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Project Match Criteria Template

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Project Match Criteria Template

Recitals

WHEREAS, Company Name: and Partner Name: desire to establish objective criteria by which prospective projects will be evaluated and matched between the parties;

WHEREAS, the parties intend that projects matched pursuant to this template will satisfy specified strategic, operational, financial, and compliance criteria described below, and that such criteria will guide selection, prioritization, and acceptance of projects; and

WHEREAS, Effective Date: the parties agree to adopt these Project Match Criteria as a binding component of their project intake and referral process.

Scope of Work

Scope includes the evaluation and matching of prospective projects against the criteria set forth below, preparation of project briefs, and recommended match outcomes. The services include initial screening, secondary due diligence where warranted, and formal recommendation to the referring party or committee.

Match Criteria

Innovation / R&D Infrastructure Service Delivery Product Development

Budget Minimum:

Budget Maximum:

Preferred Start Date:

Preferred End Date:

Payment Terms

The parties agree that fees for matching, evaluation, and reporting services will be as follows.

Late Fee Percentage:

Late Fee Applies After (days):

Term and Termination

This Project Match Criteria Template shall commence on Start Date: and shall remain in force until End Date: unless earlier terminated pursuant to this section.

Either party may terminate this agreement for material breach if the breaching party fails to cure such breach within the notice period specified above following written notice. Termination for convenience may be effected upon the giving of the notice period and settlement of any outstanding fees and expenses incurred prior to the effective date of termination.

Confidentiality

Each party shall maintain in strict confidence all information disclosed by the other party in connection with project evaluation and matching that is designated as confidential or would reasonably be understood to be confidential given the nature of the information and the circumstances of disclosure. Confidential information shall not be disclosed to third parties except to employees, agents, or advisors who have a need to know and who are bound by confidentiality obligations at least as protective as those set forth herein.

Confidentiality obligations shall survive termination of this template for a period of three (3) years, except for trade secrets which shall be protected for so long as they remain trade secrets under applicable law.

Acknowledge Confidentiality Clause:

Governing Law

This template and any dispute arising out of or related to it shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of State: without regard to conflicts of law principles.

Entire Agreement

This document, together with all appendices, schedules, and referenced documents expressly incorporated by reference herein, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements, proposals, and communications, whether written or oral. No amendment shall be effective unless in writing and signed by authorized representatives of both parties.

Contact and Administration

Party A:

By:

Date:

Party B:

By:

Date:

Enter text✕

What the Project Match Criteria Template Is

The Project Match Criteria Template is a structured form used to evaluate and compare competing project proposals against predefined suitability standards. It captures objective criteria such as scope alignment, technical fit, budget range, schedule feasibility, compliance requirements, and risk factors, and converts those inputs into a scored matrix for side-by-side comparison. Organizations use the template to standardize vendor evaluation, document decision rationale, and create an audit trail of scoring and approvals that supports procurement transparency and defensible award decisions.

Why a Standardized Criteria Template Matters

A consistent Project Match Criteria Template reduces subjectivity, speeds evaluation, and creates a clear record of how proposals were scored. It improves fairness across bidders and helps organizations demonstrate compliance with procurement policies and audit requirements.

Why a Standardized Criteria Template Matters

Who Typically Completes This Template

The template is used by teams responsible for sourcing, project intake, and vendor selection to ensure consistent evaluation across opportunities.

  • Project managers and PMOs who compare technical fit and schedule compliance.
  • Procurement and sourcing officers who score pricing, terms, and vendor qualifications.
  • Subject-matter reviewers who assess regulatory, security, or specialty criteria.

After scoring, the completed template becomes part of the procurement record and routing for approvals and vendor notification.

Representative Signers and Completers

Project Manager

Responsible for entering technical responses and initial scoring; documents rationale for each criterion and confirms schedule and resource availability before routing for procurement review. Typically prepares supporting attachments such as statements of work and technical clarifications.

Procurement Director

Reviews scored proposals for policy compliance, verifies financial and legal terms, applies final weighting adjustments if needed, and provides signature authority for award notices according to delegated procurement limits.

Core Sections Included in a Professional Template

A well-constructed Project Match Criteria Template organizes selection factors, scoring logic, evidence attachments, and routing instructions so evaluators apply consistent standards across submissions.

Match Criteria

A checklist of required and desirable attributes (technical fit, compliance, past performance) with clear definitions so reviewers score consistently and objectively.

Weighting System

A numeric weighting for each criterion that reflects organizational priorities; weighting guides how raw scores convert to overall rankings and drives final recommendations.

Scoring Rubric

A defined scale (for example 0–5) with explicit descriptors for each point to limit evaluator variance and improve defensibility of selection decisions.

Evidence Attachments

Fields to link or attach supporting documents such as certifications, resumes, cost breakdowns, and references that substantiate scores and are retained for audit.

Approval Workflow

Predefined routing steps and required signers for each score threshold so approvals follow internal policy and maintain an audit trail of decisions.

Version Control

Built-in fields for revision number, author, and effective date so changes are tracked and prior versions remain accessible for review.

