Events Tab: Supplier Response Process

Table of Contents

1. Searching for Events
2. Response Creation
3. Q&A
4. Response Submit
5. Printing a Response
6. Retracting a Response
7. Entity Addendum

 

Searching for Events

The Home tab shows suppliers a summary view of Invitation Only events to which they were invited and Open Invitation events. Each event is listed by the Event Name, Entity who created it, Invitation Type, and response’s Due By Date.

The events are separated by the response status: New, In Progress and Recently Awarded.

On the Home tab, events are grouped as follows:

-New: Event has been published but has not been opened.

-In Progress: Event has been opened; a response may have been started. An event is also considered In Progress if a response is returned as the result of an addendum or at the supplier’s request.

-Recently Awarded: Event has been awarded to the supplier.

 

Using the Events Tab drop-down menu, suppliers are able to view events grouped by statuses:

-My In Progress: The event has been opened and the supplier has started the response, or the response was returned by the entity either due to an addendum or the supplier’s request.

-My New: The event has not been opened.

-My Submitted: Events for which the supplier has sent the response to the entity.

-My Awarded: The Entity has awarded the event to the supplier.

-Display All: View all events, including Ready for Responses, Events Under Review, Events awarded to other suppliers and Missed events (Response not submitted before Due By date).

 

There's a variety of search criteria to locate events throughout the response creation process. Supplier can use the search bar and Advanced Search to find a specific event under their account.

View of Display All selection:

View of Advanced Search:

 

Response Creation

To open the event and create a response, select the Event Name.

The Event Header contains information determined by the Entity. The Section Counter indicates how many sections require response information.

1. Event Contact: Select the entity name to view the user facilitating the event.
2. Time Remaining: Indicates the time until the Due By date is reached.
3. Due By Date and Time: Indicates the deadline for supplier responses
4. Effective Start and End Date: Indicates the length of time the results of the event will occur with the supplier (i.e. contract, project, construction)
5. Event Terms and Conditions: Select View to review the Entity's Terms and Conditions. Select Add to create Response Terms and Conditions.
6. Attachments: Documents provided by the entity
7. Invitation Type: Open Invitation (visible to all suppliers) or Invitation Only (the supplier must be invited by the entity to participate)
8. Event Status: Indicates the System or Entity's status.
   1. Ready for Response: The event is open for responses
   2. Responses Under Review: the Due by Date and Time is reached and the Entity is evaluating responses
   3. No Award: The entity opted not to award the event
   4. Awarded: The Entity has awarded the Event
9. Q&A: The supplier can post questions to the entity while the event is "Ready for Responses"
10. Event Awardee: Select to view the awardee (option configured by the entity)

Select the section to review or provide response information from the Navigation Panel. Sections containing an addendum will be indicated by an icon.

To view Addendum History, select the Addendum Icon. The Previous and Current Values are listed along with the modified area of the Event. If the Addendum occurs after the response is submitted, the response will be returned to the supplier. The supplier must resubmit the response to be considered for an award.

The Entity can create three types of sections: Content Only, Question/Answer and Pricing Matrix.

Content Only sections contain text-based information and potentially provide attachments that do not require a response from the supplier.

 

The Question/Answer section has four Answer Types for supplier input: Multiple Choice (Checkbox), Single (Radio Button), Single (Radio Button) with Input, and Text Entry (Input Box).

The Multiple (Checkbox) allows the supplier to select more than one applicable response.

 

The Single (Radio Button) Answer Type allows the supplier to select one choice from the available answers.

 

The Single (Radio Button) With Input allows the supplier to indicate one response from the available choices and provide more information. A value must be entered in the input box to be considered a completed supplier response.

 

 The Text Entry (Input Box) question allows the supplier to provide a text response. The Entity can provide Attachments.

 

The Entity can determine if the supplier can provide/require an attachment.

 

Select Update to save responses. The Question Counter will indicate the remaining unanswered questions.

 

The Pricing Matrix Section allows for suppliers to provide price information. Totals will be calculated automatically. Select Update to save the response.

 

To add an attachment, select the attachments link.

 

Select New or Library to attach a file from the computer or the Attachments Library.

 

If the New option is selected, a file description must be provided. Select Update to add the file.

 

If the Attachment Library option is chosen, select the file using the checkbox. Select Add to confirm.

 

Click the "x" button to remove the attachment. The supplier will be prompted to confirm the removal.

 

When completing a Line Item Bid section, review the description or instructions provided by the buyer and enter any required fields. Information can be entered or copy/pasted into the rows. Suppliers may need to use the scroll bar to view all fields.

 

 

Suppliers can filter, collapse or freeze columns to assist in the response process. Select the caret located in the column header to access the menu options.

 

 

Select update to save changes.

 

If the supplier does not provide a required field, the row will be highlighted. The error message is in the last column (on the right). Use the scroll bar to view and address the error.

 

 Q&A

Suppliers can post questions to the Entity by selecting Add on the Q&A event header.

 

Click "Add" from the event header. Enter the question and select Post. The supplier may choose not to post anonymously using the checkbox. The checkbox will be checked by default. The entity will receive a notification when a question is posted. The supplier will receive a notification when a response is created.

 

Response Submit

Once the event response is complete, select the Submit button using the Next Step drop-down.

The supplier will review the Terms and Conditions from the Entity and may provide Response Terms and Conditions. The Entity's T&Cs must be accepted to submit the response. Please note: Not all fields are required to be completed into order to submit, unless specified, but incomplete responses may impact the entity's evaluation.

 

Suppliers can submit a No Response to indicate that the services or products cannot be provided. The Entity can choose to retain the supplier on the distribution list for future events.

 

If a supplier needs to edit a response, use the Retract feature described below.

 

Printing a Response

To Print the event and/or response, select Print from the Next Step drop-down. A PDF file will generate.

When accessing an event with a line item bid section, an Awarded column will display on the far left. Any items awarded to the supplier will display with the corresponding Awarded checkbox checked.

This data will also be available if the supplier selects the Print option from the Next Step drop-down after the event’s award has been published. An Awarded column will display for each line item bid section, and the column will display a Yes entry for any items awarded to the supplier.

 

Retracting a Response

After a supplier has submitted an event response, a Retract Response option will be accessible. Selecting this option will change the response status to Retracted, which allows the supplier to make any necessary edits to the event response prior to the event’s due date without involving an entity contact.

 

When a response is retracted, an email confirmation will be sent to both the supplier and the entity user noted as the Requested By for the event. 

 

Entity Addendum

If an addendum is created, the supplier maintains the ability to modify the response prior to the event’s due date using the Retract Response option. The addendum email notification to the supplier will also indicate the Retract Response option should be used if changes are needed. Please see the instructions above for retracting responses.

 

Award

Supplier will receive an email alert with the customer's decision on the bid event.

Not Awarded email:

Awarded email:

Awarded events can be found on your Home page under “Recently Awarded” or under your Events tab under “My Awarded."

Home page:

Events tab:

 

Print

Print Award will produce an Excel and PDF print out of your response information. An example of a printed award PDF is below.

If the customer has created their event to have a public response, you will be able to see the response information of all suppliers who have submitted a response, including who was awarded what portion of the bid event.

If the customer has asked you to provide attachments in your response and you do not see the response attachment link in any of the response sections, reach out to the bid contact to ensure that they have activated the link within the event creation.

Print PDF: