- Good terms of reference describe the change needed in participants' performance, the target group, and the outputs and evidence that will be used to accept them.
- They leave the supplier room to propose a method that achieves those results within clear constraints, separating mandatory requirements from evaluation criteria.
- A standard response table showing what each price includes and excludes makes proposals comparable and the selection decision explainable.
Which problem should the terms of reference start with?
Describe the work situation you want to improve, the impact of the gap, and what showed that training was needed. Do not make “developing skills” the only objective; it does not say what the trainee should be able to do after the programme. Training quality standards stress checking that training is the right way to close the gap in the first place, because missing authority or a complicated procedure may need a different intervention. [1]
A hypothetical example: “The organisation needs to improve supervisors’ ability to give feedback based on evidence from the work.” The manager then explains what participants can do now and what is expected of them later. Do not include employee data or full confidential reports to explain the problem; give an aggregated description or anonymised cases that are enough for the supplier to understand the context and estimate the effort.
How do you describe participants beyond a list of job titles?
Set out roles, previous experience, required knowledge, the language of training and the work environment where it will be applied, plus any accessibility or technical requirements. Differences between participants may call for separate groups or differentiated exercises, so the supplier should know this before pricing. If the final number is not settled, say how options should be priced rather than leaving each supplier to assume a different size and then comparing prices directly.
Also explain the managers’ role after the programme, whether an applied project is possible, and whether data or templates are available to work on. A supplier may propose follow-up the organisation cannot support, creating a gap in delivery despite a good proposal. The earlier constraints are known, the more realistic the method becomes. This does not limit creativity; it gives suppliers boundaries within which they can offer alternatives that can actually be delivered.
How do you write learning outcomes that can be assessed?
Use verbs that describe observable performance, such as prepare, analyse, carry out or review, rather than just know and understand. Set the context and acceptance standard without excessive detail. Guidance on writing objectives stresses linking what participants will learn to how it will be checked, so assessment is not detached from the training promise. [2]
In the earlier example, the outcome might be: “The supervisor gives feedback on a hypothetical work case, based on facts, and agrees a follow-up action with the employee.” This is a suggested wording, not a mandatory objective for all leadership programmes. The manager then asks the supplier to state the activity that trains this performance, the assessment tool, how feedback is given to participants, and what evidence is handed to the organisation.
Which contractual deliverables should you ask for?
Distinguish learner outcomes from supplier deliverables. Deliverables may include a delivery plan, participant materials, applied activities, an assessment tool, a final report and any agreed follow-up support. Each deliverable has a format, a date and a person who accepts it. Do not leave “training kit” open-ended if the organisation needs editable files or specific usage licences.
Also clarify rights to content, recording and reuse, the policy for replacing a trainer, postponement terms, and whether the price includes equipment, travel, taxes and extra services. These details belong to contract management, and procurement guidance helps link the scope of work to outputs and monitoring. The terms of reference do not replace review of the legal and financial conditions by the relevant team. [3]
How do you ask for proof of competence beyond a CV?
Ask for experience relevant to the field and the target group, and a sample activity design or assessment method, while protecting previous clients’ rights. You can ask for a short demonstration or a case discussion under fair, published procurement rules. The number of certificates on a trainer’s CV does not on its own prove they can manage applied learning for a particular group; the evidence should relate to the task required.
If the proposal includes a certificate or continuing professional development hours, ask for the exact name of the awarding body, the nature of the document, the conditions for obtaining it and any accreditation claimed. Do not treat a certificate of attendance as equivalent to an academic degree or a licence to practise. This information should match across the proposal, the contract and the marketing material, so participants do not discover after registering that the certificate means something different from what they expected.
How do you make proposals comparable?
Attach a standard response table asking the supplier to explain its solution for each requirement and to state what the price includes and excludes. Separate mandatory conditions from evaluation criteria, and publish the evaluation method in line with the organisation’s rules. Do not set weights after proposals arrive to justify a choice already made, and do not compare the price of a programme with a project and follow-up against the price of a lecture without adjusting the basis of comparison.
