Attachment 7_How Do I Create Responses for ASSIST-Connect (Contractors).doc.pdf

Last updated: December 13, 2022

How Do I Create Responses for ASSIST- Connect? (Contractors)

• Overview

• Navigation

• Step 1. Use the left navigator to search for the desired Solicitation, then select the

'Solicitation ID' hyperlink to open.

• Step 2: Click the 'Response Summary' link within the left navigator.

• Step 3. Once the Response Summary Page displays, authorized users will see a 'Create

Response' button. Select the blue 'Create Response' button.

• Step 4. The system displays the response page and a selection of a Contractor Company is made.

• Step 5. Identify the Response Contact for the company you selected. Click the 'Select' beside the Response Contract field.

• Step 6. Enter the 'Response Details'.

• Step 7. Enter Pricing on Line Item(s).

• Step 8. Enter at least one Attachment.

• Step 9. Click the blue 'Save' button.

o Email Templates for Submitting Response (ASSIST-Connect only)

• Related Tasks

Overview The intent of ASSIST-Connect is for Contractors to submit their responses when a Solicitation is in an Open phase. Contractors are invitees on a given solicitation. When a Solicitation is posted, users from contractor companies, who are invited, would receive email notifications about the solicitation.

On the other hand, GSA users can only submit responses on an ASSIST-Connect when the Solicitation is Closed.

Contractors can submit a response in the ASSIST-Connect Model when the Solicitation is Open.

For ASSIST-Connect, the following chart breaks down access to who can enter Contractor Responses:

Role Access

Contractor Yes, for ASSIST-Connect and when the Solicitation is in Open phase.

Navigation Authorized users navigate to the Solicitation Service by selecting 'Acquisition' from the menu and then selecting 'Solicitations' from the drop-down. Use the left navigator to search for the desired Solicitation, select the 'Solicitation ID' to open.

Step 1. Use the left navigator to search for the desired Solicitation, then select the 'Solicitation ID' hyperlink to open.

Once you have selected a particular Solicitation by clicking on the 'Solicitation ID' hyperlink, the Solicitation Overview page will then display.

Step 2: Click the 'Response Summary' link within the left navigator.

Step 3. Once the Response Summary Page displays, authorized users will see a 'Create Response' button. Select the blue 'Create Response' button.

Users may use the 'Create Response' feature to enter one or many responses.

Step 4. The system displays the response page and a selection of a Contractor Company is made.

The system populates the 'Select Contractor Company' grid that lists available contractors. When you click the 'Add' button, it will collapse that panel.

For GSA users on closed ASSIST-Connect solicitations only, when the Response page Opens, you must first select the Contractor Company by clicking on the Contractor Company 'Select' button. In the example below, we have selected American Systems Corporation.

For Contractor users, the system will default their company name.

Step 5. Identify the Response Contact for the company you selected. Click the 'Select' beside the Response Contract field.

The system populates a 'Select Response Contact' grid. When you select the 'Add' button it will collapse this grid.

Step 6. Enter the 'Response Details'.

Enter additional information for the response, illustrated in the screenshot below and explained in the subsequent grid.

Field Description

Response Good Through Date

The date / time until a response is valid. Date picker; must be in the future.

Payment/Discount Terms Payment and Discount Terms related to this response.

FOB Point Freight on Board details. Options are Origin and Destination. If you select Origin, you must also enter and Origin Transport Cost

Response Description A concise description of the response.

Step 7. Enter Pricing on Line Item(s).

The contractor's pricing is captured in the 'Line Items' panel. Every field is required, even for Line Items that are marked as not required.

Further, the form currently requires that every quantity and unit price be a value greater than $0.

The following information is displayed in the line items response grid:

Column Name Description

Line Item Number

Read-Only; Displays the line item number, defined by GSA earlier in the Solicitation workflow. This value is also a hyperlink that opens up a read-only overlay.

Title Read-Only; Displays the line item title, defined by GSA earlier in the Solicitation workflow.

Required

Read-Only; Displays whether GSA identified each line item as required or optional earlier in the Solicitation workflow. Required line items are intended to be exercised on the Original Award (Mod 0), but this designation can be changed on the Award Line Items page prior to awarding the Original Award.

Contract Read-Only; Displays an acronym for the contract type. For instance, FFP is Firm Fixed Price.

Quantity Editable; A quantity must entered for each line item. The quantity must be a value greater than 0. Typically this value will be a whole number, but it can be incremented by .01 to accommodate unique circumstances.

