Supplier FAQs - Biddingo.com

Registered bidders only receive an “email alert” once a week, usually on Friday evenings showing the bids and addendums that have been issued. A paid subscriber will get an “email alert” immediately after a bid or an addendum has been released. A subscriber can also download documents or purchase them online if applicable and available from the participating Agency.

3. What does the message "you are beyond thirty days" mean?

It means the 30-day trial has expired.
To continue the Biddingo.com service you must Subscribe now.

4. I’m trying to complete a form and I’m getting an error message.

If you’re trying to complete a form with required fields, all fields must be completed. Please use N/A where necessary.

5. How does a firm get on a Bidders List?

You must register (fill out a bidder’s application) your company on Biddingo.com, and you will receive a one month free subscription with no obligation to continue.

6. Will my registration stay in effect if I don’t follow through with a subscription?

Yes, as long as you keep the information updated on your bidder’s application.

MYFAVOURITE BIDS

1. What is My Favourites?

Using My Favourites, subscribers can store specific bids, making it easy to track document takers, amendments, or simply warehouse a bid opportunity until you have time to
review it. MyFavourite Bids enables you to track the activities of document takers for RFPs that your either download or that you have saved to this folder by clicking on "Add to MyFavourite Bids". It also lists all bid documents that you have downloaded, and locates bids after the bid has been closed for bid results and awards.

2. What does the 'MyFavourite Bids' function do?

If you click the 'MyFavourite Bids' link for any of the bids you are looking at, the bid information will be added to your portfolio list to help you keep track of the bids you are interested in pursuing. You can access this list after you login.

3. How to add bids to My Favourites?

There are two ways that bids are added to "MyFavourite Bids". First, when locating a bid on the site, you will see an "Add to MyFavourite Bids" link under the bid listing. When you click on this "Add to MyFavourite Bids" link, the bid will be stored in your My Favourites folder. The second way bids are stored in My Favourites is when you download bid documents from Biddingo.com, these bids will automatically be added to your Favourites.

4. How to locate MyFavourite bids?

To locate "MyFavourite Bids", login into www.Biddingo.com with your User ID and Password. Click on "MyBiddingo", then click on the tab called "Bid Searching". At the bottom of the page you will see "MyFavourite Bids", and a listing of all your favourite bids are stored here.

SEARCHING

1. How do I search for bids on Biddingo.com?

There are several ways to search for bids on Biddingo.com. You can search by keyword, category, location, business type, MyProfile or historical search options.

30 day trial users and subscribers can start searching for bids by following these instructions:

Go to www.Biddingo.com
Type in your user ID and password and login
Click 'Search Bids with myProfile' (located on the top menu)
A list of all relevant bids will come up. Find the bid you are looking for and click on the title of the bid
You can filter which bids you view by sorting public, private and group buy bids. Look for the Show Only menu on the left hand side, and select the bid types you want revealed.

NOTE: Bids will also be included in your daily email alert.

2. How do I conduct a search using categories?

You may conduct a search based on historical data. By clicking in the last 12 months, a list of the closed tenders will be generated. Note: This option is FREE. You may conduct a search based on the current bid opportunities. In order to view the information, one must be a REGISTERED USER.

3. I have logged into Biddingo, How do I search for bid opportunities?

You may utilize one of the following functions:

Searching based on categories
Searching with the MyProfile option
Note: This option will give you a more defined search result.

4. I have conducted several searches and want to go back to the initial list of categories. How do I accomplish the task?

Click Home This will allow you to return to the list, with the option of still being logged in.

5. I did a search and a list of Bids has appeared. How do I access the information?

You may view the bid scope by clicking on the bid title, or by clicking on the details link (highlighted in orange) located below the bid.

6. How do I view the list of document takers and the bid results?

If the list of document takers is available online, the "Document Takers" link will be activated. Click the link and you will be able to view the list of companies that have taken copies of the bid documents. Follow the same procedure for the bid results.

7. How will I know when a bid is being advertised under the commodity that I am interested in?

As you register correctly under the commodities that pertain to you, you will be notified via an “email alert” from Biddingo.

8. How do I find out about bid results?

You must call the agency in question directly. Eventually the results of bids are advertised on Biddingo, but not all agencies provide the information.

9. How do I ask questions about a particular bid?

You must call the agency in question directly.

ORDERING

1. How do I get the documents for a bid?

If the documents are available online, the 'Documents' link, located below the bid, will be activated. Click the link, and the document list will appear. Click on the file name, and you will be able to download the document(s) (Subscribers Only). When you download a document, your company name gets automatically added to the bid document takers list.

If the document is not available on-ine, you will have to contact the Bid Owner.

2. How do I download documents?

As long as you are a Biddingo subscriber you can click on ‘download’ and an email will be sent to you with the attached PDF document. If there is a cost for the document, you will pay online and depending on the agency, arrangements will be made for the document to be couriered to your location.