Reviewers can record the evidence behind their assessment of each item: Where does application appear? How will the skill be measured? Is there enough time for feedback? What will the training manager receive? This is a suggested analytical template. The aim is for the decision-maker to be able to explain the choice, not to produce an overall number that looks objective but rests on undocumented impressions.
What practical template can you copy?
Write your terms of reference under these headings: background to the problem, target group, learning outcomes, scope of topics, required or acceptable delivery method, deliverables, assessment, follow-up, team qualifications, logistical constraints, rights and confidentiality, price structure and acceptance arrangements. You can use these headings directly as a starting point, then remove what does not apply and add the organisation’s own requirements; this is an editorial tool, not an approved government tender template.
Under each heading, write what is required and what evidence the response should give. For example, under follow-up: “The supplier proposes support for applying the skill after the programme, stating the duration, the method, the organisation’s responsibilities and the cost.” This avoids imposing one solution before alternatives are assessed, while stopping suppliers from writing “ongoing follow-up” without saying what it means or where it ends. Contractual approvals remain subject to the organisation’s authorities.
What does a hypothetical Gulf application look like?
A hypothetical Gulf organisation wants to train its branch supervisors, who work in shifts. The terms of reference state that training must keep the service running, and ask for delivery options that are equivalent in learning and assessment. One supplier offers short workshops with practice, another offers consecutive full days. The organisation compares the effect of each option on participation, application and total cost, rather than simply picking the lowest price per day.
Language, local examples, the data policy, access to the premises or platform and the applicable procurement system are all reviewed. It should not be assumed that a Saudi government body tenders the same way as a private company in the UAE. The tool here helps clarify the need; the regulatory route and approvals are set by the local context and the specialists inside the organisation.
How do you handle supplier questions during the tender?
Collect questions that reveal ambiguity, and answer them through the approved channel in a way that gives everyone fair access to the information. If an answer changes a core requirement, document the change rather than leaving it in a one-to-one call. The aim is for competitors to work from a similar understanding of what the organisation is buying.
When a useful alternative arrives, assess it under the tender rules and do not treat its difference as automatic acceptance or rejection. Ask how it affects outcomes, cost and time, and keep the core offer separate from optional extras. That way the quality of the method is not confused with promotional features or page count.
After selection, carry what was approved into the contract scope, the delivery plan and the acceptance criteria. Many disputes start when promises stay in a proposal the delivery team never reads. Check consistency between the terms of reference, the response and the contract, then hand the commitments clearly to the person responsible for follow-up. This is a suggested practice within the approved procurement system. At the kick-off meeting, check that the supplier and the organisation understand the outcomes, the data, the schedule and how changes will be handled. Do not wait until the training day to discover that the case study, the files or the filming approvals were never prepared, because these details can directly affect the quality of the programme you selected.
Frequently asked questions
Should I set the number of days before writing the objectives?
There may be time constraints in advance, but test whether the outcomes can be achieved within them. If time conflicts with what is needed, adjust the scope or the delivery rather than keeping an unrealistic promise.
Should I ask everyone for the same detailed outline?
Define the core topics and outcomes, and leave room for the method. Prescribing every detail may stop a supplier offering a better solution, while having no scope prevents fair comparison.
Is a satisfaction survey enough in the final report?
Not if the aim is to build a skill. Ask for suitable evidence of learning or performance alongside participants' views, taking into account the timing of assessment and the privacy of results. [1]
Should I choose the trainer before the supplier?
That depends on the organisation's rules. What matters is stating the team requirements and how trainers are approved and replaced, and checking that the person delivering the programme meets the agreed requirements.
When is the service considered accepted?
When the agreed acceptance criteria for delivery and deliverables are met, not simply when the days are over. The supplier is not held solely responsible for application results that depend on workplace factors outside the contract.
References
Recommended programmes