Unit Read-Only; Displays the unit of measure for each line item, defined by GSA earlier in the Solicitation workflow. Note: NTE stands for Not to Exceed.

Unit Price Editable; A dollar amount must be entered for each line item. That value must be greater than $0, but that may change prior to MVP.

Total Price Read-Only; This field is auto-calculated. It is the result of multiplying the Quantity and Unit Price.

POP Start Read-Only; Displays the GSA defined Period of Performance start date for each line item.

Column Name Description

POP End / Delivery

Read-Only; Displays the GSA defined Period of Performance end date (or delivery date) for each line item.

Step 8. Enter at least one Attachment.

In order to Save, users must upload at least one attachment to this response page. There are two options for categorizing the attachment, as defined in the table below:

ECF Tab ECF Tab Name ECF Category Name

10 RFP/RFQ and Amendments Vendor Response Document

23 Contractual Action Subcontracting Plan

Step 9. Click the blue 'Save' button.

• The Response is saved. A Response # is generated and assigned to the response.

• Email is sent out to the user who submitted the response and GSA Point of Contacts.

• Chronology events are generated to capture response updates with the following descriptions:

o 'Response RES-<XYZ> was submitted'.

o 'Response <XYZ> was submitted. Email Notification sent to: '<Full Names of

Email Recipients>'.

Email Templates for Submitting Response (ASSIST-Connect only)

Short Description Trigger To Subject Body

Response submitted by Contractor (during Open Phase on Assist- Connect)

When a Contractor submits a Response during Open phase Assist- Connect solicitation

• Contractor user who submitted the Response

• PM, CO and Alt. CO GSA users defined on Sol.

Management

ASSIST -

Solicitation <Solicitation

ID> -

<Response #> has been submitted

GSA ASSIST has received your response to solicitation <Solicitation ID> - <Amendment Extension>.

Your response number is <Response

ID>.

You may revise your response before the Solicitation Close Date/Time: <MM/DD/YYYY>

<HH:MM:SS> <AM/PM> EDT.

Please note: If you are in a time zone other than the one specified in the deadline above, you are responsible for accounting for the time difference when submitting your response. The close date/time is subject to change by GSA.

The client for this order is <Client Organization>.

This project is described as:

<Acquisition Title>.

For further clarification, contact <PM Name> (<PM Email>, <PM Phone Number>).

Thank you.

THIS IS AN AUTOMATIC EMAIL

NOTIFICATION FROM ASSIST.

PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO

THIS MESSAGE. IF YOU DO

REPLY, YOU MAY RECEIVE AN

ERROR MESSAGE.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS

REGARDING THIS EMAIL,

PLEASE CONTACT THE ASSIST

HELP DESK AT 877-472-4877 or AASBS.helpdesk@gsa.gov mailto:AASBS.helpdesk@gsa.gov

Short Description Trigger To Subject Body

Response submitted by GSA (during Closed Phase on Assist- Connect)

When GSA submits a Response after an Assist- Connect solicitation is closed

• Response POC person selected on the response form

• PM, CO and Alt. CO GSA users defined on Sol.

Management

ASSIST -

Solicitation <Solicitation

ID> -

<Response #> has been submitted

GSA ASSIST has received your response to solicitation <Solicitation ID> - <Amendment Extension>.

Your response number is <Response

ID>.

You may revise your response before the Solicitation Close Date/Time: <MM/DD/YYYY>

<HH:MM:SS> <AM/PM> EDT.

Please note: If you are in a time zone other than the one specified in the deadline above, you are responsible for accounting for the time difference when submitting your response. The close date/time is subject to change by GSA.

The client for this order is <Client Organization>.

This project is described as:

<Acquisition Title>.

For further clarification, contact <PM Name> (<PM Email>, <PM Phone Number>).

Thank you.

THIS IS AN AUTOMATIC EMAIL

NOTIFICATION FROM ASSIST.

PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO

THIS MESSAGE. IF YOU DO

REPLY, YOU MAY RECEIVE AN

ERROR MESSAGE.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS

REGARDING THIS EMAIL,

PLEASE CONTACT THE ASSIST

HELP DESK AT 877-472-4877 or AASBS.helpdesk@gsa.gov

Related Tasks

• Edit Responses

• Select a Winner mailto:AASBS.helpdesk@gsa.gov

Related Tasks