SOP-03 · Risk

Escalation and Conflict of Interest Policy

What to do when things go wrong — buyer disputes, vendor issues, ethical concerns, and conflicts of interest. This SOP covers every scenario you might face in the field.

⚠️ Internal — do not share with buyers or vendors

📋 Version 1.0 · April 2026

📧 ops@bundleiq.co.uk

First principle

Say it early, say it clearly, say it in writing

The vast majority of escalation situations are made significantly worse by delay. A contractor who raises a problem on day 3 gives BundleIQ time to respond. A contractor who raises it on day 15, after trying to manage it themselves, gives us a crisis.

Rule: If you are thinking about whether something needs to be escalated, the answer is yes. Escalate and let BundleIQ decide whether it requires action. You will never be criticised for raising something that turns out to be nothing. You may be criticised for not raising something that turns out to be significant.

Escalation matrix

What to do and when

Situation	Escalate to	Timeline	Action
Buyer is unreasonable or abusive	BundleIQ contact	Same day	Document in platform. Do not continue that interaction without BundleIQ present.
Buyer asks you to favour a vendor	BundleIQ contact	Immediately	Decline politely. Note in writing. Escalate before proceeding with the procurement.
Vendor offers inducement or gift	BundleIQ contact + conduct@bundleiq.co.uk	Immediately	Decline. Document. Do not accept even nominally.
Conflict of interest identified	BundleIQ contact	Before scoring	Recuse from that vendor's assessment. Document.
Possible vendor collusion detected	BundleIQ contact + ops@bundleiq.co.uk	Immediately	Do not award. Do not inform vendors. Flag only to BundleIQ.
Vendor non-performance (milestone at risk)	BundleIQ contact	5+ days before deadline	Document in platform. Alert buyer. Agree remediation plan.
Buyer attempting to side-step platform	BundleIQ contact	Same day	Redirect to platform. Document attempt. Do not participate in off-platform agreements.
Data breach or suspected breach	ops@bundleiq.co.uk	Within 2 hours	Stop using affected systems. Document what happened. Full report within 24 hours.
Contractor wellbeing / safeguarding concern	BundleIQ contact	Same day	See below.

Conflict of interest

Conflict of interest — full protocol

A conflict of interest exists when a personal, professional, or financial interest you hold could — or could appear to — influence a decision you make on behalf of BundleIQ or a buyer.

Step 1: Identify

Before accepting any engagement or evaluating any vendor, ask yourself:

Do I have a financial interest in any vendor likely to respond to this requirement?
Do I have a personal relationship with any vendor contact or buyer stakeholder?
Have I worked for any likely vendor in the last 3 years?
Have I made any commitment to any vendor that could affect this evaluation?
Does this buyer have a pre-existing relationship with a specific vendor they are likely to favour?

Step 2: Disclose

If yes to any of the above: email BundleIQ at contractors@bundleiq.co.uk before proceeding. Include: the nature of the conflict, when it arose, and your assessment of whether it affects your ability to act impartially. BundleIQ will respond within 24 hours.

Step 3: Recuse or proceed

BundleIQ will either: confirm you may proceed with the conflict noted; ask you to recuse from a specific part of the evaluation; or reassign the engagement. Accept the decision without argument — protecting the integrity of the process protects you too.

Disputes

Handling buyer–vendor disputes

If a dispute arises between a buyer and vendor on an engagement you are managing:

Stay neutral

You are not the buyer's advocate or the vendor's advocate. You are BundleIQ's representative. Your job is to ensure both parties have the opportunity to present their case and that the process is fair. Do not take sides in initial communications.

Direct to the platform

All dispute communications must go through the BundleIQ platform. If parties are communicating by email or phone about a contract dispute, redirect them to the platform immediately. The audit trail is everything.

Escalate within 24 hours

Notify BundleIQ of any formal or informal dispute on an engagement you are managing within 24 hours of becoming aware of it. Do not attempt to resolve disputes yourself — you have no authority to make binding determinations.

Do not hold or release escrow funds

You have no authority to instruct the release or withholding of escrow funds. If a buyer asks you to confirm a milestone that you believe is not complete — or to withhold confirmation of a milestone you believe is complete — escalate to BundleIQ immediately.

Contacts

Escalation contacts

Issue	Contact	Response SLA
General escalation	contractors@bundleiq.co.uk	4 business hours
Conduct / ethics	conduct@bundleiq.co.uk	Same day
Data breach	ops@bundleiq.co.uk	2 hours
Urgent / same day	Listed in your Terms of Reference	Immediate