instructions-for-vendors-responding-to-bids (4).docx

Instructions for Vendors Responding to Bids Introduction COMMBUYS refers to all solicitations, including but not limited to Requests for Proposals (RFP), Invitations for Bid (IFB), Requests for Response (RFR), Requests for Quote (RFQ), as “Bids.” All responses to Bids are referred to as “Quotes.”

Steps for Bidders to Submit a Quote

1. Launch the COMMBUYS website by entering the URL (www.COMMBUYS.com) into the browser.

2. Enter Bidder login credentials and click the Login button on the COMMBUYS homepage. Bidders must be registered in COMMBUYS in order to submit a Quote. Each Vendor has a COMMBUYs Seller Administrator, who is responsible for maintaining authorized user access to COMMBUYS.

3. Upon successful login, the Vendor home page displays with the Navigation and Header Bar as well as the Control Center. The Control Center is where documents assigned to your role are easily accessed and viewed.

4. Click on the Bids tab

5. Clicking on the Bid tab opens four sections:

a. Request for Revision

b. Bids/Bid Amendments

c. Open Bids

d. Closed Bids

6. Click on the blue Open Bid hyperlinks to open and review an open bid

7. A new page opens with a message requesting you acknowledge receipt of the bid. Click Yes to acknowledge receipt of the bid. Bidders should acknowledge receipt to receive any amendments/updates concerning this bid.

8. After acknowledgement, the bid will open.

The top left half of the page contains the following information:

a. Purchaser

b. Department

c. Contact for this bid

d. Type of purchase

i. Open Market

ii. Blanket

e. Pre-Bid Conference details (if applicable)

f. Ship-to and Bill-to addresses

g. Any attachments to the bid, which may include essential bid terms, response forms, etc.

The top right half of the bid includes the following information:

h. Bid Date

i. Required Date

j. Bid Opening Date – date the bid closes and no further quotes will be accepted

k. Informal Bid Flag

l. Date goods/services are required

9. The lower half of the page provides information about the specific goods/services the bid is requesting.

10. Click Create Quote to begin.

11. The General tab for a new quote opens. This page is populated with some information from the bid. Fields available to update include:

a. Delivery days

b. Shipping terms

c. Ship via terms

d. Is “no” bid – select if you will not be submitting a quote for this bid

e. Promised Date

f. Info Contact

g. Comments

h. Discount Percent

i. Freight Terms

j. Payment Terms It is important to note that the bid documents (RFR and attachments) may specify some or all of these terms and may prohibit you from altering these terms in your response. Read the bid documents carefully and fill in only those items that are applicable to the bid to which you are responding.

Update these fields as applicable to the bid and click Save & Continue to save any changes and create a Quote Number.

The page refreshes and messages display. Any message in Red is an error and must be resolved before the quote can be submitted. Any message in Yellow is only a warning and will allow processing to continue.

The following messages are received:

Terms & Conditions is not acknowledged – to resolve this, click on the Terms & Conditions tab and accept the terms. Your quote has not been submitted – information message; no action required

12. Click on the Terms & Conditions Tab. This tab refers to the terms and conditions that apply to this bid. The terms and conditions must be accepted before your quote can be submitted. If your acceptance is subject to any exceptions, those exceptions must be identified here. Exceptions cannot contradict the requirements of the RFR, or required Commonwealth standard forms and attachments for the bid. For instance, an RFR may specify that exceptions may or will result in disqualification of your bid.

13. Click the Items tab. The Items tab displays information about the items requested in the bid. To view additional details about an item, click the item number (blue hyperlink) to open.

14. The item opens. Input all of your quote information and click Save & Exit.

15. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION: If documents uploaded in your quote response contain confidential information (security sensitive, EFT, W9, Commonwealth Terms and Conditions), you must mark each item as confidential. The confidential column on the Attachments view allows the user to select whether the attached form is confidential or not. Place a check box under the confidential column for each confidential attached form.

16. Click on the Attachments Tab. Follow the prompts to upload and name all required attachments and forms and bid response documents in accordance with the instructions contained in the solicitation or bid documents. After uploading each individual file or form, click Save & Continue. After you have uploaded all required documents click Save & Exit. Be sure to review your attachments to make sure each required document has been submitted.

17. Click the Summary tab. Review the information and update/correct, as needed. If the information is correct, click the Submit Quote button at the bottom of the page.

18. A popup window displays asking for verification that you wish to submit your quote. Click OK to submit the quote.

19. The Summary tab redisplays with an updated Status for the quote of Submitted.

20. Your quote submission is confirmed only when you receive a confirmation email from COMMBUYS. If you have submitted a quote and have not received an email confirmation, please contact the COMMBUYS Help Desk at COMMBUYS@state.ma.us.

If you wish to revise or delete a quote after submission, you may do so in COMMBUYS: (1) for a formal bid, prior to the bid opening date, or (2) for an informal bid (which may be viewed upon receipt), prior to the opening of your quote by the issuing entity or the bid opening date, whichever is earlier.

Bidders may not submit Multiple Quotes in response to a Bid unless the Bid authorizes Multiple Quote submissions. If you submit multiple quotes in response to a bid that does not allow multiple quotes, only the latest submission prior to the bid opening date will be evaluated.

Revised: June 23, 2016