How_To_Bid_Quick_Reference_Guide.pdf

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QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE

Updated September 14, 2025

Bid on Event

The State of Minnesota purchases goods and services from suppliers through a competitive process known as bidding.

• Bidding begins when the State creates a solicitation for goods/services known as an event.

• When suppliers respond to an event, their response becomes a bid.

Note: Events also may refer to grants that the State offers to individuals and businesses.

Types of Events

There are three types of events:

1. RFB-Request for Bid: Request to procure goods/services.

2. RFP-Request for Proposal: Request to provide professional/technical services or grants.

3. RFI-Request for Information: Request to solicit general information.

How to Bid on Events

After a State agency creates an event, suppliers can bid on the event by logging in to the Supplier Portal and entering bidding amounts for each line item of the event.

Note: Pay special attention to the Event Description. The Event Description is on the Events Details page and provides instructions for bidders/suppliers who bid on the event. Follow these instructions carefully to ensure the bid is submitted correctly.

Step 1: Log in to the Supplier Portal.

1. Access the Supplier Portal from the following link: http://mn.gov/supplier

2. To log in to the Supplier Portal, select the Sign In tile.

http://mn.gov/supplier

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3. Enter the registered supplier information in the User ID and Password fields. Note: Please do not enter an email address in the username field when logging in. This must be an assigned

User ID (Example user ID: VN0000123456_1).

4. Select the Sign In button and complete the multifactor authentication process. For help please refer to the SWIFT Supplier Portal Multi Factor Authentication Reference Guide.

Step 2: View Event Details and Description.

1. Select the Manage Events/Bids tile.

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2. The View Events and Place Bids page will display by default. In the Search Criteria fields, you may enter information to search for an event.

3. After entering Search Criteria, select the Search button. Search Results will appear below.

4. Select an Event ID to review information about the event prior to bidding on it.

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5. The Event Details page will display, where you may review information about the event you have not bid on yet.

(Note: To bid on the event—see Step 3 in this guide. If applicable, you also may accept the event invitation to receive notifications or updates about the event; or you may decline the event if you are not interested in seeing more information about it—see the View, Accept, and Decline

Event Invitations Quick Reference Guide for details about accepting and declining events.)

To return to the View Events and Place Bids page, select the Return to Event Search link.

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6. From the left menu, select My Event Activity to review events your company has been invited to, has bid on, or has been awarded.

7. The Event Activity Page will display. Review the Event Activity Summary section to see the number of events your company has been invited to (Events Invited To), bid on (Events Bid

On), and/or was awarded (Event Awarded). Select one of those numbers to display a list of the events below.

Optional: To filter what events display in the list below, enter information in in the Search Criteria fields, and press the Search button.

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Field Field Description

Event Format From the drop-down list, select “RFI” to view RFI events; or select

“Sell” to view RFB or RFP events.

Events Invited To Select this radio button to view events the supplier is invited to.

Events Bid On Select this radio button to view events the supplier has responded to.

Events Awarded Select this radio button to view events the supplier has been awarded.

Event Type From the drop-down list, select “RFx” for all events.

Date Range: From / Through In these fields, enter a start date and an end date for the events.

8. Select the Event ID to view the event details.

9. The Event Details page will display. Review this page to find the following event details.

Event Name Name of the event assigned by the managing State agency.

Event ID Identification number for the event.

Event Format/Type Event type – RFB/RFP (Sell) or RFI.

Event Round and Event Version Current round and version of the event.

Event Start Date Date and time the event was made available for bidding.

Event End Date Date and time the event closed for receiving bids.

Event Description Description of the event, including instructions on how to bid on the event.

(Pay special attention to these instructions and follow them carefully to ensure the bid is submitted correctly.)

Contact, Phone, and Email Contact information for the event manager.

(For questions about the event, contact this person.)

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Payment Terms Terms of payment specified by the managing agency, if applicable.

My Bids Supplier’s response the event, if applicable.

Edits to Submitted Bids If the supplier is allowed to change or edit the bid after submission.

Multiple Bids If the supplier can submit multiple bids (a.k.a. alternative bids).

Line Line items of the event to bid on.

Description Description of the event being solicited by the managing State agency.

Unit Quantity type (e.g., EA = each).

Requested Quantity Quantity amount.

Status Status of the event (e.g., if it has been accepted or declined by the supplier).

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Step 3: Bid on Event.

1. To bid on the event, select the Bid on Event button.

2. A message screen will display asking “if you would like to have the bid quantity for auction line items defaulted to you.” Select Yes to continue.

3. You will return to the Event Details page. Under the Lines section, enter a bidding amount for each line item of the event in the Your Unit Bid Price fields.

4. To decline bidding on a line item, check mark the I Decline to Bid on this Line box.

5. If instructions in the Event Description direct the supplier to take action on particular line items, select the Bid link for the line item to open the Line Details.

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6. On the Line Details screen, complete whatever instructions were provided in the Event

Description to make sure the bid gets submitted correctly.

7. To return to the Event Details page, select the Start Page button.

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Step 4: View or Add Attachments/Comments.

1. To view attachments associated with the bid, or to add additional comments or attachments, select the Event Comments and Attachments link.

2. The Events Comments and Attachments screen will display. To view existing attachments or documentation associated with the bid, select the View button for the attached file(s).

3. The attached file(s) will be displayed in a separate window(s).

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4. To add additional attachments to the bid, select the Upload button.

5. The File Attachment window will display. Select Choose File to find and attach an additional file, and then select Upload.

6. Enter a file Attachment Description.

7. To add new comments, enter them in the Add New Comments field.

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8. When finished on the Events Comments and Attachments screen, select OK to return to the Event Details page.

9. To confirm all attachments are included in the event, select the Confirm Attachment button.

NOTE: You will need to select the Save for Later button before you select the Confirm

Attachment button.

10. The Confirm Attachments screen will display. Select the Confirmed button.

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11. A confirmation message will display. Select the Yes button.

12. Another confirmation message will display. Select OK.

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Note: When viewing attachments, you can download the XML documents, edit these documents, and upload them back to the Supplier Portal. For more details on downloading, editing, and/or uploading

XML documents, see the Downloading and Uploading XML Documents Quick Reference Guide.

Step 4: Validate Entries.

1. To validate entries before submitting the bid, select the Validate Entries button.

2. A message will display stating, “No errors found.” Select OK.

Step 5: Submit Bid.

1. If you are not ready to submit the bid, select the Save for Later button.

2. If you are ready to submit the bid, select the Submit Bid button.

3. The Bid Confirmation screen will display. Select the Return to Bidding Opportunities button to return to the View Events and Place Bids page.

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4. If a Supplier has more than one location, the Vendor ID and Locations screen will display.

Select the location that applies by selecting the Select button for that location.

5. The View Events and Place Bids page will display. Select the Minnesota Supplier Portal home button to return to the Supplier Portal Homepage.