E-bidding Instructions FAQs.pdf
PDF 165 KB Posted
- Solicitation number
- 146965
- Issued by
- Riverside County, California
About this file
This is an E-bidding Instructions FAQ document issued by the City of Corona, California to guide prospective vendors on submitting bids, quotes, and proposals through the PlanetBids electronic bidding portal. Beginning January 2019, the City of Corona transitioned to electronic bidding for solicitations, with projects designated as "Electronic Only," "Paper Only," or "Electronic and Paper" based on specific project requirements. The document provides comprehensive guidance on determining submission format, submitting questions through the Q&A portal, and completing the electronic bidding process. All prospective bidders must access the PlanetBids portal to download solicitation documents, acknowledge addenda, upload required forms and attachments into designated folders, complete line item pricing, and submit their bids before the posted deadline. Bidders may save draft bids, edit submitted bids prior to closing, and request confirmation numbers upon successful submission. Forms requiring signatures or notarization, such as bid bonds and non-collusion affidavits, must be submitted electronically through the portal.
Key procedural requirements include downloading all documents and acknowledging all addenda before placing a bid, with the system validating completion of these steps. Bidders must enter required information on all tabs within the eBid process and cannot submit incomplete proposals without uploading all requested forms, or their bids will be deemed non-responsive. If an addendum is issued after bid submission, previously submitted bids are invalidated and saved as drafts, requiring bidders to reacknowledge addenda and resubmit. The City maintains sole discretion over posting bid results and determining awardees, with results listed from lowest to highest bidder. Technical support is available through the PlanetBids support team at (818) 992-1771, and clarification questions regarding scope of work or specifications must be submitted exclusively through the portal's Q&A tab rather than via email, fax, phone, or in-person contact.
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Text version
Beginning January 2019, the City of Corona may require bids, quotes, and proposals to be uploaded electronically onto our PlanetBids portal. Please read through the information below to assist you when working on a City of Corona solicitation.
How do I know if a project is bidding electronically or by paper?
There are two main areas to find this information:
• In the main page for “Bid Opportunities”, refer to the column labeled “Format” to determine if the project is bidding “Electronic Only,” “Paper Only,” or “Electronic and Paper.”
Within the bid itself, under the “Bid Information” tab, the “Response Format” section will show if the bid is bidding “Electronic Only,” “Paper Only,” or “Electronic and Paper.”
What is the difference between bids submitted “Electronic Only,” “Paper Only,” or “Electronic and Paper?”
“Electronic Only”- bids must be submitted via the online eBidding system.
“Paper Only”- hard-copy bids must be submitted directly to the City in person or via mail/delivery service.
“Electronic and Paper”- bids may either be submitted via the online eBidding system and hard-copy bids sent directly to the City.
What about forms that require signatures or notarization such as bid bonds and non-collusion affidavits?
These forms shall be submitted electronically through PlanetBids.
How do I ask a question about a bid?
City staff cannot answer any questions clarifying the scope of work/specification over e-mail, fax, phone, or in person. All questions must be answered through the PlanetBids portal. Be sure to log in first and then go to the “Q&A” tab of the bid you’re interested in. The Q&A submittal deadline will be shown in the top, left corner, under the tabs. If the date and time has not passed, you may click on the “Ask Question” button in the upper right hand corner. You may ask as many questions as necessary. You may edit your questions, as well as delete them. Once you have asked all of your questions, click “Submit.”
You will not be able to see your question on that tab until the City answers the questions and releases it to all the prospective bidders.
How does electronic bidding work?
To bid electronically, be sure to have only one instance of the bid open; duplicate windows may result in an incomplete bid! Complete the following steps after opening the bid:
1. Click "Place eBid" located at the bottom, right-hand corner of the page.
2. Log in, if you have not already done so.
E-Bidding with the City of Corona on PlanetBids 1
3. If applicable, the system will validate that all documents have been downloaded from this site.
The system will prompt you to download all documents, if you have not already done so. Refer to the “Download” column to view your download status. Each file must say “Yes.”
If applicable, the system will validate that addenda have been acknowledged. The system will prompt you to acknowledge all addenda if you have not already done so. Refer to the “Addenda & Emails” column to view your acknowledgement status. Each addendum must say “Yes.”
Double-click on any that say “No” and click the “Acknowledge” button at the bottom left. Click “Done.” Repeat as necessary. Once complete, click “Place eBid.”
