eBusiness
eTendering is increasingly being adopted throughout Australia and internationally. In its simplest form it is described as the electronic publishing, communicating, accessing, receiving and submitting of all tender-related information and documentation via the internet, thereby replacing the traditional paper-based tender processes resulting in a more efficient and effective business process.
A critical need for this research was identified by the Queensland public sector partners to Construction Innovation, to evaluate the legal, security and risk issues relating to eTendering. The law governing eTendering is untested and ambiguous, and the technology that facilitates eTendering is relatively new and ever changing.
Research objectives addressed include:
- review of current standards and eTendering systems
- summary of legal requirements impacting upon eTendering
- analysis of the threats and requirements for any eTendering system
- identification of outstanding issues
- evaluation of possible eTendering architectures
- recommendations for eTendering systems.
The report identifies the security and legal risks associated with the progressive implementation of eTendering, identifying that any eTendering system will generally occur in three phases:
- Principal to tenderer communication
- Tender submission and two-way communication
- Electronic tendering contract formation
