Attachment_V_PCS_OET_Quick_Start_Guide.pdf

Submitted to:

DLA Energy

J-6FSA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Ft. Belvoir, VA 22060

Attn: Glenn Dowell Glenn.Dowell@dla.mil

Submitted by:

Nelson & Associates 55 Hiller Road Ryegate, MT 59074

USER MANUAL

Version 3.0

Posts, Camps & Stations Offer Entry

Tool

(PCS OET)

Release Version 2016.09.16.01

January 2017

QUICK START GUIDE

mailto:Glenn.Dowell@dla.mil

PCS OET User Manual Version 3 01/16/17

Table of Contents Section 1 Recent Changes

Section 2 Quick Start Guide

Section 3 Scope of the User Manual

3.1 Document Overview

3.1.1 Document Navigations Conventions

3.1.2 Document References

3.2 Application Overview

3.2.1 Application Navigation Conventions

3.2.2 Help Functions

Section 4 Step-By-Step Instructions for Using the PCS Offer Entry Tool

4.1 Accessing PCS OET

4.1.1 Vendor Registration

4.1.2 Logging On

4.2 My Account

4.3 Offer Entry Process

4.3.1 Invitation to Bid

4.3.2 Select a Solicitation

4.3.3 Entering Bids

4.3.4 Bid Summary Report

4.3.5 Bid Package Document(s)

4.3.6 Submit Bids

4.4 About

APPENDIX A Terms and Abbreviations

APPENDIX B Application Release History

Table of Figures

Figure 1 Quick Start Guide

Figure 2 CSH Icon Example

Figure 3 Invitation To Bid Email Example

Figure 4 PCS OET Splash Page

Figure 5 DOD Warning

Figure 6 PCS OET Splash Page

Figure 7 User Authentication

Figure 8 Completed User Authentication

Figure 9 Login Authentication Success

Figure 10 PCS OET Main Screen

Figure 11 Password Change Required Message

Figure 12 Password Change (REQUIRED) Screen

Figure 13 Password Change Successful!

Figure 14 Password Error Message

Figure 15 Duplicate Logon

Figure 16 Incorrect U/N or Password

Figure 17 Max Logon Incorrect User Name

Figure 18 Max Logon Incorrect Password

Figure 19 Password Expired Message

Figure 20 Password Change Screen

Figure 21 PCS OET Main Menu – My Account

Figure 22 User Account Info

Figure 23 Password Change Screen

Figure 24 Password Success Screen

Figure 25 Password Length Message

Figure 26 Password Change Requirement Message

Figure 27 Password Change Not Allowed Message

Figure 28 Invitation to Bid Email Example, Standard Initial Round

Figure 29 Invitation to Bid Example, Standard Subsequent Round

Figure 30 Invitation to Bid Email Example, Reverse Auction Round

Figure 31 PCS OET Main Menu – Offers

Figure 32 Solicitations For Offers

Figure 33 No Active Solicitations Found

Figure 34 Offer Bid Lines Screen, Round Not Yet Open

Figure 35 Offer Bid Lines Screen, Vendor’s First Bid Round Example

Figure 36 New Bid Line Item Selection Screen

Figure 37 New Bid Line Item Selection Screen, Filtered

Figure 38 Offer Bid Lines Screen, Line Items Selected Example

Figure 39 Invalid Price Message

Figure 40 Alternate Escalator Selection Screen

Figure 41 Request New Alternate Escalator Email

Figure 42 Request Successfully Sent Message

Figure 43 Note for Lineitem Showing Alternate Escalator Request

Figure 44 Offer Bid Lines Screen, Spec Msg View Link

Figure 45 Bid Line Special Messages Screen

Figure 46 Offer Bid Lines Screen, FOB Edit Link

Figure 47 FOB Bid Line Data Screen

Figure 48 Offer Bid Lines Screen, Notes Edit Link

Figure 49 Notes For Line Item Screen

Figure 50 Offer Bid Lines Screen, Taxes Link

Figure 51 Bid Line Taxes Screen

Figure 52 Offer Bid Lines Screen, Delete Link

Figure 53 Delete This Record Warning

Figure 54 Offer Bid Lines Screen, Bids Entered Example (Round 1, Initial Offer)

Figure 55 Offer Bid Lines Screen, Round Closed Example Figure 56 Offer Bid Lines Screen, Round N (Interim…Final Offer) Example

Figure 57 Offer Bid Lines Screen, Round Closed Example

Figure 58 Offer Bid Lines Screen, Reverse Auction Round Example

Figure 59 Offer Bid Lines Screen, Round Closed Example

Figure 60 Solicitation Amendment Notification Example

Figure 61 Bid Line Screen Example

Figure 62 Report Options Window

Figure 63 Bid Summary Report

Figure 64 Offer Bid Line Screen - Bid Package Document(s) Example

Figure 65 Please Wait…Message

Figure 66 Upload Bid Package Documents Screen

Figure 67 File Upload Message

Figure 68 File Selection Window Example

Figure 69 Please Wait….Message

Figure 70 Upload Successful Message

Figure 71 Populated Upload Bid Package Documents(s) Screen

Figure 72 View Uploaded Document

Figure 73 Completed Offer Bid Lines Screen Example

Figure 74 Submit Offer Package Verify Screen

Figure 75 Submit Bids For Solicitation Screen

Figure 76 Complete Submit Bids for Solicitation Screen

Figure 77 Bids Successfully Sent Message

Figure 78 Main Screen, About

Figure 79 About Screen

SECTION 1 RECENT CHANGES

The following list is a quick reference to the changes that were made to the Posts, Camps & Stations (PCS) Offer Entry Tool (OET) with the 2016.09.16.01 release version of the code. The hyperlinks will take the reader to the relevant sections of this User Manual (UM) below.

