market dialogue

A market dialogue consists of discussions between a contracting authority and potential suppliers before a procurement is published. This is an important part of the preparation for public purchasing, where the goal is to gain better insight into what the market can offer and how needs can best be met.

View available market dialogues.

Why conduct a market dialogue?

Market dialogue helps contracting authorities to:

• Understand what solutions are available in the market
• Draft better requirements specifications
• Get input on how the competition should be conducted
• Avoid unrealistic requirements that could lead to failed procurements

How it works in practice

A municipality, for example, needs to purchase new IT systems. Before drafting the tender documents, they invite relevant suppliers to a dialogue. This can take place through:

• One-to-one meetings with suppliers
• Joint supplier conferences
• Written consultation rounds
• Site visits or demonstrations

Tools like Cobrief can help suppliers receive alerts about such dialogue opportunities through tender alerts, so they do not miss important opportunities to influence future tenders.

Important rules

All dialogue must be documented and conducted in a way that ensures equal treatment. Information shared with one supplier must be made available to all. This is particularly important since market dialogue often leads to a tender procedure later on.

A good market dialogue leads to better procurements, saves time and resources, and increases the chances of successful contracts. It also gives suppliers the opportunity to better understand the customer's needs and prepare for upcoming competitions.