation

Negotiation must be governed by the solicitation and applicable rules. In an RFQ or formal tender, negotiation may be prohibited or limited because suppliers were invited to compete on stated terms. In an RFP, negotiation may be allowed, but the organization must avoid giving one supplier information that is unavailable to others or changing the basis of competition unfairly.

Negotiation objectives should be approved in advance. They may concern price, implementation sequence, service levels, risk allocation, payment milestones, or contract wording. A negotiation record should document participants, topics, concessions, unresolved issues, and approvals.

Before award, the organization should complete due diligence, verify references, confirm authority and funding, and ensure that the recommended offer remains valid. The award decision should be approved by the proper authority. Unsuccessful suppliers should receive a clear, respectful notification consistent with policy. Where a debrief is offered, it should explain the supplier's relative strengths and weaknesses without disclosing competitors' confidential information.

Contract award is not complete until the contract is signed by authorized representatives and any required standstill, notice, approval, or publication period has expired. Procurement staff must distinguish a notice of intended award from a legally executed contract.

9. Procurement Records and Auditability

A defensible procurement file allows an independent reviewer to reconstruct what happened, why it happened, who authorized it, and whether the decision complied with the rules. Records should be complete, accurate, timely, secure, and retrievable.

A typical file includes the business case, approvals, market research, supplier list, solicitation documents, addenda, questions and answers, attendance records, bids, opening record, evaluator declarations, scoring sheets, clarification correspondence, due diligence, negotiation records, award approval, notifications, signed contract, and contract amendments.

Electronic records should use controlled naming, version management, access permissions, retention rules, and audit logs. Drafts should be distinguishable from approved documents. Records should not be deleted merely because they are inconvenient or because a procurement has been challenged.

10. Ethics, Governance, and Risk

Common risks include conflicts of interest, bid leakage, collusion, tailoring requirements to an incumbent, discriminatory conditions, undisclosed evaluation criteria, post-deadline bid modification, evaluator bias, unauthorized negotiation, and destruction of records.

Controls include conflict declarations, segregation of duties, two-person review, restricted access, standardized templates, independent evaluation, approval thresholds, supplier communications logs, whistleblowing channels, and periodic audits.

A procurement professional should disclose any personal, financial, family, or previous employment relationship that could influence—or appear to influence—the process. Recusal may be necessary. Gifts, hospitality, employment discussions, and informal favors should be managed under organizational policy.

Sustainability criteria may address energy efficiency, emissions, circularity, labor conditions, accessibility, and responsible sourcing. Such criteria should be relevant, measurable, proportionate, and capable of verification. Sustainability should not be used as vague public relations language or as an unexplained barrier to small suppliers.

11. Technology, E-Procurement, and AI

E-procurement platforms can improve standardization, access control, timestamping, workflow approvals, supplier notification, and reporting. They can also create new risks: system outages, cyberattacks, poor data quality, algorithmic bias, unauthorized access, and excessive reliance on automated scoring.

Artificial intelligence may assist with document classification, specification review, duplicate detection, risk screening, and analysis of supplier questions. However, AI should not independently determine supplier eligibility or award without accountable human oversight. Procurement teams must verify outputs, protect confidential data, document the tool's role, and ensure that automated recommendations do not introduce discriminatory or opaque criteria.

An organization using automated evaluation should be able to explain the data used, the logic applied, the human review process, and the method for correcting errors. A supplier should not be disadvantaged by an unvalidated algorithm that cannot be challenged or audited.

12. Applied Case: Municipal Solar-Powered Lighting Tender

This is an illustrative case.

Background

A municipality planned to install solar-powered street lighting along rural roads. The estimated value was significant, the requirement involved design and installation, and several technical solutions were available.

Problem

The initial draft specification named a preferred panel technology and brand-compatible battery configuration. A market review showed that this could exclude capable suppliers and increase cost. The municipality also lacked a reliable method for comparing maintenance obligations and battery life.

Analysis

The procurement team determined that an RFQ would be unsuitable because suppliers needed to propose different designs and installation methods. An RFP followed by a formal evaluation was selected. The team identified functional requirements: minimum illumination, operating autonomy, safety, environmental resistance, installation completion, warranty, and maintenance response time.

The evaluation model assigned 45 percent to technical solution, 20 percent to implementation and maintenance, 25 percent to evaluated life-cycle cost, and 10 percent to sustainability and local employment. Mandatory requirements included licensing, insurance, safety compliance, and evidence of at least two comparable projects.