1. Awarded Line-Item Indicator

2. Alternate Escalator

3. Modification of the New Bid Line Item Selection Screen Format

4. Bid Package Document(s)

SECTION 2 QUICK START GUIDE

The following diagram depicts the offer entry and submission steps in a PCS OET initial (Standard) bid round from the point where a registered user has logged on. Detailed descriptions of these steps, as well as vendor registration, logon and subsequent bid rounds, are provided in Section 4.

Figure 1 Quick Start Guide

V/erify your Company information and Purchase Program selection(s).

If you do not see the Solicitation you want, verify that the associated Purchase Program is selected under My Account.

Provides an Excel spreadsheet of your offer data.

Standard offer rounds: certify / sign using your PCS OET Password.

Standard offer round: Upload supporting .PDF documents to be included with Submit Bids.

.process.

NOTE: Submit Bids is NOT performed in a Reverse Auction offer round; offers are submitted automatically at the end of the reverse auction.

Note: additional data columns are displayed in subsequent bid rounds.

Displayed after the initial bid round.

Displayed in Reverse Auction bid rounds

Enter Offer Data: Certain fields invoke underlying data entry screens.

Check box(es) to select lineitems to bid.

- Select non-consecutive using CTRL+click box;

- Select consecutive lineitems using SHIFT+click box.

- Select/deselect all lineitems using checkbox in column header.

SECTION 3 SCOPE OF THE USER MANUAL

This document, the Posts, Camps & Stations (PCS) Offer Entry Tool (OET) User Manual (UM) describes the various steps taken to use this application from an end-user’s perspective. This UM is applicable to the latest version of the PCS OET application, as found in Appendix B.

3.1 Document Overview

This User Manual (UM) for the PCS OET application is written to provide:

Recent Changes (Section 1) Quick Start Guide (Section 2) Application Overview (Section 3.2) o Application Navigation Conventions (Section 3.2.1) o Help Functions (Section 3.2.2)

Step By Step Instructions (Section 4) o Accessing PCS OET (Section 4.1) o My Account (Section 4.2) o Offer Entry Process (Section 4.3)

Invitation to Bid (Section 4.3.1) Select a Solicitation (Section 4.3.2) Entering Bids (Section 4.3.3) Bid Summary Report (Section 4.3.4) Bid Package Documents (Section 4.3.5) Submit Bids (Section 4.3.6)

3.1.1 Document Navigations Conventions

This document contains many hyperlinks. To navigate back to your original position after clicking on a hyperlink within this document, use Alt+left arrow.

3.1.2 Document References

For a list of terms, definitions, or acronyms utilized within this document, see Appendix A.

For historical reference, a list of previous versions of the PCS OET application code can be found in Appendix B.

3.2 Application Overview

PCS OET is an external web application which allows registered prospective Posts, Camps & Stations / ground fuel vendors to securely bid on a DLA Energy fuel Solicitation. DLA Buyers establish the round(s) of bidding where Vendors enter and submit Bid / Offer data, by lineitem, for a selected Solicitation. Specifically, PCS OET allows registered prospective vendors to:

1) Enter bid / offer data by lineitem for the currently OPEN bid round.

2) View data from previous offer round(s).

3) Submit offer(s) to the PCS Bid Evaluation Model (BEM) for evaluation and/or award.

4) Upload supporting documentation for offer.

5) Participate in the reverse auction process, satisfying the DLA mandate requiring that a reverse auction tool be used for all competitive contracts valued at more than $150,000

6) Produce a Bid Summary Report.

*NOTE: This PCS OET application replaces the submission of paper bids.

The process works as follows:

1) A prospective vendor must be registered in the PCS OET application to bid. Contact the DLA Business Process owner to register.

2) Prospective fuel Vendors view DLA Energy Solicitations from Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOps.gov - https://www.fbo.gov/), as indicated on the DLA Homepage and/or may be notified by an Invitation to Bid.

3) Vendor logs onto the PCS OET web application and selects a solicitation and OPEN bid round to offer on.

4) Vendor selects lineitem(s) to be bid on and enters the prices / offer data for each until all bids have been entered.

5) Vendor submits offer response.

https://www.fbo.gov/

6) Vendor repeats the offer entry process for all bid rounds (Standard Initial / Interim / Final, etc.…and Reverse Auction) that the DLA Buyer opens, via BEM, for a Solicitation. The offer submission process is required on all Standard bid rounds; offer submission is not required on Reverse Auction rounds, just prices.

7) For each round of bidding, the Vendor is shown his previous bid for each lineitem. In a Reverse Auction round, the Vendor is also shown the current winning bid for each lineitem.

*NOTE: A Bid Summary Report can be run anytime during the offer entry process to get a snapshot in time of the current round's bid entry.

3.2.1 Application Navigation Conventions

Throughout the various PCS OET steps and screens, the following navigation conventions are used to assist the user:

Menus o A Menu located on the left of the Main Menu screen, is used to navigate the application.

Column sorting.

o An arrow in the column title indicates the data is sortable by that column. Clicking the title / arrow reorders data alphabetically / numerically. The up or down direction of the arrow indicates which direction the data are sorted (ascending or descending).

Search o A Search field allows for dynamic filtering of data displayed on the screen (filter searches all data fields). As character / digits are entered into the Search field, the data displayed are filtered based on the specified character(s) / digit(s).

3.2.2 Help Functions

Context Sensitive Help (CSH) is available on the screens of the PCS OET application indicated by a question mark icon (Figure 2). Clicking this icon displays a pop-up with information specific to the associated field and/or process. An Index link is available on the pop-up which identifies all of the CSH for the displayed screen.

Figure 2 CSH Icon Example

SECTION 4 STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING THE

PCS OFFER ENTRY TOOL

4.1 Accessing PCS OET

PCS OET is available to registered users. See section 4.1.1 for details on becoming a registered user.

