Every procurement-led agency selection process produces a binder of responses that all start to look the same by submission three. This scorecard separates strategic substance from polish and forces the selection committee to declare its weights before reading a single response.
Six evaluation dimensions
The default sheet weights strategy at 30 percent, capability and case evidence at 25 percent, team and operating model at 15 percent, commercial model at 15 percent, cultural fit at 10 percent, and risk and compliance at 5 percent. Adjust the weights collectively before the first response is opened. Once weights move post-read, the process is no longer a rubric — it is a rationalisation.
Three evaluator rule
Every response must be scored independently by at least three named evaluators on the client side. Variance above two points on any dimension triggers a discussion before the consensus score is recorded. This single rule eliminates more bad shortlist decisions than any other we have observed.
What this rubric will not do
It will not tell you which agency to hire. It will tell you which agencies your selection committee believes have the strongest objective case, and where individual evaluators disagree most strongly. The conversations after the scoring are where the real decision is made — but they are now grounded in evidence rather than in the loudest voice in the room.
Calibrating the model
Run the rubric retrospectively on a previous agency selection. If it would have changed the outcome, you have a calibration problem to discuss before the next live process. If it would have produced the same outcome with less argument, you are ready to use it.
Last updated May 2026 · Filed under Templates