Step-by-Step: Completing and Routing the Template

Follow these sequential steps to populate, score, and route the Project Match Criteria Template for approval.

  • 01
    Prepare materials: Gather proposals, attachments, and compliance certificates before starting the form.
  • 02
    Enter criteria: Populate each criterion and add evidence links or file attachments as required.
  • 03
    Assign weights: Set weighting values that total 100 and document rationale for nonstandard weights.
  • 04
    Route for approval: Send to procurement and authorized approvers using the defined workflow and capture signatures.

How Scoring and Approval Flow Works

The template automates scoring, aggregates totals, and moves the result through configured approvers to produce a final, signed evaluation record.

  • Upload proposals: Attach proposal documents and supporting files to the matching vendor entry.
  • Score criteria: Reviewers complete the rubric fields and add brief evidence notes for each score.
  • Aggregate results: The template calculates weighted totals and ranks proposals automatically.
  • Approval routing: The system sends the ranked result to designated approvers and captures their eSignatures.

Recommended Digital Workflow Settings

Configure these workflow settings to support secure routing, signer authentication, and file compatibility in electronic workflows.

Field Configuration
Authentication Email link with optional SMS code for added signer verification
Routing order Sequential routing for evaluator then procurement reviewer then approver
Conditional fields Show scoring sections only when corresponding criterion applies
File formats Accept PDF and DOCX; store final record as PDF/A for retention

Technical and Integration Considerations

Ensure the signing platform supports required integrations and file types before distributing the template.

  • Integrations: Salesforce, NetSuite, and Google Workspace are common integrations
  • File types: PDF and Word (DOCX) are supported across systems
  • Browser support: Modern browsers with TLS 1.2+ required for security

Confirm SSO or API access for automated routing where high-volume or enterprise workflows require system-to-system handoffs.

eSignature Vendor Pricing and Feature Snapshot

The table compares starting price and selected feature availability for common eSignature providers; signNow appears first as the initial column for easy reference.

signNow DocuSign Adobe Sign PandaDoc HelloSign
Starting Price $8/user/mo $15/user/mo $14/user/mo $19/user/mo $15/user/mo
Free Trial 7-day free trial (no card) Varies by plan Varies by plan Varies by plan Varies by plan
Bulk Send Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Audit Trail Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
HIPAA Compliant Yes Yes Yes No No

Security and Compliance Controls to Note

Encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit; AES-256 at rest
Audit Trail: Timestamped action log with IP and user data
Access Control: Role-based permissions and SSO support
HIPAA: BAA available for protected health information
ESIGN / UETA: Compliant with U.S. e-signature law
Certifications: SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS compliant

Consequences of Incorrect or Incomplete Templates

Award Challenge: Procurement protests and bid disputes
Contract Delay: Execution delays from missing approvals
Privacy Fines: HIPAA or data-protection penalties
Invalid Signature: Signature authority disputes
Tax Reporting: Incorrect vendor information impacts reporting
Retention Risk: Noncompliance with records retention rules

Common Preparation Mistakes to Avoid

  • Using vague criteria descriptions that different reviewers interpret inconsistently, producing unreliable scores and making awards difficult to defend.
  • Failing to attach supporting evidence for scores, which increases the risk of procurement protest or audit queries and necessitates rework.
  • Assigning weights without documented rationale, causing perceptions of bias and increasing the chance of internal review or external challenge.
  • Allowing unsigned or undated signatory blocks to proceed to award, which can invalidate the approval and delay contract start.

Typical Timelines and Deadlines

Set clear milestones for issuing the template, receiving responses, completing reviews, and final approvals to prevent schedule slippage.

Issue to Bidders:

Send template and instructions when proposals are requested

Responses Due:

Specify a firm due date for completed templates

Evaluation Complete:

Allow defined review window for scoring and reconciliation

Approval Deadline:

Set a final approver sign-off date to lock decisions

Record Start:

Retention begins on the effective date or execution date

Practical Tips for Accurate and Efficient Completion

Apply these operational practices to improve accuracy, speed, and defensibility of selection decisions.

Define criteria clearly
Provide short, objective descriptions and examples for each criterion so reviewers apply the same standard and reduce scoring variance during evaluation.
Pre-load known data
Populate vendor names, procurement IDs, and static metadata before distribution to reduce data entry errors and speed reviewer completion.
Use conditional fields
Hide irrelevant sections with conditional logic so reviewers focus only on applicable criteria, cutting review time and reducing mistaken entries.
Capture evidence
Require attachment or URL for any score above a defined threshold to create a defensible record for audit and protest responses.

Real-World Examples of Template Use

These concise examples show how organizations apply a Project Match Criteria Template to real procurement decisions.

Optica Ventures

Optica standardized scoring across its portfolio to reduce subjectivity in vendor selection

  • The template captured technical fit, pricing, and past performance
  • The consistent process improved internal alignment and made award rationale clear for auditors and stakeholders.

Martin Properties

A real estate firm used the template to compare general contractors on schedule and safety records

  • The scoring matrix prioritized on-time performance and safety compliance
  • Having a documented scorecard accelerated approvals and reduced time to contract execution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to common questions about completing, signing, and retaining the Project Match Criteria Template.


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