Complete the information requested on all the tabs shown in the eBid process. At any time, you may select "Save" to save a Draft of your eBid. “Save” will lock the page. When returning to a draft eBid you must click "Edit" to make changes or updates to your bid.
Please read the solicitation instructions thoroughly. Upload requested documents into the correct folder as listed. There is always a general folder for any additional items you deem necessary or that we have requested and not created a folder for. You cannot submit your bid/quote/proposal if you have not uploaded the requested forms. Fill out the line item prices as requested. Your bid/quote/proposal may be deemed non-responsive if you have not submitted all requested forms.
When your bid is complete, click "Submit." You can then either select "Cancel” to return to the eBid to make changes or "OK" for submission.
NOTE: Please allow ample time for files to upload. Do not close your browser during the submission process.
A confirmation box will appear upon successful completion of your submission. This will include your confirmation number and eBid date/time stamp. You may review and print a copy of your submission by clicking on "Summary." At any time prior to bid closing you may click "Place eBid" and follow the prompts to edit your submitted eBid. When returning you must click "Edit" to make changes to your bid. If the bid closes before you can re-submit while making an edit to an already submitted eBid, the last fully submitted bid will be presented to the City.
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10. For additional questions, you may contact the PlanetBids support team at (818) 992-1771 and press "0."
Why is the “Place eBid” button grayed out?
A restriction has been set on this bid. Only vendors meeting the restrictions are allowed to bid.
Hover your mouse over the “Place eBid” button to view what restrictions for bidding were placed on this bid.
(Optional) Restrictions related to vendor registration data can be updated by editing your profile.
Go to your Vendor Profile and make any necessary edits required to pass restrictions related to classifications.
Come back to the bid and the classification update will apply.
What are the respondee and line item fields?
The respondee information is the information of whomever is submitting the bid on behalf of your company. The line item total in the “Detail” tab calculates a total based on the unit prices you fill out in the “Line Items” tab.
E-Bidding with the City of Corona on PlanetBids 2
What is a response file, cost file, and/or general attachment?
The response file is your main bid proposal.
The cost file is the pricing for the items/service(s) requested by the City.
The general attachments are any other document(s) the City is requesting.
NOTE: If you need information as to what is included in the proposal (cost file, general attachments, etc.) you must refer to the bid documents or contact the City directly.
I am having difficulty uploading attachments.
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Click “Place eBid” and accept all messages.
If you are returning to a saved eBid be sure to click “Edit.”
Go to the Attachments tab in the eBid.
Click the “Attach” button and a pop-up will appear.
Click the box labeled “File Name” to select the file from your computer.
Click the box labeled “File Title” to label your file.
Click “Done.”
The file is now “Queued for upload.” Once you save a draft or submit your bid, the file(s) will be uploaded into the system.
I am trying to fill in something in my eBid (line items, attachments, etc.) but it won’t let me click anything.
Please make sure that you have entered the eBid submittal form by clicking on “Place eBid.” If you are in the eBid submittal form, be sure to click the “Edit” button in the lower, right-hand corner of the screen.
Can I overwrite my electronic bid?
Yes. At any time prior to bid closing you may select "Place eBid" and follow the prompts to edit your submitted eBid. When returning, you must click "Edit" to make changes to your bid. When making an edit to an already submitted eBid, if the bid closes before you can re-submit, the last fully submitted bid will be presented to the City.
Do I have to enter an amount if the line item quantity is zero?
For our larger projects we may have several line items that have zero amounts. You must still enter the $0 for those line items for your bid to be accepted.
My bid has been invalidated, what does this mean?
If an addendum is issued after you have submitted your bid, your bid will be invalidated. Your previous information will be saved as a draft. If necessary, you can adjust your bid based on the information provided in the addendum and then re-submit. If you have no changes/updates to make, simply re-submit your bid information. To re-submit your bid, you must first acknowledge all new addenda, click on “Place eBid” and then either edit your current bid and/or click “Submit.”
Are bid results posted to the website? If so, how do I obtain them?
The City conducting the bid has full control over the posting of bid results. To check for bid results, go to the “Bid Results” tab for your project. Bid results are listed in order from apparent lowest to highest bidder. The City has final determination on awardee(s). Double-click on any of the bid results listed for more detail. The City has sole discretion on the level of information provided for bid results.
For any questions please contact PlanetBids support team at (818) 992-1771 and press "0."
E-Bidding with the City of Corona on PlanetBids 3
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