Overview

Our Bid Packages module allows you to create and send RFPs, receive proposals, and complete bid leveling all in one place. When you have selected a winning bidder, proceed to contract and carry the details from the proposal into the contract!

Pre-requisites

To add a bid package to a project, the Master Project Budget must be set up first, since you will be prompted to connect the bid package quoted items to your budget's cost codes. This will allow you to see how the received proposals compare to your budget for those cost codes. The budget does NOT need to be marked as Final Approved.

Process

Add Bidders to your Company & Contact Listings

We recommend adding your bidders to your company and contacts listings before creating and sending the bid package. This will save time when you are ready to send the bid package because the recipients will already be populated in your workspace. Add the bidding companies to Companies, and the individual contacts to Contacts. Adding the bidders to your company and contact listings will not send them an invitation to join INGENIOUS. The invitation will be sent with the invitation to respond to the bid package.

Create the Bid Package

Open the project
Navigate to the Bid Packages module from the left-hand navigation
Click Create Bid Package
Select the Bid Package / RFP Workspace Recipient Type to identify the type of company you would like to request the proposal from:

Note: This selection will dictate the type of company this bid package can be sent to. For example, if you create an Architect/Engineer/Designer RFP, you will send the RFP to companies that you have noted as Designers within Companies in your workspace.

5. Select the Contract Holder Type (only applicable in an Owner's Rep workspace type)

Enter Bid Details (required)

Using the Tabs on the top of the screen, fill out the information that you will share with your bidders.

The first tab is the Details tab which includes:
-General Bid Details: enter the RFP name and verify the potential contract type and other relevant details. The Bid Package Manager will default to the person creating the bid package. You can have multiple bid package managers. The Bid Package Manager(s) will receive notifications related to the bid package. You can also choose to make this bid a Sealed Bid.
-Bidding Schedule: Bidders will not be able to submit a bid package after the Bid Due Date unless you edit the bid package and extend the date.
You can also opt to enable email reminders and choose when and how often these will be sent to the bidders.
-Project Schedule: provide other relevant dates to your bidders.

2. Move through the Tabs by clicking Next Step, or Save as Draft to save your progress.

Enter Scope of Bid Package (optional)

Provide more detail to your bidders about the Project and about the specific Scope of Work you are requesting a proposal for. Type directly into these boxes or use keyboard shortcuts to Copy and Paste from another document:

PC: Control + V to paste

Mac: Command + V to paste

Enter Bid Quoted Items (at least one Quoted Item is required)

Bid Quoted Items are the items that you want your bidders to provide pricing for. This creates what is traditionally referred to as a "bid form." You can add quoted items manually or load them from a previously created template. The steps below will guide you through loading from a template:

Click on the Quoted Items tab
Click Load From Template
Select a quoted item template:
Note: clicking Display Master Lists allows you to select all quoted items available for the selected RFP Type
Click Load
Make any applicable edits to the quoted items: click 🗑 icon to delete, re-arrange the listing by dragging and dropping the three-line icon to the left, or rename the quoted items by clicking on the pencil icon.

Pro-Tip: multiple quoted item templates can be appended on a single bid package. Simply click Load From Template again and Append an additional template. This is good for situations where you need to have vendors supply pricing for various scopes of work that may also be included in other RFPs (ex: RFP to drywall installers to provide pricing for Rough Carpentry and Acoustic Ceiling Tile)

6. Specify if any quoted items should be considered Alternates by clicking on the toggle next to the Quoted Item Description. Quoted Items specified as Alternates will be broken out as separate costs from the base bid when leveling bids after receiving proposals.

7. Assign Cost Codes to Quoted Items. Use the Apply to All button if the entire proposal will hit the same cost code on your budget.

Note: your bidders will not see your cost codes or your budget.

Upload Drawings, Files, and Specifications (optional)

Add Drawing sets, Specifications, and Files (if applicable) to share with your bidders for their review.

Click Upload or drag and drop a file to add documents within each tab.

Enter Insurance Requirements (optional)

Use the Insurance Requirements tab to let your bidders know what the insurance requirements will be for the project.

Add Parent Insurance Requirement or Load from Template.
Enter the Name and Minimum Value for each requirement.
If applicable, add Child Insurance Requirements to the Parent Insurance Requirement. For example, add "Each Occurrence" as a Child under the "Excess Liability" Parent.

4. If applicable, attach a document with more information about the required insurance.

Enter Questions & Answers (Q&A's) (optional)

The Q&A tab allows you to enter questions to qualify and differentiate bidders against each other. You can either add questions manually or load from a Q&A template.

Examples of questions to ask in the Q&A tab include:

What is your safety record?
Please confirm your mark-up percentage.
Please confirm, Yes or No, that you have reviewed the attached Drawings and Files.

To add a Question:

Click Add Question, then select the Type of response the bidder is allowed to respond to the question with:

Text Input: Bidder can type their answer into a text box
Yes/No: bidder will have to select Yes or No
Drop-down: allows bidder to choose one option from available options that you configure
Multi-select: allows bidders to choose multiple options from available options that you configure
Number: limits bidder to only input a numerical response
Attachment: requires bidder to upload an attachment
Enter the question you want the bidders to answer
Duplicate a question, Click Add Question to create more questions, or Load from Template: