ATTACHMENT__A_PROJNET.pdf

To create a Quick Add Key, such as is needed for a Bidder Inquiry App, the app needs added to an existing project. Click on the name of a project to reach that project’s /Select App/ page.

This project already has four design reviews and one file folder. To add a bid app, activate the Quick Navs pull‐out tool‐menu found to the far left of the screen.

Click the Add New item in the Manage area of the Quick Navs menu.

ATTACHMENT A

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Select Bidder Inquiry from the drop‐down menu for App Type.

The name of the app will be displayed for the Bidding Inquirers when they login with the Key – naming the app as something descriptive of the job is often helpful for the contractors. The date range will not be displayed for the contractors, nor will the dates automatically open or close the app; but the identification of the date range may help remind you or another manager when to open and close it.

Click on the ‘Add App’ button to add the app.

To edit the app, including opening it and viewing the Key, click on the hyper‐linked ID under the “ID/Edit” column heading.

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To open this Bidder Inquiry, click on the link to Open and Close Review.

Select the ‘Yes’ radio button for the phase(s) to be opened, then click the ‘Update & continue’ button.

Click on the link to View Public Key to view the key.

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The Quick Add Key can be copied and pasted into the bid docs. A return to the /Edit Task/ page can be accomplished with a click on that link of the breadcrumb menu.

The Inquirers will not need assigned – they will reach the app through the public access key. To assign the Evaluators (Subject Matter Experts) click the Inquiry Evaluators link.

First, a site needs selected to populate the list of unassigned. The evaluating Subject Matter Experts might be in your own site, or another such as Design(A‐E). Once the Site is found from the drop‐down list, click on the ‘Select Site’ button to activate.

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In the “Select evaluators from the list below” menu bar is a Search: text box which can be used to search for specific names of individuals or offices. Once the assignees are selected from the list of unassigned on the left, click on the ‘Add >’ button to assign them as evaluators to this bidder inquiry app.

The green banner message states “Assignments added.” and the names now appear on the right side under the heading “Assigned Evaluators”. Returning to the /Select Editing Task/ page is accomplished with a click on the /Edit Tasks/ link of the breadcrumb menu.

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Having assigned the evaluators, click on the Inquiry Repliers link to assign those whom will be responsible for the official reply published for the inquirer as well as any other interested parties.

Oftentimes, the repliers will be the Contracting Officers.

First, a site needs selected to populate the list of unassigned. The CO/CORs will usually be in your own site, but possibly in another region of your agency. Once the Site is found from the drop‐down list, click on the ‘Select Site’ button to activate.

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In the “Use the form below to assign one or more repliers” menu bar is a Search: text box which can be used to search for specific names of individuals or offices. Once the assignees are selected from the list of unassigned on the left, click on the ‘Add >’ button to assign them as repliers to this bidder inquiry app.

The green banner message states “Assignments added.” and the assigned now appear on the right side under the heading “Assigned Repliers”.

Congratulations! You have generated a Quick Add Key for your Bidder Inquiry App, and assigned to that app both the evaluators and repliers. Everything is in place to successfully use the app to collect bidders’ inquiries and publish corresponding replies. To logout, click the (Logout) link in the far upper right of the display.

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The Bidding Inquirers will use the published key to login through Quick Add menu from the home page.

Once the required information is entered (Agency, Key, and Email) the Contactor would click on the ‘Continue’ button.

Unregistered users will be asked to register.

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Registered users will be asked the question selected during registration. The registered contractor would click on ‘Login’ after providing the correct answer.

The logged‐in Inquirer should make note of the light‐bulb message “In the bidder inquiry process your identity …” To start asking their questions, the Contractors would click on the Post a new inquiry link.

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The /Submit Question/ page requires the fields of Classification, Discipline, and Question, as well as at least one of Sheet, Detail, or Specification. A supporting PDF file may be included. A completed form is submitted with a click on the ‘Add Inquiry’ button.

A green banner message displays “Your question has been added” and the form is reset to accept another inquiry. Returning to the /Select Option/ page can be accomplished by clicking on the /Options/ link of the breadcrumb menu.

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A report of the contractor’s inquiries is available through the View your inquiries link.

The report generates in a new window which should be closed once the user is done viewing, saving, or printing the report.