Additionally, PCS OET can be accessed from a link within the Invitation to Bid email notification (Figure 3). When a DLA Energy Ground Fuels Buyer establishes a round of bidding via PCS BEM, an Invitation to Bid email notification can be sent to registered Vendors based on the Vendor's Purchase Program selection and bid history.

Figure 3 Invitation To Bid Email Example

4.1.1 Vendor Registration

Every Vendor / supplier who wants to bid on a DLA Energy Solicitation for PCS/ground fuel must complete a registration process with DLA Energy Account Management and Provisioning System (AMPS), which is accessible from the AMPS link on the PCS OET Splash page (Figure 4). If you cannot successfully access and complete the AMPS process, follow the instructions on the Splash Page to complete the OET registration process.

Figure 4 PCS OET Splash Page

You will be notified once the registration is processed via AMPS; you will then receive another communication establishing a unique User Name and temporary Password for access to PCS OET.

*NOTE: Your AMPS User Name and Password is NOT the same as your PCS OET User

Name and Password.

After receiving your temporary Password, you must logon to PCS OET as soon as possible and change the provided temporary Password to a Password that you create and is known only to you; once your Password has been changed the temporary Password is invalid. The Password you create during the Password change is the one that you will use to access PCS OET.

*NOTE: The Password you create is valid for 60 days at which time you will need to change the Password to keep your account from going inactive.

4.1.2 Logging On

After becoming a registered user, i.e., receiving your User Name and temporary Password, access to the PCS OET application is accomplished by entering the web address into a DLA Energy approved web browser or by clicking the link in the Invitation To Bid (Figure 3) email notification.

You must log on to your account at least once within 30 days to remain active. If you have not logged on within 30 days, you will need to contact the Help Desk, via the link on the PCS OET Splash Page (Figure 6) to re-activate your account.

You (the vendor) must read and acknowledge the DOD Access Warning pop-up (Figure 5) by clicking the OK button.

Figure 5 DOD Warning

This pop-up will then close, and you can click on either the PC&S Offer Entry Tool or PC&S OET link on the PCS OET Splash screen (Figure 6) to proceed to the User Authentication screen (Figure 7).

*NOTE: The PCS OET Splash Page contains links for registration assistance as well as

Help Desk / Tech Team support.

Figure 6 PCS OET Splash Page

Figure 7 User Authentication

Enter your PCS OET User Name and Password on the User Authentication screen (Figure 8).

*NOTE: Your User Name and Password are case sensitive. Your Password will be the latest of either the temporary Password provided via administrator communication or the Password you select during the Password Change process.

Figure 8 Completed User Authentication

Clicking Submit on the correctly completed User Authentication screen (Figure

8) invokes the Login Authentication Success screen (Figure 9), which displays navigation guidelines for the application and any other message that could be pertinent to the user.

*NOTE: If there are problems with your account / logon, you will receive an error message. For examples of the possible error messages see the Logging On Errors section of this document.

Figure 9 Login Authentication Success

The next step depends on your Password status, as follows:

If you are logging on using a temporary Password (e.g., a new user logging on for the first time or a user who has had their password re-set / account reactivated by an administrator) a Password Change Required message (Figure 11) will be displayed at this point and you will be required to follow the Password Change steps in order to continue.

Once you have changed your Password, the My Account screen (Figure 22) will be displayed for you to verify your Company information and Purchase Program selection(s). You MUST select at least one Purchase Program in order to Enter Offers.

If you are logging on using a standard Password (i.e., one you created via Password Change), clicking Continue on the Login Authentication Success screen (Figure 9) brings you to the PCS OET Main screen (Figure 10).

Figure 10 PCS OET Main Screen

From the Main Screen (Figure 10), you can manage user account data under My

Account, manage / Enter Offers, view information About the system and Logout of the application. The steps in relation to the Offer Entry process under each of these menu items / buttons are detailed in sections below.

*NOTE: As mentioned on the Login Authentication Success screen (Figure 9), the

PCS OET application is designed for all actions to be taken on the screens within PCS OET, i.e., the Browser Back button should not be used.

*NOTE: Once logged on, please review your entries under My Account, especially Purchase Program selections as these entries affect your options in PCS OET and BEM.

4.1.2.a Log On Password Change Required

If you are a new user, or a user who has had their password administratively re-set, you will receive notification providing a temporary PCS OET Password. You need to log on and change the temporary password as soon as possible to avoid your account becoming inactive and requiring administrator assistance (available via a link on the PCS OET Splash Page (Figure 6).

When you log on using a temporary Password (e.g. you are a new user, or you had your password administratively re-set), a Password Change Required message will immediately pop-up over the Login Authentication Success screen (Figure 11).

Figure 11 Password Change Required Message

Clicking the OK on the Password Change Required message (Figure 11) displays the Password Change (REQUIRED) screen (Figure 12) which allows you to change the password.

The following constraints must be observed in regard to passwords:

Your password is valid for 60 days from date of issue. You will be reminded to change your password upon login as the 60-day mark approaches.

You cannot re-use a recent password.

When changing the password, you cannot re-use at least 4 characters / digits that were included in your previous password.

Currently, passwords must contain 15-50 characters including at least 1 lowercase letter, 1 uppercase letter, 1 number, and 1 special character.

You can only change your password once every 12 hours.

Enter the temporary password you were provided into the Old Password field, create a new password following the password constraints and enter it into the New Password field, type the new password again into the Confirm New Password field.

Figure 12 Password Change (REQUIRED) Screen

Clicking OK on the correctly completed Password Change (REQUIRED) screen

(Figure 12), produces a Password Success (Figure 13) screen where clicking OK returns you to the Login Authentication Success screen (Figure 9) and you may continue onto the PCS OET application.

Figure 13 Password Change Successful!

