Lesson 4.3 — OMC Formats, Planning & Designing Good Questions
OMC Formats, Planning & Designing Good Questions
Watch the embedded video above, then use this page to review the central concepts, evidence and practical implications.
Lesson content
This lesson turns OMC principles into a practical design: selecting formats, aligning internal teams, reaching the right market and asking questions that generate actionable evidence.
What you will learn
- Compare in-person, digital and innovative consultation formats
- Define clear objectives before selecting a format
- Identify established suppliers, SMEs, startups, associations and research actors
- Prepare questions on feasibility, maturity, capacity, price and risk
- Execute the process consistently and document interactions
Select the format from the evidence need
Do not start with the tool. Start with the uncertainty you need the market to resolve.
Key terms
| PIN | Prior Information Notice: an early publication used to announce plans and increase market awareness. |
|---|---|
| RFI | Request for Information: a structured set of questions issued before procurement. |
| E-pitching | Short supplier presentations used to expose the buyer to multiple capabilities and approaches. |
| Target market | The supplier, research and intermediary groups most likely to provide useful evidence. |
Five question categories
Company profile → Challenge and requirements → Technical feasibility and TRL → Market maturity and alternatives → Timeline, capacity and indicative cost.
Before you continue
Reflection: Which question would help you distinguish a confident supplier claim from evidence of real capability?
Lesson resource: S4-L3 — planning slides for selecting formats, defining participants, preparing question categories and documenting execution.
