Early market engagement
If your program involves significant ICT change, a large investment or involves high risk you should engage with the ICT industry early in the procurement process.
Early market engagement is to gather and consider market intelligence and this should take place before the tender stage.
It helps you to:
- benefit from suppliers' knowledge of markets and trends
- make fully informed buying decisions
- maximise buying power
- minimise risk
- adapt complex, innovative and high risk programs to better use industry capacity
- ensure the right supplier is chosen to provide the right service.
Through the early engagement process, suppliers can:
- show you how the market can meet your agency's needs
- provide early visibility of key risks and issues
- advise on what the market can and cannot contribute to the proposed program.
How does it work?
Contact the suppliers and outline your needs, the main risks and likely issues, and how you think suppliers might be involved.
The suppliers then tell you how they can help, potential risks and issues, approximate timings, feasibility and, in some cases, affordability.
Consider their response and discuss any additional risks with them and who should manage them.
If you can disclose your budget, discuss this with the suppliers.
Early market engagement activities are essentially informal and can range from the simple exchange of information to a more detailed discussion in a workshop environment.
More information
- Email ictstrategicsourcing@qld.gov.au
- Read our Better practice guide for early market engagement with the ICT industry to help you and your agency gain better outcomes from ICT procurement.
What's next?
Reviewing current ICT arrangements is the next step when buying ICT products and services.