Upon clicking OK on the Password Change (REQUIRED) screen (Figure 12), if your entries do not adhere to the password constraints the applicable message in Figure 14 is displayed.

Figure 14 Password Error Message

You may change your Password at any time via the Change Password button on the My Account screen.

Logging On Errors

Described in this section are errors you may encounter in the logging on process.

As indicated in the Duplicate Logon Message (Figure 15), you may only be logged onto the PCS OET once.

Figure 15 Duplicate Logon

The Duplicate Logon Message (Figure 15) will also appear if you did not properly log out of the PCS OET application, but instead let it go idle. When you try to log back in, this message will appear. Click the Return to Main Page link and try again.

If there is an error in entering your User Name and/or Password the error message in Figure 16 is displayed. Click the Return to Main Page link and try again.

Figure 16 Incorrect U/N or Password

Upon the third incorrect User Name entry, the error message in Figure 17 is displayed. If you get this message, first close your browser, start a new browser session and re-try the logon; if you still cannot logon in the new browser session contact the Help Desk via the link on the PCS OET Splash Page (Figure 6).

Figure 17 Max Logon Incorrect User Name

Upon the third incorrect Password entry, the error message in Figure 18Figure 17 is displayed and you must contact the Help Desk via the link on the PCS OET Splash Page (Figure 6) to have your account unlocked.

Figure 18 Max Logon Incorrect Password

After clicking Submit on the User Authentication screen (Figure 8), the message in Figure 19 is displayed if your password has expired.

Figure 19 Password Expired Message

Clicking OK produces the Password Change screen (Figure 20) where you set a new password adhering to the password constraints.

Figure 20 Password Change Screen

4.1.2.c Inactive Account

Your OET user account becomes inactive when you either don’t log into the OET for 30 days or don’t change your password for 60 days. An inactive account requires administrator assistance, via the link on the PCS OET Splash Page (Figure 6), to have the account marked active again before you can log in. Logging on to PCS OET once a month, and changing your Password when required will keep your account active.

4.2 My Account

Clicking the My Account button in the upper-right hand corner of the PCS OET Main Screen (Figure 21) invokes the User Account Info screen (Figure 22).

Figure 21 PCS OET Main Menu – My Account

The User Account Info screen (Figure 22) is where you (the vendor) supply your company / personal information and select the Purchase Program(s) associated with the Solicitations on which you want to bid; as well as change your user Password. These data should be maintained to reflect your most current information as they affect the communications between you and the Buyer as well as the Solicitations available to you.

After modifying any fields on the User Account Info screen, click Save to retain your data and close the screen; Cancel closes the screen without retaining your modifications.

Figure 22 User Account Info

You fill in the data fields on the User Account Info screen (Figure 22) in the following manner:

*NOTE: Fields marked with * are required.

Company Name:

Required: If not pre-populated, enter the name of your company. Any changes / edits made to the Company Name are applied to all user accounts within this company that correspond to its unique Commercial & Government Entity (CAGE) Code of the Company.

Title:

Enter your job title within the company.

Phone:

Required: Enter your business phone number.

Email:

Required: Enter your business email address. This email address will be used for all correspondence emails to / from the PCS OET application and to / from the DLA Energy Buyers who will be evaluating your bid(s).

Company Class:

Required: If not pre-populated, select a socio-economic business classification for your company. Any changes / edits made to the Company Class are applied to all user accounts within this company that correspond to the Commercial & Government Entity (CAGE) Code of the company.

*NOTE: The bid evaluation process that evaluates offers / bids from all Vendors uses the class type of a company in the awarding of fuel contracts.

Special awards and/or premiums (price compensations of up to 10%) are given to Small Businesses (SB) and companies located in Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Zones.

Purchase Program Selection:

Required: Purchase Program (PP) / Customer Organized Groups (COGs) is the identifier of the geographical area with which a particular Solicitation is associated. Selections determine the Solicitations for which you receive an Invitation to Bid, and the Solicitations displayed to you on the Solicitations For Offers screen. Select the PPs / COGs for which you want the associated Solicitations displayed. These selections are unique to your user ID.

http://www.sba.gov/content/hubzone-maps http://www.sba.gov/content/hubzone-maps

*NOTE: You will only be notified of / able to view / bid Solicitations for those Purchase Programs which you have selected.

You can move an individual Purchase Program between the Available and Selected columns by highlighting the PP and clicking the single arrow button(s) (>, <) located between the boxes.

You can move ALL PPs by clicking the double arrow button(s) (>>, <<).

*NOTE: You MUST select at least one Purchase Program in order to Enter

Offers.

Clicking the Change Password button displays the Password Change screen (Figure 23) which allows you to change your password. The following constraints must be observed in regard to passwords:

Your password is case sensitive.

Your password is valid for 60 days from date of issue. You will be reminded to change your password upon login as the 60-day mark approaches.

You cannot re-use a recent password.

When changing the password, you cannot re-use at least 4 characters / digits that were included in your previous password.

Currently, passwords must contain 15-50 characters including at least 1 lowercase letter, 1 uppercase letter, 1 number, and 1 special character.

You can only change your password once every 12 hours.

You must log on to your account at least once within 30 days to remain active. If you have not logged on within 30 days, you will need to contact the Help Desk, via the link on the PCS OET Splash Page (Figure 6) to re-activate your account.

Figure 23 Password Change Screen

To change your password, on the Password Change screen (Figure 23) enter your current password into the Old Password field, enter a new password following the password constraints into the New Password field, type the new password again into the Confirm New Password field. Clicking OK on the completed Password Change screen (Figure 23), produces a Password Success (Figure 24) screen where clicking OK returns you to the My Account screen (Figure 22); Cancel returns you to the My Account screen without changing your password.

