Key Terms

Please read the Procurement Guidance & FAQs for detailed information about the procurement end to end process, including key standards, principles and expectations of Intersect Operational Services.

• Intersect Operational Services: Intersect’s Operational Services support committee projects by managing the procurement process and overseeing the budget. Our approach ensures compliance, transparency, and effective resource management, enabling committees to focus on their objectives.

• Tenders and proposals are both used in the procurement process but serve different purposes and have distinct characteristics:

  • Tender: A tender is a formal offer to supply goods and/or services in return for payment. The buyer issues a Request for Tender (RFT) that outlines detailed specifications for the work, qualifications, and requirements. Vendors submit responses, which are evaluated against the buyer's mandatory criteria. The process is more rigid, and once the tender has closed, the project owner must disqualify non-compliant tenders.

  • Proposal: A proposal is less specific than a tender. The buyer (in our case the Committee) issues a Request for Proposal (RFP) when they have a clear idea of what they want to achieve but rely on the expertise, creativity, and innovation of the vendor to define the scope of work. The proposal identifies the problem or business opportunity, defines the solution, methodology, project plan, pricing, and organizational credentials. Proponents can revise or withdraw proposals at any time without consequence.

  In summary, tenders are more structured and legally binding, while proposals allow for more flexibility and creativity in the response. The choice between the two depends on the project's requirements and the level of detail the buyer has defined.

• Committee Requirement Document (CRD): Committees will request this document to submit their requirements to Operational Services for work they’d like to propose out to the Community.

• Request For Proposal (RFP): an RFP is the “call for proposal” from Intersect Operational Services to its members and the broader community, asking them to supply a proposal to the requirement.

• Request For Information (RFI): An RFI is a formal solicitation from Intersect Operational Services to its members and the broader community seeking expressions of interest or information.

• Milestone Acceptance Form: The Milestone Acceptance form is a document to confirm that a specific project milestone has been completed and accepted by the Committee and Intersect. It records that the deliverables meet the agreed-upon criteria before proceeding to the next phase.