During the clarification period, several suppliers asked whether a particular battery chemistry was mandatory. The municipality issued an addendum confirming that equivalent technologies were acceptable if they met the stated performance and safety requirements. The deadline was extended by one week.

Approach and solution

A cross-functional committee evaluated proposals independently before holding a documented consensus meeting. Life-cycle cost included purchase, installation, planned maintenance, replacement assumptions, and warranty credits. The lowest initial price did not receive the highest total score because its maintenance plan was weak and its warranty was shorter.

The preferred supplier underwent reference checks and clarification of its deployment schedule. The contract included measurable illumination tests, staged acceptance, performance reporting, warranty obligations, spare-parts availability, and remedies for delay.

Outcome

The municipality awarded the contract to the supplier with the highest evaluated overall value rather than the lowest initial price. The procurement file contained the market analysis, addendum, evaluation evidence, approvals, and contract controls. A later audit found that the process was competitive and that the criteria had been applied consistently.

Learning points

• Functional requirements can widen competition while protecting the desired outcome.
• A complex requirement should not be forced into a price-only RFQ.
• Clarifications that alter competition require formal communication and, where appropriate, an extension.
• Life-cycle cost may produce a better decision than purchase price alone.
• A complete record is essential to defend the award.

Challenges and Limitations

Competitive solicitation does not guarantee the best outcome. Markets may be concentrated, suppliers may collude, specifications may be incomplete, and evaluation criteria may fail to capture operational reality. Excessive procedural complexity can discourage small and innovative suppliers. Conversely, insufficient control can produce favoritism or legal challenge.

Price competition can also create unrealistic bids, followed by claims, poor quality, or aggressive contract variations. Procurement teams should therefore assess supplier capacity, commercial realism, implementation risk, and total cost. Where uncertainty is high, staged procurement, dialogue, pilots, or negotiated procedures may be more suitable than a rigid one-stage tender, subject to applicable rules.

Best-Practice Checklist

Before publication, confirm that:

• the requirement is clear, neutral, measurable, and approved;
• the selected method fits complexity and market conditions;
• mandatory and scored criteria are distinguished;
• the evaluation formula and price basis are disclosed;
• the contract terms are complete and internally consistent;
• conflicts of interest have been addressed;
• the communication channel and clarification deadlines are clear;
• the electronic or physical receipt process is tested; and
• the records and retention plan are established.

During and after evaluation, confirm that:

• all supplier communications are logged;
• material information is shared consistently;
• evaluators record evidence for scores;
• late bids are treated according to published rules;
• negotiation remains within the approved framework;
• approvals are obtained before award; and
• the complete procurement file is secured.

Chapter Summary

Competitive solicitation is a governed process for obtaining and evaluating supplier offers. RFIs support market understanding, RFQs support comparable price quotations, RFPs support competing solutions, formal tenders support structured high-value competitions, and e-auctions intensify competition where price variables are genuinely comparable.

Effective tender management depends on clear requirements, proportionate procedures, objective criteria, controlled communication, disciplined evaluation, ethical conduct, and complete records. Weighted scoring can combine technical and commercial dimensions, but its assumptions and calculation method must be disclosed and applied consistently. Clarifications must preserve equal treatment, while negotiation must remain within the stated rules. E-procurement and AI can improve control and efficiency but require cybersecurity, transparency, validation, and human accountability. The ultimate test of a procurement process is whether its decision is commercially sound, procedurally fair, legally defensible, and supported by reliable evidence.

Key Terms

Competitive solicitation: A structured process for inviting and comparing supplier offers.

RFI: Request for Information used to gather market and capability information.

RFQ: Request for Quotation used primarily for clearly specified, price-comparable requirements.

RFP: Request for Proposal used to obtain competing technical and commercial solutions.

Tender: A formal invitation for suppliers to submit offers under defined conditions.

E-auction: An electronic competitive event involving live bidding by qualified suppliers.

Specification: A description of the required product, service, performance, or outcome.

Mandatory requirement: A pass/fail condition that must be satisfied.

Weighted criterion: An evaluation factor assigned a stated relative importance.

Clarification: A controlled request or response that explains an existing bid or solicitation provision.

Addendum: A formal change or supplement issued to the solicitation.

Evaluated price: Price adjusted consistently for relevant cost elements such as freight, taxes, or life-cycle costs.

Consensus evaluation: A documented process for reconciling evaluators' assessments.

Conflict of interest: A personal or financial interest that could affect, or appear to affect, impartiality.