Figure 24 Password Success Screen

Upon clicking OK on the Password Change screen (Figure 23), if your entries do not adhere to the password constraints the applicable message in Figure 25 or Figure 26 is displayed.

Figure 25 Password Length Message

Figure 26 Password Change Requirement Message

If you attempt to change your password within 12 hours since your last password change, you will get the message shown in Figure 27.

Figure 27 Password Change Not Allowed Message

4.3 Offer Entry Process

Your (the vendor’s) Purchase Program (PP) Selection under My Account should be maintained to reflect your most current information as the selected PPs determine the Solicitations for which you receive an Invitation to Bid, and the available Solicitations that are displayed on the Solicitations For Offers screen (Figure 32). The Solicitations displayed on the Solicitations For Offers screen, in turn, determine the lineitems available for bidding.

4.3.1 Invitation to Bid

For each round of bidding established by the Buyer via PCS BEM, an Invitation to Bid email notification (Figure 28) may be sent to registered vendors based on Purchase Program (PP) selection and bid history. This notification contains the Solicitation Number, Round (e.g., Round: 1(Initial Offer)), bid open and close date / time and a link to the PCS OET application.

ALL vendors who have selected the PP, under My Account, that is associated with a Solicitation will get the INITIAL Invitation to Bid email notifying them that an Initial bidding round is open.

Figure 28 Invitation to Bid Email Example, Standard Initial Round

ONLY those vendors who submitted bids on the Initial Standard round will receive Invitation to Bid emails (Figure 29 and Figure 30) notifying them that subsequent rounds of bidding have been opened. For each Standard round of bidding established, even if you have not made changes to your offer(s), you must Submit your bid.

Figure 29 Invitation to Bid Example, Standard Subsequent Round

Figure 30 Invitation to Bid Email Example, Reverse Auction Round

4.3.2 Select a Solicitation

After Logging On to OET, having verified your Purchase Program selection under My Account, the next step is to select the Solicitation on which you (the vendor) want to bid. Clicking the Enter Offers menu (Figure 31) invokes the Solicitations For Offers screen (Figure 32) displaying the Solicitation Number, Purchase Program, and Title for each Solicitation associated with the PP(s) you selected under My Account.

Figure 31 PCS OET Main Menu – Offers

Figure 32 Solicitations For Offers

Search and sort capabilities are available on the Solicitations For Offers screen

(Figure 32) to assist in locating specific Solicitation(s) on which you are interested in bidding.

If you modify your Purchase Program selections under My Account, or if you want to remove filters you have applied using the Search function, click the Refresh List button to update the selection(s) displayed on the Solicitations For Offers screen (Figure 32).

If no Solicitations are found that match your Purchase Program selection(s), a notification will be displayed (Figure 33) advising to verify your selections under My Account.

Figure 33 No Active Solicitations Found

Once the Solicitation is located, the corresponding View / Edit link is clicked invoking the Offer Bid Lines screen (Figure 35) where offer data for the selected Solicitation are entered / displayed.

4.3.3 Entering Bids

Identified at the top of the Offer Bid Line screen (Figure 34) is the Vendor’s name, Solicitation Number, Round drop-down and bid Open and Close date / time. Depending on the round status, button options displayed below the data grid may include: Bid Summary Report, Bid Package Document(s), New Bid, Submit Bids, Recall Previous Bids and Done which are detailed in subsections below.

Bid data are not displayed on the Offer Bid Line screen prior to the Open Date / Time of the round. If you select View / Edit on a Solicitation / Bid Round prior to the Open Date / Time, you will be notified that the round is not yet open and provided a Refresh button (Figure 34). You will need to Refresh once the Open Date / Time has been reached in order to enter / view offer data.

Figure 34 Offer Bid Lines Screen, Round Not Yet Open

All offer(s) do not have to be entered in a single session. Throughout the time that a round is open you (the vendor) can return to the offer entry process to edit / complete your current offer within the constraints of the round as described in subsections below.

For each Standard round of bidding established, even if you have not made changes to your offer(s), you MUST Submit your offer(s). Once a round has closed the offer(s) can no longer be modified or submitted.

*NOTE: Once a lineitem has been locked and / or awarded in the BEM, it will display as read-only, marked with a red * in OET and can no longer be modified.

New Bid Option - Select Lineitems

At the outset of the Initial round of bidding, the Offer Bid Lines screen (Figure 35) data grid is blank as lineitems to be bid on have yet to be selected.

Figure 35 Offer Bid Lines Screen, Vendor’s First Bid Round Example

Clicking the New Bid button at the bottom of the Offer Bid Lines screen (Figure

35) invokes the New Bid Line Item Selection screen (Figure 36) displaying the available lineitems associated with the selected Solicitation. You would also view / select lineitems that are added to the Solicitation on Amendment in the Initial round via New Bid.

Figure 36 New Bid Line Item Selection Screen

As the example in Figure 37 shows, lineitems can be filtered (individually or in combination) by any of the fields using the drop down box under each column. Each drop down box contains all possible available values for that field according to the data.

Choosing the blank entry at the top of each drop down list clears that filter and replaces any lineitems filtered out by that field.

Modes are displayed by code, which are defined as follows:

AIR = Airplane;

BRG = Barge;

CCARD = Credit Card;

COUP = Italian Coupon;

COUPN = Coupons;

DR = Drums;

Version 3 01/16/17

FOBBG = FOB Barge;

FOBDR = FOB Drum;

FOBPL = FOB Pipeline;

FOBRL = FOB Railcar;

FOBTT = FOB Tank Truck;

FOBTW = FOB Tank Wagon;

FUEL = Fuel Tanker;

FUELE = Fuel Truck;

INTMO = Inter-Modal;

MSS = Marine Svc;

NG = Hemtt;

PIPE = Pipeline;

RAIL = Railcar;

TC = Tank Car;

TRUCK = Truck;

TT= Tank Truck;

TTR = Tank Trk/Trl;

TTRWP = Trk/Trl W/P;

TTWP = Tank Truck Wagon;

TUG = Tug;

TW = Tank Wagon

Figure 37 New Bid Line Item Selection Screen, Filtered

Select the lineitems from the New Bid Line Item Selection screen (Figure

36/Figure 37) to be included in your bid using the checkbox in the first column on each line. Multiple non-consecutive lineitems are selected by using CTRL+click in the checkbox, and multiple consecutive lineitems are selected using SHIFT+click in the checkbox. Select or Clear all lineitems using the checkbox in the first column header.

