Vendor’s Webinar Session oneQuote
DOAS State PurchasingApril 4, 2008
Let’s start by talking about eQuote
The history of eQuote
Introduced as E-quote in October 2004 with a buying limit of $10,000
Re-introduced as eQuote in March 2007 with buying limit raised to $50,000
Enhanced eQuote released late March 2008• No limit on buying amount • Substantially more robust functionality• Training provided through webinars and brand new
Vendor’s Guide
Who can use eQuote? eQuote is available to all governmental entities in the State of Georgia
State of Georgia Agencies Technical schools Public colleges and universities Authorities Those buying for the legislative and judicial
branches of state government County government City government Public k-12 schools Other governmental entities
The basics of what a vendor needs to know about using eQuote
Alternative to faxing for bids less than $10,000 Alternative to posting to the GPR for bids $10,000+ Posted eQuotes of $50,000+ publically available from GPR also System generates award notification emails to successful vendor
and to non-successful vendors Greatly reduces the possibility of arithmetic calculation errors Ability to “no bid” a line or to receive a partial award Ability to add comments as well as documents Ability to edit your response while the eQuote is still open Buyer can add non-registered vendors to an open eQuote Buyer can re-award a solicitation if there is a problem with the
initial award Eases the transition to the PeopleSoft modules coming in 18
months Reduces amount of paper needed to be submitted for a
solicitation response
State Purchasing has two manuals on our website to help you with eQuote
These provide eQuote step by step with examples and screenshots, FAQs and standard terms and conditions
Both are available on DOAS State Purchasing webpage at: http://www.statepurchasing.doas.ga.gov
Getting started with eQuote—if you are registered on the Vendor Registration System and have selected the NIGP Code(s) associated with the eQuote solicitation, you get an email invitation to participate
Unique user-id and password.
Can only be used for this
eQuote
url address that gives you access to
this eQuote solicitation
Vendor’s Guide link
Email contains:
• Userid and password
• url link to eQuote
• Link to Vendor’s Guide
• Title of the eQuote
• eQuote close info
• Name/email of buyer
• Governmental entity
Access the eQuote system..
Click the Submit button
You are given a choice: Not to Bid, to Bid Later, or to Bid Now
If you click “I will not bid on this eQuote” and then try to return, you will not be able to do so…
You will have to
contact the Buyer to get
re-set
Once this has been accomplished, you will get an email allowing re-entry to that eQuote
If you opt to Bid Now, you open the eQuote
You can add document(s) at this Header
sectionYou can add comments
here
Document added by buyer
Name of Person,
not company
On State Agency eQuotes, Standard Terms and Conditions are included and you must click “I agree” button
Non-state agencies and those that have certain exemptions will not have these included but will add their own Terms and Conditions
Additional terms and conditions or contracts may be included in the eQuote solicitation
Respond to each line—and you can add documents to any line also
You can add documents
here to the line
To add documents at a line (note that the same method is used for adding documents to the Header):
Click Browse
Opens your computer---find the document to add
Click Open
Your document is downloaded first—always give each document a Title—then click Upload the Document
Your document is loaded in
Give the document a title
Click Upload the document
Screen shows document you attached and allows you to add more documents or to delete this one
Document you added
Click only to delete!!!
Click to add more
documents
Click to proceed with
eQuote
You can No Bid a Line
eQuote calculates your
bid for you
Here the vendor No Bid two of the three lines
Note the buyer has deleted this
line
To submit your bid, just click on the button
Box appears asking if you are sure you want to submit the bid at this price
IF you agree, click the OK
button
Then click Submit your Bid
Critical Information!!
Your eQuote bid is considered as POSTED when it is RECEIVED by the eQuote system---and NOT when you hit that SUBMIT button.
It might take 2-3 minutes for the eQuote system to receive the eQuote bid response.
Screen appears indicating your eQuote has been recorded by the system
Click here to exit from the system
Buyers cannot open your bid response until eQuote closes
You will receive an email confirmation that the system has received your eQuote bid. If you do not receive this, your computer and the eQuote system did not communicate!
While the eQuote is still open, you could receive an email notification regarding the eQuote
There might be a change in the specifications The buyer might have deleted or added one or
more lines The buyer might ask for additional information
—such as references or for you to provide a sample
An optional or mandatory pre-bid conference might be now included
The closing might be extended The eQuote could have been cancelled
Sample email. Note the opportunity for you to return to the eQuote to amend your response (pricing or documents)
What if?
* You accidently delete the email that offers the eQuote invitation?
* You never receive the email?* Your system blocks the email?
Answer: You can contact the buyer and get the email notification re-sent to you
What if?
* You find out about the eQuote but did not receive an email notification
Answer: Contact the buyer
who will add you to the eQuote vendor list
and you will receive an email invitation
If you are not registered on the Vendor Registration System eQuote will take you to that system, have you register, and then take you back to the eQuote to submit your eQuote response
What if?
* You need or want to modify your eQuote response (add or delete a document, amend your pricing)?
* You want to withdraw your eQuote bid response?
Answer: As long as the eQuote is still open, you can contact the buyer who will arrange for you to receive an email allowing you to re-enter eQuote to make your
changes
What if?
* You clicked “I will bid at a later time” and are ready to go back into the eQuote and respond?
Answer: As long as the eQuote is still open,
simply re-enter using the same access provided in the original email. You do not need to contact the buyer
Is there anything else you might need to do?
If the eQuote includes providing reference information, samples, attending a pre-bid conference, signing a contract, or submitting additional information, you must comply to be considered as “responsive”
Note: You may submit an request for an exception to the contract with your
eQuote response
If you want to offer an early-payment discount, indicate this in the Comment section
Note: Access Closed
eQuotes
After the eQuote closes, you can go to the GPR to see the eQuotes that have closed. Will show the responses, not the results of the evaluation or award decision!!
After the eQuote closes and the award decision is made—all responding vendors receive an email notice of the award decision: An email notice is sent to the vendor(s) who receive all or part of the award
An email notice is sent to vendor(s) who do not receive all or part of the award
For State Agencies, eQuotes $100,000 and above—first a Notice of Intent to Award is issued and is in effect for 10 days. Email of NOIA is sent and the NOIA is publically posted
After the 10 days, if there are no protests or problems, a PO or fully executed contract is issued, and a Notice of Intent to Award (NOA) is issued and posted. All vendors are notified through the eQuote system as well as through public posting of the NOA
For State Agencies eQuotes, the NOIA and then final awards of $50,000+ will be publically posted on the GPR
For any eQuote, the buyer has the ability to re-award if there is problem with the original award
An email notification will go out stating that the you have been awarded all or part of the eQuote due to a re-award
If your pricing has a time limitation (such as 60 days), please indicate this information in your eQuote response
What happens after you are notified of an award?
You will receive either a Purchase Order from the buyer or a contract mutually signed
OR You will be contacted by the buyer with P-card
information • If you will not accept payment by P-card, please
indicate this in your eQuote response
Important Things to Remember
When you get an email eQuote invitation and decide to look at the eQuote, use the one-time userid and password provided • DO NOT use your Vendor Registration userid and
password If you click “Do Not Wish to Bid” your one-time userid
and password will be deactivated Do not fax in your responses or email them in or send
them in via postal services. Responses MUST be submitted electronically
If you do not get an email confirmation after submitting your eQuote response, THE SYSTEM DID NOT TAKE
Your eQuote response is considered as the time the system accepted it, NOT THE TIME YOU SENT IT (maybe be a minute or two before it is accepted)
Help Desk Support and Assistance
404-657-6000 All trained on eQuote 2 Additional Tier Levels of Help [email protected]
