Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 36 - Technology › Part 2 - Information Systems Services › Chapter 3 - Glossary of Terms › Rule 36-2-3-203.2 - 005-150 Consensus Scoring

Current through June 25, 2024
ITS utilizes a Consensus Scoring methodology for proposal
				  evaluation. ITS has found that a consensus rating arrived at by the evaluation
				  team after consideration and discussion of all information provided by a vendor
				  represents a more accurate assessment of the vendor's offering than does a
				  mathematical averaging of individual evaluators' scores.
In a consensus scoring approach, individual evaluators read
				  the assigned proposals, or sections of proposals, prior to evaluation work
				  sessions and make notes of proposed scoring, observations of strengths and
				  weaknesses, and questions regarding the vendor's proposal.
During consensus scoring sessions, the evaluation
				  facilitator directs the team's attention to each item in the specifications.
				  The evaluation team considers one proposal at a time, comparing the vendor's
				  proposed offering against the specifications in the underlying RFP or LOC.
				  Consensus scoring sessions encourage open discussions and questions among
				  members of the evaluation team. Evaluators discuss the relative strengths and
				  weaknesses of a vendor's proposal in each area. Open debate about a vendor's
				  statement or response is encouraged to help ensure nothing proposed by a vendor
				  in response to a requirement is overlooked. This discussion may provide
				  additional insight into the vendor's offering and/or correct misperceptions of
				  individual evaluators, so that the consensus score arrived at by the team may
				  differ from the initial score of the majority of evaluators and from the
				  mathematical average of the individual scores. The most important factor in
				  assigning a final consensus score to any item is that the score accurately
				  reflect the merits and value of the vendor's proposal for that item.
Once the team has arrived at a consensus score for an item
				  in the proposal, the evaluation facilitator captures the consensus score along
				  with documentation of the team's observations of noted strengths and weaknesses
				  of the vendor's proposal for that item. Narrative documentation is required for
				  items that either exceed the specification or do not meet the specification in
				  some manner. Only the consensus score sheet and comments are official and
				  become part of the project file. Individual team member evaluation worksheets
				  and notes are collected and destroyed once the consensus scoring is completed.
If an item or area in a vendor's proposal is not clear or
				  cannot be scored due to ambiguity or missing information, the evaluation team
				  may decide a written clarification from the vendor is appropriate for a given
				  item. In this case, a written request for clarification will be generated and
				  sent to the vendor. The area or item under review may be suspended from scoring
				  until the response is received from the vendor or a temporary score may be
				  assigned. When the clarification is received, the evaluation team once again
				  addresses the item and determines a final consensus score.
25-53-3 (g); 25-53-5
				  (o)