Clicking the Continue button populates the Offer Bid Lines screen (Figure 38) with the chosen lineitems.

Figure 38 Offer Bid Lines Screen, Line Items Selected Example

During the Initial Standard bid round you can add lineitems. The lineitem selection process can be repeated as you want until the round of bidding has closed. Once the bid round has closed, indicated by the Offer Bid Lines screen (Figure 55) displaying in a read-only format and (Closed) text next to the Round drop-down, the New Bid button is no longer displayed and lineitems can no longer be modified. In subsequent Standard round(s), the New Bid button is not displayed, lineitems to be included in your offer are selected in the Initial Standard round. The New Bid button is also not displayed in a Reverse Auction round as lineitems in a Reverse Auction round are based on the last Standard round of bidding and cannot be added or deleted.

Bid Rounds

The sections below describe the Offer Bid Line screen in three separate sections because the screen display changes slightly based on where you are in the bid round process. The three sections are:

Round 1 – Initial Offer (Section 4.3.3.b(1)) Round N - Interim…Final Offer (Section 4.3.3.b(2)) Reverse Auction – Round 1….Round N (Section 4.3.3.b(3))

Bid data are not displayed prior to the Open Date / Time of the round. If upon selecting View / Edit on a Solicitation / Bid Round you are notified that the round is not yet open, you will need to click the provided Refresh button once the Open Date / Time has been reached in order to enter / view offer data.

4.3.3.b(1) Round 1 – Initial Offer

Once the lineitems have been selected on the Bid Line Item Selection screen (Figure 36/Figure 37) and are displayed on the Offer Bid Lines screen (Figure 38), they can be filtered via the provided Search option and reordered using the sort arrows at the top of each data column.

Certain data fields for each selected lineitem on the Offer Bid Lines screen (Figure 38) may be populated by data from the Solicitation; some are Buyer enabled;

others require your input during the offer entry process as described below:

Data Fields Pre-populated from the Solicitation – Read-only:

The data fields pre-populated with data from the Solicitation on the Offer Bid Lines screen (Figure 38) include the following:

Line Item:

Requirement lineitem identifier, which corresponds to the published Solicitation / Amendment.

Product:

Fuel product to be delivered to the Activity.

Mode:

Mode of transportation by which product is to be delivered to the Activity. Modes are displayed by code, which are defined as follows:

AIR = Airplane;

BRG = Barge;

CCARD = Credit Card;

COUP = Italian Coupon;

COUPN = Coupons;

DR = Drums;

FOBBG = FOB Barge;

FOBDR = FOB Drum;

FOBPL = FOB Pipeline;

FOBRL = FOB Railcar;

FOBTT = FOB Tank Truck;

FOBTW = FOB Tank Wagon;

FUEL = Fuel Tanker;

FUELE = Fuel Truck;

INTMO = Inter-Modal;

MSS = Marine Svc;

NG = Hemtt;

PIPE = Pipeline;

RAIL = Railcar;

TC = Tank Car;

TRUCK = Truck;

TT= Tank Truck;

TTR = Tank Trk/Trl;

TTRWP = Trk/Trl W/P;

TTWP = Tank Truck Wagon;

TUG = Tug;

TW = Tank Wagon

Activity:

Activity (end using location) to which Product is to be delivered.

State:

Abbreviation of the state in which Activity resides if within the US;

Country abbreviation if overseas.

Service Code:

Four-character identifying code for the government Service class, e.g. NAVY, USAF, etc.

Quantity:

The amount (in gallons) of Product being procured for this lineitem.

BR Price:

Base Reference Price: Cost per gallon for this product at the time the Solicitation / Amendment was created, exclusive of additional charges.

Buyer Enabled Data Fields:

The DLA Buyer must enable the fields below, via PCS BEM, in order for them to be functional in OET. Once enabled, some of these data fields require your (the vendor’s) input, others are read-only.

Hub:

Applicable to CONUS / domestic Solicitations only. If HUB Zone preference is allowed for the Solicitation, the Buyer can enable this field on individual lineitem(s) where a HUB Zone offer is acceptable. If enabled, your input is needed for lineitems to be evaluated for Hub Zone preference.

Spec Msg:

The Buyer can attach Special Message(s) to any lineitem. On a Solicitation Amendment, lineitems that have been deleted and lineitem quantity change(s) are identified in the Spec Msg field. This is a read-only field for communications from the Buyer to the Vendor.

FOB:

The Buyer can enable a particular Mode to allow (by lineitem) Freight on Board (FOB) offer entry (e.g, Mode = FOBTW, FOBRL),. This is for informational purposes from you, the Vendor, to the Buyer. If enabled, the Buyer wants your input of your shipping information / cost, and an Edit hyperlink is displayed in this field.

Taxes:

Applicable to CONUS / domestic Solicitations only. The Buyer can enable the Taxes field if, for informational purposes only, they want you to identify any taxes INCLUDED in your offer Price. If enabled, you can input (i.e. call out separately) the tax data INCLUDED in your offer Price for a particular lineitem.

User edited/Entered Data Fields:

In the fields listed below, you (the vendor) enter your applicable offer data for each lineitem as follows:

Price:

Enter your total offer Price for each lineitem for the currently selected bid round inclusive of any and all applicable taxes.

