Collectively, procurement by public entities amounts to just under NOK 500 billion per year. Procurement is a very central part of most public entities. The rules are extensive and the consequences of errors in the procurement procedure are great. Most of the pitfalls can be avoided with good planning, market knowledge, competence regarding the rules and experience in follow-up of contracts in the public sector.

Procurement in the public sector is a large and important market for many private activities. Preparation of tenders is expensive, both in resources and costs. Good competence regarding the rules is decisive in order to be able to optimise the tender and improve the probability of winning the competition.

Sverdrup has long experience both with planning and implementation of procurement processes and with follow-up of contracts that have been entered into after tender. The experiences from contract follow-up and dispute resolution in that regard is an important part of the work with improving the tender processes and competition documents. To us, good procurement is more than correct procurement. In addition, it must be implemented efficiently and result in a good contract with the right contractual partner that is not resource-demanding to follow up.

Sverdrup assists both public awarding authorities and private tenderers in the tender processes. Our lawyers hold regular courses and lectures in public procurement, project management and contract follow-up.

We also assist public awarding authorities with:

• Consultancy in connection with procurements in the public sector
• Planning and implementation of public procurements
• Dealing with complaints (to the awarding authority and The Norwegian Complaints Board for Public Procurement (KOFA)

• Claims for compensation
• Negotiations and procedure
• Courses

We also assist private tenderers with:

• Consultancy in connection with preparation of tenders
• Complaints and other communication with the award authority Claims for compensation