Speeding up the bidding process

Speeding up the bidding process

Transportation trial by Siemens

The EU platform OpenReq develops new methods and tools for large-scale software projects. Moreover, the aim is to improve their quality and efficiency. These methods and tools are now tested in trials by different industries. Hence this is where a company like Siemens comes into the picture.

Siemens is a global company focusing on the areas of electrification, automation and digitalisation. Its businesses are bundled into eight divisions. Further, the portfolio of the Mobility Division includes, among other things, vehicles for rail traffic and signal and control technology for rail-based passenger and freight traffic.

Public tender invitations are very long

Within the OpenReq framework, Siemens is testing how intelligent data processing could help make the tender process in large infrastructure projects more efficient. Irrespectively of the nature of the goods or services that are being sought, public tender invitations have one thing in common: they may be very long and contain requirements and specifications.

More specifically, in railway safety, RFPs (Requests For Proposal) for railway safety systems are issued by national railway providers. The RFPs comprise natural language documents of several hundred pages. These documents, in turn, include requirements of various kind.

Bidding processes may take several months

Sales departments of large enterprises such as Siemens are usually in charge of the proposals. Several departments and stakeholders, typically up to 30 persons are involved in the process. The process usually takes one to three months. Stakeholders include, for instance, project management, finances, system development, components design, engineering, tools, integration, assembly and safety.

What is noteworthy is that requirements engineering is responsible for ensuring the technical compliance of the proposal with the invitation and its requirements. Siemens´ Mobility Division has defined an elaborate requirements management process with tool support. This process, in turn, is followed in such proposal projects.

How to make it more efficiently?

The company is, however, eager to make it even better. The process could be more efficient when it comes to, for instance, the identification and classification of requirements from the text. Second, efficiency could be gained by noticing whether a similar requirement has been handled in the same or another project before. In sum, this is exactly what Siemens´ trial within the OpenReq is about – testing tools easing the management of requirements in bid projects.