TS EN 17371-1

TS EN 17371-1 provides guidance for assessing the capacity of service providers and evaluating service proposals during service procurement. It offers a conceptual framework that supports comparison, suitability assessment, and a more consistent review of proposals when services are being purchased.

Capacity and proposal evaluation in service procurement

In this standard’s subject area, the focus is on whether a provider is capable of delivering a specific service and whether a proposal meets the relevant requirements. In general technical terms, capacity includes people, processes, management approach, experience, access to resources, and factors that affect service continuity. Proposal evaluation is the procurement practice of considering more than price alone, bringing together scope, delivery approach, quality commitments, and practical feasibility when comparing offers.

Coverage and boundaries

The standard applies to service buyers and service providers regardless of whether they are inside or outside the buyer’s organization, as well as to interested parties directly or indirectly involved in or affected by procurement. It does not apply to business-to-consumer service contracts or works contracts. It notes that contracts whose object is only the design of a work are covered, while contracts for the execution of a work, or for both the design and execution of a work, are excluded.

More broadly, guidance of this kind helps parties define expectations more clearly, assess proposals against the same criteria, and conduct procurement in a more transparent and traceable way. TS EN 17371-1 is positioned as a procurement reference that can be adapted to many service sectors rather than a standard limited to one specific industry.