Due diligence: Verification of supplier capability, integrity, capacity, and claims.

Life-cycle cost: The total relevant cost of acquiring, operating, maintaining, and disposing of an asset or service.

Audit trail: A retrievable record showing actions, decisions, dates, users, and approvals.

Proportionality: Matching procurement requirements and controls to value, risk, and complexity.

Review Questions

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the principal difference between an RFI and an RFP?
2. Identify four principles that support a defensible competitive solicitation.
3. Why should material clarifications be distributed to all participating suppliers?
4. What is the purpose of a mandatory requirement?
5. List five documents commonly retained in a procurement file.

Long Answer Questions

1. Explain how an organization should select among an RFQ, RFP, formal tender, and e-auction.
2. Describe the essential components of a professional solicitation package.
3. Explain how evaluation criteria and weighted scoring should be designed and controlled.
4. Discuss the ethical and governance risks associated with supplier communication and evaluation.
5. Examine the role of e-procurement and AI in tender management, including their limitations.

Analytical / Application Questions

1. A hospital needs a complex electronic medical-record system involving software, migration, training, cybersecurity, and support. Recommend a solicitation method and justify the evaluation structure.
2. During an RFP, one supplier asks a question that reveals an ambiguity in the specification. Explain the steps the procurement team should take to preserve fairness.
3. Two suppliers submit the same total price, but one offers a longer warranty and lower maintenance cost. Design an evaluation approach that compares the offers fairly and explain what records should support the decision.

Multiple Choice Questions with Answers

Question 1

Which solicitation instrument is primarily used to understand supplier capabilities and market options before finalizing a procurement strategy?

A. Request for Information

B. Request for Quotation

C. Formal tender

D. Electronic auction

Correct Answer: A. Request for Information

Question 2

Which procurement method is generally most suitable for a standardized product with clear specifications and comparable prices?

A. Request for Information

B. Request for Quotation

C. Request for Proposal

D. Competitive dialogue

Correct Answer: B. Request for Quotation

Question 3

In the weighted score formula S = ∑(wᵢ × rᵢ), what does wᵢ represent?

A. The supplier’s total price

B. The evaluator’s identity

C. The weight assigned to criterion i

D. The number of suppliers

Correct Answer: C. The weight assigned to criterion i

Question 4

A material clarification changes a requirement in a way that may affect supplier bids. What is the most appropriate action?

A. Tell only the supplier that asked the question

B. Ignore the question until after award

C. Issue a formal communication to all participating suppliers

D. Allow the preferred supplier to revise its bid privately

Correct Answer: C. Issue a formal communication to all participating suppliers

Question 5

Which feature is most important when designing an e-auction?

A. The requirement must be sufficiently clear and price-comparable

B. Technical requirements should remain unknown to suppliers

C. Only the incumbent supplier should be invited

D. Evaluation criteria should be created after bidding

Correct Answer: A. The requirement must be sufficiently clear and price-comparable

Question 6

Using the price-normalization formula Pᵢ = (L ÷ Cᵢ) × 100, what score does a supplier receive if the lowest evaluated price is 80 and its evaluated price is 100?

A. 20 points

B. 80 points

C. 100 points

D. 125 points

Correct Answer: B. 80 points

Question 7

Which of the following is a mandatory requirement rather than a scored criterion?

A. Quality of proposed methodology

B. Innovation of the solution

C. Submission of a required professional licence

D. Strength of the implementation plan

Correct Answer: C. Submission of a required professional licence

Question 8

What is the principal purpose of an audit trail in procurement?

A. To allow suppliers to change bids after the deadline

B. To reconstruct actions, decisions, dates, and approvals

C. To replace the need for evaluation criteria

D. To disclose competitors’ confidential information

Correct Answer: B. To reconstruct actions, decisions, dates, and approvals

Question 9

When is an e-auction generally unsuitable?

A. When several qualified suppliers can compete on comparable prices

B. When the requirement is standardized

C. When innovation and qualitative solution differences are central

D. When auction rules are published in advance

Correct Answer: C. When innovation and qualitative solution differences are central

Question 10

Which action best supports evaluator impartiality?

A. Allowing evaluators to contact bidders privately

B. Using undisclosed criteria to reward preferred features

C. Obtaining conflict-of-interest declarations and recording evidence for scores

D. Permitting evaluators to modify criteria during consensus discussions

Correct Answer: C. Obtaining conflict-of-interest declarations and recording evidence for scores