01 / REVIEW
Write the requirement
Describe the necessary physical, functional or performance characteristic and why it matters to this project. Ask the procurement authority to confirm the permitted solicitation approach. Federal references are not automatically local procurement rules.
02 / REVIEW
Ask for evidence
For each requirement, identify an acceptable evidence type and the evaluator. Keep unknown or missing responses visible. Avoid filling blanks with assumed species properties, generic certifications or marketing language.
03 / REVIEW
Record exceptions
Show deviations and substitutions beside the original requirement. A lower material price may not represent equivalent scope if lengths, machining, delivery arrangements or submittals differ.
Purchase a defined surface package
A boardwalk material schedule should connect each line to the accepted profile, appearance basis and intended location. Keep field boards, borders, special pieces and accessories separate where their requirements differ. A single total in linear feet can hide those distinctions.
Give bidders the same document revisions. List which submittals are required, when they are needed and who reviews them. A low price against an older drawing is not directly comparable with an offer against the current design.
Use a procurement matrix
Scroll sideways to read all columns. Keyboard: focus the table and use the arrow keys.
| Line item | Identity to preserve | Evidence or decision |
|---|---|---|
| Field board | Species/product and profile revision | Accepted supplied configuration |
| Special edge piece | Location and machining detail | Attachment and interface review |
| Fastening package | Exact system and accessory references | Connection documentation |
| Finish | Product and accepted sample | Preparation and application scope |
| Replacement stock | Specified identity and quantity basis | Storage and future matching plan |
For a fictional project, one supplier includes special border pieces while another quotes only field decking. Show the difference as scope, not as an unexplained difference in unit price. Ask for the missing items before recommending an award.
Carry accepted deviations into the receiving record. An approved alternative should have an identifiable revision so the delivery team can distinguish it from an unreviewed substitution.
Send one question that each bidder can answer
A procurement matrix becomes more useful when each row contains one requirement. Split “complete high-quality hardwood package” into the board identity, actual section, machining, accessory system, finish scope and delivery requirements. Broad wording makes a response difficult to compare even when every bidder checks the same box.
For each row, retain the issued drawing or specification reference, the bidder’s response, the evidence reference and the exception. Keep evaluation status separate from commercial status. An offer can be received and priced while a required technical response remains outstanding.
Scroll sideways to read all columns. Keyboard: focus the table and use the arrow keys.
| Fictional line | Required basis | Bid response | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Field profile | Drawing P-03, issued revision | Different groove proposed | Substitution review required |
| Border machining | Detail E-02 | Excluded from quoted price | Scope clarification required |
| Accessory package | Exact system identified in submittal | Product identifier not supplied | Evidence missing |
| Phased delivery | Owner’s stated segment sequence | Included, dates to be confirmed | Commercial condition still open |
Close a clarification without losing its history
When a bidder replies, attach the response to the original question and record which revision it replaces. A revised total without the revised scope can leave the evaluator unable to explain why the price changed. Keep the accepted package and its exclusions together.
Before ordering, reconcile the selected offer with the issued material schedule and the recorded deviations. Identify who can authorize a substitution and who checks receiving documents. The supplier’s confirmation of availability is a commercial input; it is not approval of a changed profile or installation detail.
Use the procurement worksheet to organize the package, and the substitution record when an offered change needs its own decision. Keep the actual source documents available outside the summary. A report filename or checked field should never be treated as proof that the underlying evidence was supplied.
A public-route planning scenario
Concept example: one offer excludes machining and another includes it. The comparison keeps those scope differences visible rather than presenting a single misleading unit-price winner.
Use the result
Keep the completed review with the relevant project record. Assign unresolved items before relying on a conclusion. If the material, condition or document changes, revisit the affected questions.
Boardwalk plannerTechnical references
General background for the subject. Project worksheets and fictional situations are original review aids, not official agency forms.
Access Board: floor and ground surfaces