Combined Technical-Financial Score

The combined technical-financial score is the single ranking number produced in Quality and Cost-Based Selection (QCBS) by multiplying each firm's technical and financial scores by their stated weightings and adding the results, determining which shortlisted firm wins the consulting contract.

What is the Combined Technical-Financial Score?

Under qcbs, each firm receives two scores. The technical score is produced by the evaluation panel working through the technical-proposal against published sub-criteria. The financial score is computed mechanically: the lowest submitted price among qualifying firms earns 100 on the financial scale, and every other firm's financial score equals (lowest price / that firm's price) multiplied by 100.

The combined score is then:

Combined = (Technical Score x Technical Weight) + (Financial Score x Financial Weight)

A typical split is 80 percent technical and 20 percent financial, though the rfp for each assignment states the exact weighting. Only firms that cleared the minimum-qualifying-score threshold participate in the financial opening and combined ranking. The firm with the highest combined score is invited for contract-negotiations. This structure means that a firm with a very strong technical score can absorb a higher price without losing, while a firm that prices cheapest but scores near the minimum technical threshold will still lose to a moderately priced competitor with clearly superior technical merit.

Why the Combined Technical-Financial Score matters for bidders

Understanding the combined scoring formula lets a firm model the competitive landscape before submitting. If the technical weight is 80 percent, a 10-point technical advantage over a competitor (out of 100) is worth 8 combined points, while a 10 percent price premium costs the firm roughly 2 combined points, making quality investment clearly the dominant lever. Firms should calculate their probable financial score by estimating competitors' prices from publicly available award data and benchmarking daily rates. The practical outcome is that firms with genuinely differentiated technical capabilities should price for quality rather than race to the bottom, while firms in a commodity segment where technical differentiation is limited need to price competitively on the financial side to stay in contention.

FAQ

What happens if two firms have identical combined scores?

The RFP usually specifies a tiebreaker rule, most commonly giving precedence to the higher technical score. If scores remain equal after that, a negotiated process or lot draw may be used, though ties at this level are rare.

Is the combined score formula always the same?

The formula structure is consistent across World Bank, ADB, and AfDB QCBS processes, but the weighting varies by assignment. The stated weighting in the RFP governs; always confirm the split before pricing.

Can I recover from a low financial score with a high technical score?

Yes, under high technical weights. With an 80:20 split, a firm priced 20 percent above the cheapest competitor loses roughly 4 combined points on the financial side, which a technical lead of 5 or more points fully offsets.