Effectively Supporting the Evaluation Process

The Evaluator’s Application Suite supports the entire evaluation process, thus eliminating the striking weaknesses and shortcomings of conventional, mostly simple spreadsheet-based solutions. Powerful, purpose-built applications support evaluation process tasks, starting with Evaluation Specification authoring all the way through to product assessment.

The Evaluation Specification Editor provides access to ready-to-use Evaluation Specifications which are stored in the central repository. An imported Evaluation Specification can be customized to meet the organization's specific needs. Likewise, users can access collections of functional and non-functional requirements and import requirements into an Evaluation Specification. Some collections are available for free, while others require a license.

A Request for Proposal (RFP) can be generated from an Evaluation Specification. Offerors will use the electronic RFP document as input for the preparation of an RFP Response, using the RFP Response Editor. However, the editor can also be used to create a product evaluation profile in case offeror involvement is not planned.

The Evaluation Project Spreadsheet Editor enables the user to assign scores that reflect if and how well requirements are met. Various comparative analysis functions, such as strenghts/weaknesses analysis, help select the most suitable software product.

Thanks to the exchange of structured information in electronic form among applications, the evaluation process is streamlined and shortened.

Electronic Documents at the Center

Successful acquisition and implementation of expensive products begins with a comprehensive specification, which defines the goals to be achieved and the requirements derived from these goals. A well organized Request for Proposal (RFP) documents these requirements to vendors.

The RFP is sent to offerors that are known to have one or more products in their portfolio that likely meet the specified requirements. Offerors return an RFP Response, which specifies to what extent requirements are met.

Evaluating RFP Responses quickly and effectively is easier said then done. Experiences are that it can take a tremendous amount of time, particularly when no suitable tools exist to support the process.

The Evaluator's Application Suite (EAS) was developed to streamline the acquisition process and to significantly save time and effort.

Features and Benefits 

Major features and benefits are:

• Evaluation Specifications can be imported from the central repository for easy customization.
• Hierarchical document structure, which allows you to structure Evaluation Specifications in much the same way you would if you used word processor software.
  
• Easy RFP generation from an Evaluation Specification.
• Vendors participate in the process by providing RFP Responses as machine-processable documents.
• Consistent RFP Response format, which allows for fast electronic processing.
• Consistent input information types that allow for easy "apples-to-apples" comparisons.
• Detailed weighted grade scoring algorithms that allows for scoring at the individual requirement level.
• RFP Responses can be pre-qualified and imported into an Evaluation Project Spreadsheet.
• Various reporting and analysis functions.

As a result, the EAS can help you save hundreds of man-hours.

The EAS Tour provides you with an idea what the EAS can do for you.