INSTRUCTIONS FOR ENTERING ELECTRONIC BIDS.pdf

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ENTERING ELECTRONIC BIDS

In order to ensure successful submission of your bid, please be sure to follow these steps:

1. Go to: https://pbsystem.planetbids.com/portal/32461/login

2. On the Vendor Portal page, log into the system (upper right corner of screen) with your assigned user name and password. You must be registered in order to download documents and submit a bid. (You do not need to be logged in to view an opportunity; only to participate in one).

3. Click on “Bid Opportunities” and then on the click on the Bid you wish to bid on. The selected bid will open to allow you to access all tabs, documents and the pricing sheet.

4. Click on the “Documents” tab to be sure you have downloaded all documents that are part of this bid.

If you have not already downloaded all bid documents, you must download all documents that are part of this bid. The screen will display “Downloaded” next to each file you have successfully downloaded.

5. Click on the tab “Addenda/Emails” to ensure you have read and acknowledged all addenda that may have been issued for this bid.

The screen will display “Yes” or “No” next to each addendum to indicate whether you have viewed and acknowledged it. If you have not previously acknowledged an addendum, do so now by clicking on the addendum to open it and then on the “Acknowledge” button under each addenda listed.

6. To begin entering your bid, click on “Place eBid” on the lower right corner of the screen. The bid “Terms and Conditions” will pop up with a button for you to click “Accept” to acknowledge your agreement to the terms of the bid. You must accept this message every time you click “Place eBid”

a. After the first acceptance of the Terms and Conditions message you will have to read and accept the PB System™ message. Please read carefully.

7. Complete each tab in the eBid submission area. The number of tabs available for completion may vary per project.

a. Details tab: Enter the Name, Title, Phone and Email of the person submitting on behalf of your company. This person must have legal authority to submit a binding offer.

b. eBid Instructions: View any notes from the City

c. Attachments: Upload any required documents called for in the bid specifications, such as non-collusion certificates, bid bonds, reference lists, etc. Please check carefully to be sure you include all required documents

d. Line Items tab: enter your unit prices and comments (if necessary) on each line. The system will calculate the extended costs and grand total for you. Unless specifically instructed in the bid documents, do not include sales tax in your unit prices, the City will add the applicable sales or use tax to the Purchase Order at the time of award.

e. If a “Response” column appears on the ”Line Item” tab, the “Response” column defaults to “yes”. If you are bidding exactly what the bid specified, leave the response at “yes”.

https://pbsystem.planetbids.com/portal/32461/login

f. If the bid allows for alternatives, and you are bidding an alternate, but equal, item to that specified, you must indicate in the “Response” column by selecting “Alt” and entering a description of the alternate item in the comment section. You may attach more detailed specifications and information regarding the alternate on the “Attachment” tab previously mentioned.

g. If you are not bidding on a line item, please enter “NO” in the “Response” column and the system will enter “no bid” in the price column for that item. If you do not select “NO” for the line you do not wish to bid, the system will default the price to $0.00 and assume you are including this item at no cost (free of charge).

8. If you need to save your work and return to complete the ebid, click on the “Save” button. This saves your bid as a draft for you to review or revise as needed anytime up to the bid submittal deadline.

9. When you are ready to submit your bid, click the “Submit” button. The PB System™ will validate to make sure you have completed all mandatory fields. Please read carefully any messages that appear. If you have successfully submitted you will receive a confirming message that looks like this:

Note: E-bids are sealed and cannot be viewed by the City until the closing date and time .f you need to withdraw your bid, you may do so at any time before the deadline, by going back to the ebid and selecting “Withdraw”.

Alternates: If you wish to bid on the original specifications, as well as offer pre-approved alternates, which are not specifically listed on the “Line Items” page, you will need to attach your alternate (2nd) bid on a separate page in the “Attachment” tab of your primary bid, if allowed on the bid.

No Bids: If you decide not to submit a bid, the City requests you notify us as soon as you have made that decision and explain the reason you will not be bidding. You may do this in one of two ways:

The preferred method is to go into the bid and on the “Prospective Bidders” tab, change your bid status from “Bidder” to “Non-bidder” and fill in the reason for not bidding in the field provided.

OR,

You may opt to return the “no-bid” notification from the bid package to us by email.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please begin entering your bid in sufficient time to complete and submit prior to the stated deadline. The official closing time for the bid is determined, and controlled, by the electronic clock in the bid management system. Once the deadline is reached, the system will not allow any bids to be submitted and any bids in process that are not completed are rejected. The amount of time required to enter and submit your bid depends on the complexity of the bid, number of attachments and the processing speed of your server and internet connections. All data must be fully transferred from your system to the ebid system before the deadline. Transfers not completed in time will be rejected. The City and PlanetBids are not responsible for your internet speed.