3. In what format will I receive my downloaded tender documents?

A supplier will receive the document in the format that was initially uploaded (Word, Excel, etc.) However, if there were multiple documents uploaded, once a supplier clicks “download all”, the documents are downloaded in the Winzip format. A free evaluation version can be downloaded from the website (www.winzip.com) which is required to extract the files. Once the files are extracted, they can be opened in the document format (PDF, Word, Excel, etc.).

4. Why is CBS and e-BidForm used?

CBS and e-BidForm are used for e-Bidding purposes. When an e-BidForm is completed and the bid is submitted to the owner, they can import it directly into their compatible software. Using e-BidForm allows for electronic submission of bids.

5. How do I get a copy of CBS?

Contact Biddingo at 416-756-0955, and we will ship a copy of the CBS software to you via courier at a shipping charge of $25; the shipping charge is waived if you choose to download the software electronically from My Profile. The software is $250.00 to paid subscribers of Biddingo, which includes 1 year of technical support.

VENDOR REGISTRATION

1. How/why do I benefit from completing a vendor application form?

The reasons for completing the vendor application can be easily summed up:

You complete the application to put your company name in front of government buyers who may be looking to buy the products or services you sell!

Public sector purchasing departments buy numerous types of goods and services. When they are getting ready to buy something they may be aware of various vendors who provide that particular product or service and they may ask those vendors to provide them with a bid. If the purchasing department is not aware of your company, or of the products and services you provide, you will not be notified when that purchasing department is looking to purchase that type of product or service. This means that you may be missing out on business opportunities!

2. Which public sector organizations are accepting suppliers to be included in their Bidders' list?

Here is the list of public sector organizations:

Municipalities

City of Vaughan
Town of Aurora
Region of York
Town of Markham
Town of Newmarket
Town of Richmond Hill

Healthcare Organizations

Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation
HealthPRO Procurement Services
Winnipeg Regional Health Authority Logistics Services

School Boards

York Catholic District School Board
York Region District School Board

3. Is there any special information I need to know about completing the vendor application form?

There is some information you should be aware of before you start working on completing your application form. The following will provide you with tips on how to best complete the application form for the public sector organization of your choice, and provide them with the information that they require.

The Application form page will EXPIRE after 30 Minutes.

Why is the page set to expire?
This is a security precaution intended to protect your data from being tampered with. Due to the nature of the information that you will be entering on the Vendor Application (banking, insurance info, etc.) we want to make sure that it is kept confidential. If you start completing the application, then become involved in another task and leave your computer, anyone that is walking by could enter information about your company and submit it. With this security precaution in place, even if you forget to close the application window on your computer, others will not be able to tamper with your data. After 30 minutes have passed, even if they try to submit the application, they will be unsuccessful.

What happens to the data after 30 minutes?
If you do not click on Save and Continue to Commodity Classification within 30 minutes of accessing the application form, the page will expire and any entered data will be lost. To be sure this does not happen to you, we suggest you read the tips on completing the application form.

4. Tips on completing the application form

Print the application form page.
Some of the applications may require information that you may not have readily available to you, such as insurance or banking information. If you print the page, you can compile all of the data that you will need to submit your application form.
Compile your information and be prepared!
Make sure you have all of your information ready when you access the vendor application form.
Type your information in an MS Word or Word Perfect document.
If you feel that, even with the information ready, you may not be able to input the information into the form within 30 minutes, type the info into a word processing program on your computer.
Copy the info from the typed document and paste it into the application form.
When you login to the online vendor application form, you can copy the information from your typed document (highlight the required information in your typed document, then right click on your mouse and select the Copy option) and paste (on the vendor application form, click in the appropriate field, right click on your mouse, and choose the Paste option) the information into the application form.
It is very important that your application be as complete as possible. It is equally important that you keep your information updated. This means that you can update your information whenever necessary by logging in with the user ID and password that you create! Each time you update, the Public sector organization will receive email telling them of what you have done.
Choose the commodity codes that best represent the goods or services that you provide.
Carefully review the list of commodities that the Public sector organization purchases.
When registering, make sure you choose commodities that apply to your organization. You will not benefit from choosing commodities that you are not fully capable of supplying. Try to limit the number of commodities to below 10, to be sure you are not over-classifying yourself.
Make sure to select the subcategories, if they are available.
After you make your selection of commodities, you click Select. You will then see the list of commodities you have chosen. If any of these commodities contains a subcategory, you will see it. Select all appropriate commodities and sub-classes and click Update to send your completed application.

5. Why do I have to complete a separate application form for each public sector organization?

Each public sector organization is unique
Each organization has a custom application and list of commodity codes. They each require different information from their vendors. While insurance information may be important to one organization to have from their vendors, another organization may not require this information.

Each public sector organization Buys Different Things
While one organization may buy a high volume of paper supplies, another may have no need for this at all. This means that their list of commodities that they purchase will vary, so you need to look at each organization individually to see if they purchase your products or services.