For example, if your offer for a gallon of fuel is $2.00 and taxes total $1.00, your Price is entered as $3.00.

Should the Price entry not be in the correct format, the error in Figure 39 will be displayed.

Figure 39 Invalid Price Message

Escalator ID The Escalators displayed in OET come from the published Solicitation. The Base Reference Price (BRP) on the Escalator and the Base Reference Date are part of the published Solicitation.

If you wish to choose an alternate Escalator to the one given, click on the enabled Escalator ID field, for which you want an alternate, to bring up the Alternate Escalator Selection screen (Figure 40). If the Escalator ID link is enabled in blue, the displayed Escalator is the default Escalator. If the Escalator ID link is enabled in red, the Escalator is an alternate Escalator.

Once you click the link, the Alternate Escalator Selection screen (Figure 40) is displayed, on which you will find a selection of alternate Escalators from which you may choose. If you do not see the Escalator you want, you may request one using the Request New Escalator button on the bottom of the Alternate Escalator Selection screen (Figure 40).

Figure 40 Alternate Escalator Selection Screen

The fields on the Alternate Escalator Selection screen (Figure 40) include the following:

Escalator:

Identification code for the alternate Escalator.

Description:

Written description of the Escalator.

BR Price:

Base Reference Price: Cost per gallon for this product at the time the Solicitation/Amendment was created, exclusive of additional charges.

Select Link:

If you wish to choose an alternate Escalator to the one displayed on the Offer Bid Lines screen (Figure 38), click the Select link in the row of the Escalator you want to choose.

If you do not see the Escalator you want, you may request one using the Request New Escalator button at the bottom to bring up an email (Figure 41). Type in your request below the Vendors Request:

line. Clicking Close will close the email without sending it. Clicking Send Request will send the request to the Buyer.

Figure 41 Request New Alternate Escalator Email

When the email has been sent, the following screen appears; click OK to return to the Alternate Escalator Selection screen (Figure 40).

Figure 42 Request Successfully Sent Message

*NOTE: When a request email is sent, a notation is added to the Notes field on the Offer Bid Lines screen (Figure 38) as shown in Figure 43.

Figure 43 Note for Lineitem Showing Alternate Escalator Request

Hub:

If enabled, check the box for the lineitem(s) you want evaluated for Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Zone preference;

otherwise, leave the box unchecked.

Spec Msg:

The DLA Buyer can apply Special Message(s) to any bid line.

N/A = Not-available. If View is displayed, click to view Special Message(s) from the DLA Buyer. This is a read-only field.

Figure 44 Offer Bid Lines Screen, Spec Msg View Link

For your reference, an example of a Bid Line Special Messages screen is provided in Figure 45.

Figure 45 Bid Line Special Messages Screen

FOB:

This is for informational purposes only. If enabled, the Buyer would like you to identify your transportation information / costs. When a lineitem is selected that utilizes a Mode for which the Buyer has enabled Freight on Board (FOB) offers (e.g, FOBTW, FOBRL), an Edit link (Figure 46) is displayed in this field.

Figure 46 Offer Bid Lines Screen, FOB Edit Link

Click the Edit link to display the FOB Bid Line Data screen (Figure

47) where you can fill in the following transportation information:

Shipping Information:

Enter the location from which the fuel is being shipped, e.g. the name of a town, the name of a refinery, etc. (up to 25 Characters, capitalized)

State:

Enter the abbreviation of the state from which the fuel is being shipped. (2 Characters, capitalized)

Zip:

Enter the zip code of the area from which the fuel is being shipped. (Number, 11111-1111)

Rate:

Enter the cost per gallon that it will cost (the Vendor) to ship the fuel to its destination. (Number, up to 3 places to the left of the decimal, up to 6 places to the right of the decimal)

When you are finished entering FOB data, clicking Done retains your entries and returns you to the Offer Bid Lines screen (Figure 38);

Cancel returns you to the Offer Bid Lines screen without keeping your entries.

Figure 47 FOB Bid Line Data Screen

If the link on the Offer Bid Lines screen (Figure 46) displays as View, the lineitem and, therefore, the FOB Bid Line Data screen is read-only.

Notes:

Click the Edit link to display the Notes For LineItem screen (Figure

49) where you can enter additional information you want to convey to the Buyer about a particular lineitem. A View link indicates there are notes that have previously been entered. If the link displays as View, then the associated lineitem is read-only.

Figure 48 Offer Bid Lines Screen, Notes Edit Link

When you are finished entering your Notes, clicking Save retains your entries and returns you to the Offer Bid Lines screen (Figure 38); Cancel returns you to the Offer Bid Lines screen without keeping your entries.

Figure 49 Notes For Line Item Screen

Taxes:

This is for informational purposes only. If enabled, the Buyer would like you to identify the taxes that are INCLUDED in your total Price.

When tax entry has been enabled by the DLA Buyer, a Taxes link is displayed in black text (Figure 50). Click this link to select / enter tax information on the Bid Line Taxes screen (Figure 51).

For example, if you entered $3.00 as your Price of which Taxes total $1.00, you identify the $1.00 in Taxes on the Bid Line Taxes screen.

If the Taxes link displays in red text (Figure 50), tax information has been provided for the associated lineitem. If tax entry has not been enabled N/A displays in this field.

Figure 50 Offer Bid Lines Screen, Taxes Link

Figure 51 Bid Line Taxes Screen

To select the tax(es) included in your offer Price, from the Available Taxes column, on the Bid Line Taxes screen (Figure 51), click on the desired tax item to move it to the Selected Taxes box. Clicking the magnifying glass icon provides a text box which allows you to Search for a particular tax.

To remove a Selected Taxes item, click the arrow next to an individual tax item you want to remove or click the arrow at the top of the column to remove ALL items.