Logging out is achieved by clicking the (Logout) link in the far upper‐right of the display.

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The posted inquiries will need evaluated by the assigned subject matter experts.

To evaluate inquiries, login as an assigned Inquiry Evaluator, and click on the name of the project containing the Bidder Inquiry app.

Click on the hyper‐linked number of pending evaluations under the Evaluate/Pending column heading.

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The Inquiry and associated field values are displayed, below which is the Evaluation Form. Once the form is completed, click the ‘Add Evaluation’ button to add the evaluation.

The green banner message confirms that “Your evaluation has been saved”, and the next inquiry is displayed.

An empty queue of pending evaluations will return the evaluator to the Select App page displaying a yellow banner message, “No Pending inquiries to evaluate were found…”, and the Evaluator can log out by clicking on the (Logout) link to the far upper right of the display.

The Inquiry Replier now needs to login to view the evaluated inquiries, and publish the official Government Response.

To reply to the inquiries, the assigned Inquiry Replier would click on the name of the project containing the Bidder Inquiry app.

Click on the hyper‐linked number of pending replies under the Reply/Pending column heading.

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The Inquiry and associated field values are displayed, below which is displayed the Evaluation.

Below the Evaluation is the Reply Form. Once the form is completed, click the ‘Add Reply’ button to add the reply.

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The green banner message confirms that “Your resolution has been saved” and the next inquiry is displayed.

An empty queue of pending replies will return the replier to the Select App page displaying a yellow banner message, “No Pending inquiries to reply were found…”. If the replier is interested in any reports, the reporting options are display with a click on the RPT icon, resembling a couple sheets of printed paper.

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There exists an option for View all Inquiries under each of the three sections: Contractor Reports, Technical Evaluator Reports, and Contracting Officers Reports; but each of the each of the reports contains select information depending on the access level of the reporter’s role.

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The Contracting Officers Report contains all discussions and their authors’ contact information.

The Technical Evaluators Report does not reveal the contact information of the inquirers or repliers.

The Contractor Report contains only the inquiries and the responses, with their statuses. No contact information is displayed. Please also note that the evaluating discussions are not included, nor is the open reply (Status: Request Working).

Additionally, the only available supporting documentation is that which was attached to an inquiry. The evaluations are not included, so files attached to evaluations are not in the Contractors’ Report; and the Reply Form does not offer the Contracting Officers an option to attach files. If a reply requires supporting documentation, that documentation must otherwise be provided to the interested parties, possibly with an amendment.

Both closed requests in the displayed report need additional action on the part of the Replier because the Contractors cannot “see attached” nor “Refer to Evaluation”.

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To address the Open Reply, click on the corresponding hyper‐linked number.

After providing the discussion, click ‘Add Reply’.

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No Open Inquiries … click on the number of Closed Replies.

The already closed and published reply cannot be edited or deleted, but additional replies may Append or Supercede all previous replies.

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Because the status of the inquiry did not change, it remains in the same queue as the logged in user, still viewing 1 of 3 items. Click ‘Last>>’ to reach the last item in the queue.

And ‘Add Reply’.

Click the / Select App / link of the breadcrumb menu to return to that page.

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Click on the RPT icon to view the reporting options.

Use the Contractor Report’s View all Inquiries link to view the inquiries and replies as they appear to the Contractors.

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Reports generate in their own new window and should be closed once viewed, saved, or printed.

To exit, click the (Logout) link in the far upper right of the display.

To make sure no inquiries are posted after the due date for inquiries, the Project Manager should log in and close the app.

Click on the name of the project containing the bid app.

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Click on the app’s ID to edit.

Click on the Open and Close Review link to close the app.

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Select the ‘No’ radio button for those phases to be closed, then click the ‘Update & continue’ button.

The green banner message states “Review status updated”. Click the / Select App / link of the breadcrumb menu to return to that page.

The (Key Access) link provides users logged in with a password a way to reach the public area while remaining logged in with their password‐protected account.

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Access to the public area still requires a key. Once the key is input, click ‘Login’.

The closed app now displays such as the status, and the ‘Post a new inquiry’ is no longer hyper‐linked, but the Contractors can still generate reports so they can view the replies.

A password protected login can return to the Project Select page by clicking on the Home link or icon.

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