Security of your information
Due to the nature of the information that you are completing (banking, bonding, insurance information, references, etc.) we need to make the information confidential. We want to protect you data, we do not want to make your private, confidential information accessible to any public sector organization using the system. Only those organizations that you want to see your information will see it, because you have submitted it to them.

6. Does this mean that I have to re-type my information for each individual Vendor Application?

Not necessarily. Because you are able to identify yourself with your unique user ID and password, we are able to store your data for you. What this means is that once you have completed one vendor application, that information will be transferred to the forms of the other public sector organization that require that same information on the applications. This information will not be submitted to them, or accessible by them, until you actively click on their application form and submit it.

This means that you will only have to complete an information section (address info, references, etc.) once. Any time these fields appear on another application that you want to submit, it will automatically be completed for you. You will only need to fill in the information for those fields that were not on the previous forms you completed.

7. How to submit a Vendor Application form

Step 1: Access Vendor Registration

Go to www.Biddingo.com and click on the "Vendor Registration" option
If you have accessed the vendor application from a public sector's website, you will automatically be brought to the Step 3 phase of these instructions.

Step 2: Choose an Organization

Click on the name of the organization to which you wish to submit your application

Step 3: Login or Register Click here to get on the Bidder's list!

Option A: Enter your user ID and password, if you are currently registered with Biddingo

Option B: Click on the 'Register Now' option, if you have never registered with Biddingo.

IF YOU ARE A NEW USER TO Biddingo YOU WILL SEE A SCREEN WHERE YOU:

Enter your email address in the field provided (this will be your user ID).
Enter a password that you will remember (maximum 8 characters, case sensitive)
Re-enter the password.

Step 4: Terms and Conditions

You will be presented with a list of 'Terms and Conditions' which you must read.
Click on I Agree to accept these conditions. If you click 'I Disagree', you will not be able to continue to the application form.

Step 5: The Application Form

You will now see the application form for your chosen organization.
Complete the application form
Click "Save and Continue"

Step 6

Click on the check box for each commodity that you provide.
Click 'NEXT'
Review your chosen list of commodities and verify that they are correct.
If there are subcategories for your selected list of commodities, you will see them on your screen. Click on the check box for each sub-category that applies to your organization.
Click 'Update'.

Step 7

You should get a message telling you that your application has been successfully submitted to the organization of your choice.

By following the above steps, you will provide the public sector organization with the best representation of your organization. Remember update your information as often as necessary if you change phone numbers, addresses or start selling a new product or service! It is up to you to keep the public sector up to date on your company!

DIRECTORY SERVICE

1. What is the Supplier Directory?

The Supplier Directory is an online database of suppliers providing various goods and services. It’s used by purchasing manager for sourcing and sending bid invitations. It’s free for Biddingo subscribers to list their company name, address and phone number. Subscribers can also upload product descriptions, images, catalogs and even list awarded contracts!

2. What are the benefits of being listed?

For Buyers

Locate suppliers by product, category…
Send invitations to vendors
Manage and update vendors online
Create your own directory

For Suppliers

List all your products
List warranties, delivery terms
List bids/ contracts you’ve won
Get invited to bid on opportunities

3. How do I list my company?

You must be a Biddingo.com subscriber to list your company in the Supplier Directory. If you’re a subscriber, you can access the directory after you login to Biddingo. Or you can go the Biddingo website, click on the Directory Services link and then enter your Biddingo User ID and password. Next, click on the 'MyProfile Setup' link on the left hand side to setup your profile and save.

4. How do I upload my products?

Biddingo.com subscribers can upload products to the Supplier Directory by clicking on 'MyProfile Setup', then Modify, and Upload Image. Note: There is a $10 fee per product upload.

5. Can I create my own directory?

Yes. Public and private sector organizations can create their own vendor directories to:

Manage vendors
Quickly locate pre-qualified suppliers
Invite vendors to submit quotes

For more information, purchasing managers can contact Biddingo.com

BID PUBLISHING

1. How do I post a bid?

Subscribers and registered buyers have access to an online manual that provides a detailed tutorial of bid posting. It’s an easy step-by-step process. Should you require additional assistance, our experienced customer care department can help.

BILLING

1. How do I pay my bill?

Biddingo offers payment via credit card or cheque. Should you have any billing inquiries, please call us at 416-756-0955.

2. How can I check if my subscription is up for renewal?

If your subscription is up for renewal, you will receive a message when you login to Biddingo.com informing you of your renewal deadline. This is usually posted within 75-90 days in advance of your renewal date.

3. How do I change my credit card information?

If you want to change your method of payment, please contact Biddingo at 416-756-0955.

4. Can I obtain my statements online?

Statements can only be obtained by calling Biddingo at 416-756-0955.

OTHER

1. How does a firm get access to an agency by-law?

Most Agencies have their by-law on their website if you can’t locate it just give their purchasing department a call and they will provide you with their information.

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