For each selected tax item, enter the value of the tax (in dollars).

When you are finished with your tax items, clicking Save retains your entries and returns you to the Offer Bid Lines screen (Figure 38);

Cancel returns you to the Offer Bid Lines screen without keeping your entries.

Delete:

The red circled X on the Offer Bid Lines screen (Figure 52) allows you to delete the associated lineitem, after confirming the desired action on the Are You Sure….Warning screen (Figure 53). If the Delete icon is not displayed, i.e., field is empty (Figure 52), the lineitem is read-only.

Figure 52 Offer Bid Lines Screen, Delete Link

Figure 53 Delete This Record Warning

An example of a completed Offer Bid Lines screen, after selecting your lineitems, and making your offer entries (including offer Price and applicable Escalator ID, HUB, FOB, Notes and Tax data) is shown in Figure 54.

Figure 54 Offer Bid Lines Screen, Bids Entered Example (Round 1, Initial Offer)

Clicking Done on the Offer Bid Lines screen (Figure 54) returns you to the

Solicitations For Offers screen (Figure 32). Clicking Done does NOT submit your offer.

Offers are conveyed to the Buyer via the Submit Bids process which is described in Section 4.3.6.

Throughout the time that a round is open, the offer entering and submission processes can be repeated / updated as you want. You may enter offer data (which is saved to the database in real-time), exit the Offer Bid Lines screen (Done) and return at another time to modify / complete your offer entry.

During the Initial Standard round (e.g., Initial / Interim / Final, etc…), you can update Price(s) as well as add / delete lineitems, view/edit Escalators, view/edit Taxes, enter Notes and attach Bid Package Document(s). In Reverse Auction rounds Price(s) and certain associated data can be updated; lineitems cannot be added or deleted.

Once the bid round has closed, indicated by the Offer Bid Lines screen displaying (Closed) text next to the Round drop-down, the screen is in a read-only format and offers can no longer be modified for this round as shown in Figure 55.

Figure 55 Offer Bid Lines Screen, Round Closed Example

In addition to viewing your offer data on the Offer Bid Lines screen a Bid

Summary Report allows you to create a record of your offer(s) for the currently selected round.

4.3.3.b(2) Round N – Interim…Final Offer

Subsequent Standard rounds of bidding are identified as those rounds after the first bid round through the last Standard round, prior to any Reverse Auction round(s). In these rounds, after selecting a solicitation, the Offer Bid Lines screen (Figure 56) displays with the lineitems on which you (the vendor) submitted offer(s) in the previous round. Any lineitems that have already been awarded in the PC&S BEM will be marked with a red *. Your offer Price from the previous round now displays in the Prev Bid column as well as the Price column. (The Prev Bid column is NOT displayed in the initial round of bidding). The Price field is editable to modify your offer for the current round.

Interim rounds also display a Recall Previous Bids button which allows you to reinstate lineitems that you have previously deleted.

Figure 56 Offer Bid Lines Screen, Round N (Interim…Final Offer) Example

The lineitems displayed in the grid can be filtered via the provided Search option and reordered using the sort arrows at the top of each data column. Certain data fields for each lineitem on the Offer Bid Lines Screen (Figure 56) were populated by data from the Solicitation; some are Buyer enabled; others require your input during the offer entry process.

Clicking Done on the Offer Bid Lines screen (Figure 56) returns you to the Solicitations For Offers screen (Figure 32). Clicking Done does NOT submit your offer.

Offers are conveyed to the Buyer via the Submit Bids process which is described in Section 4.3.6. You MUST Submit Bids on each Standard round established; whether or not you make any change to your offer(s).

Throughout the time that a round is open, the offer entering and submission processes can be repeated / updated as you want. You may enter offer data (which is saved to the database in real-time), exit the Offer Bid Lines screen (Done) and return at another time to modify / complete your offer(s) entry. During Standard Interim rounds (e.g., Initial / Interim / Final, etc…), you can update Price(s) as well as reinstate lineitems you previously deleted, delete lineitems, view/edit Escalators, view/edit Taxes, enter Notes and attach Bid Package Document(s). In Reverse Auction rounds Price(s) and certain associated data can be updated, lineitems cannot be added or deleted.

Once the bid round has closed, indicated by the Offer Bid Lines screen displaying (Closed) text next to the Round drop-down, the screen is in a read-only format and offers can no longer be modified for this round as shown in Figure 57.

Figure 57 Offer Bid Lines Screen, Round Closed Example

(Round N – Interim…Final Offer) round.

*NOTE: Offer data for other rounds may be displayed by selecting a different round via the Round drop-down.

4.3.3.b(3) Reverse Auction – Round 1...Round N

A Buyer may choose to open a Reverse Auction round for any Solicitation;

however, DLA mandate requires that a reverse auction tool be used for all competitive contracts valued at more than $150,000.

In Reverse Auction rounds of bidding, after selecting a solicitation, the Offer Bid Lines screen (Figure 58) displays with the lineitems you (the vendor) bid on in the last Standard round that have been included in the Reverse Auction. These are the only lineitems you may submit offer(s) on in the Reverse Auction process. Lineitems may not be added or deleted in a Reverse Auction round. Also, any lineitems that have already been awarded in the PC&S BEM will not be displayed.

The lineitems displayed in the grid can be filtered via the provided Search option and reordered using the sort arrows at the top of each data column. As with a Standard bid round, certain data fields for each lineitem on the Offer Bid Lines screen (Figure 58) were populated by data from the Solicitation; some are Buyer enabled; others require your input during the offer entry process.

A Win Bid field now displays showing the winning low bid from the previous round for each lineitem. Your last round offer is displayed in both the Prev Bid and Price fields, with the Price, Notes and Taxes fields editable to modify your offer for the Reverse

Auction round. In a Reverse Auction…