Question

Select the statement(s) that are TRUE regarding 'Quality and Cost-Based Selection (QCBS)' system for tendering.

• A. Financial bid is opened before technical bid.
• B. Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) is submitted before the opening of technical bid.
• C. Technically qualified bidder with lowest financial bid is always awarded the job.
• D. A composite scoring system considering both the financial and technical bids is adopted for awarding the job.

Hint:

QCBS ≠ Lowest Bidder. Remember: Technical first, then composite score of technical + financial.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B, D

Step 1: Understanding QCBS.
The QCBS (Quality and Cost-Based Selection) method is widely used for consultancy and professional services. Unlike L1 (lowest bid) systems, QCBS balances both quality (technical score) and cost (financial score).

Step 2: Analyze each option.
- (A) Wrong → In QCBS, the technical bid is opened first, not the financial bid. Only technically qualified bidders proceed to financial evaluation. ✗
- (B) Correct → EMD is always submitted along with the bid documents before the opening of technical bids, to ensure seriousness of bidders. ✓
- (C) Wrong → In QCBS, the lowest financial bid is not always awarded. Instead, technical + financial scores are combined. ✗
- (D) Correct → A composite scoring system is used, typically in the ratio 70:30 or 80:20 (technical:financial). ✓

Step 3: Conclusion.
Thus, correct statements are (B) and (D).

Final Answer: \[ \boxed{\text{(B) and (D)}} \]