Services provided by the DTI sector, framework conditions for mini-tenders and responsibilities of the requesting administrative unit

The DTI sector of the Federal Chancellery organises WTO tenders for ICT services for the entire Federal Administration. Its portfolio is available to all administrative units of the Federal Administration and includes various framework agreements that can be used as a basis for procuring services. The administrative units can request and execute tenders resulting from framework agreements – known as mini-tenders – electronically in the MTM application. DTI checks the requests and makes suggestions for improvement before approving them. If required, it helps the administrative units to set up the call procedure and formulate the specifications and criteria. The following video explains how mini-tenders resulting from Service for IT framework agreements are handled via MTM:

DTI also manages the quotas allocated to framework agreements for tasks in the area of controlling.

It is important that DTI is in contact with the requesting administrative units and the bidders (also known as tenderers). It identifies the current need for ICT services, bundles them, and – if there is sufficient demand – puts them out to public tender in cooperation with the Federal Office for Buildings and Logistics FOBL.

DTI sets out the framework conditions of its framework agreements under which services can be procured at federal level.

Once launched, a mini-tender, including the award of the contract, is binding. It must always relate to a specific project and must meet the following minimum conditions:

• The competent body or higher authority has approved the call in the mini-tender procedure.
• Funding has been secured and approved.
• The key roles are assigned to available internal staff with suitable expertise.
• The procurement procedure is carried out by an internal employee of the Federal Administration.
• The project is managed according to the HERMES method (www.hermes.admin.ch).
• Sustainability is taken into account.
• If an assessment is planned, all bidders who have submitted a valid bid and still have a realistic chance of being awarded the contract must be invited to participate.
• Unsuccessful bidders are entitled to an oral debriefing with the respective administrative unit, in which the main reasons for not considering the offer are disclosed, while respecting confidentiality.

In a mini-tender, all successful bidders in the respective WTO tender have the right to submit a bid. MTM ensures that all successful bidders receive important information such as new mini-tenders, published responses, any extensions of deadlines and awards in a transparent manner at all times.

By entering the request in MTM, the requesting administrative unit accepts the above conditions.

It is fully responsible for the complete financing as well as for the correct handling under procurement and contract law, for the formal and material content, and in particular for the quality and completeness of the mini-tender procedure. Furthermore, the requesting administrative unit is responsible for identifying any prior involvements and, wherever possible, cancelling them so that the purpose set out in Article 2 PPA is fully complied with. This includes the following points:

• the cost-efficient use of public funds in a manner that is economically, ecologically and socially sustainable;
• the transparency of the award procedure;
• equal treatment and non-discrimination of tenderers;
• the promotion of effective, fair competition among tenderers[1], in particular by means of measures against unlawful agreements affecting competition and measures against corruption.

The administrative unit carries out the mini-tender in its own name and concludes a contract directly with the winner of the mini-tender. It evaluates the services performed and pays for them upon acceptance. It reports quarterly to DTI or enters the invoiced services into MTM itself.

[1] In order to ensure effective competition, DTI recommends that the administrative units allow successful bidders, whenever possible, more time to prepare their bids than the statutory minimum period. Account should also be taken of days that are usually public holidays in Switzerland.