BidsOnline - Bid Management and Vendor Management Solutions

BidsOnline.net

BidsOnline™ - Key Benefits and Features

Presenting BidsOnline™

Introduction

BidsOnline™ was first developed in early 1998 as a set of simple tools available on the Internet for the purpose of bid posting. It now consists of a powerful, complete and easy-to-use web based bid and vendor management system.

BidsOnline™ takes away the everyday hassle of administering RFQ's or bidding contracts and the inefficiencies of a paper environment by giving complete and instant control to all administrative users such as buyers over their contracting opportunities. Not only does it instantly put organizations and vendors in touch, but it also broadens visibility to all participants. As an added value, buyers can further tap into the extended PlanetBids.com community of qualified vendors by broadcasting their requests.

The entire BidsOnline™ system is Web based; it is available anytime over the Internet and can be accessed by one department and/or deployed throughout an entire organization. State and Local Government agencies, Educational Institutions, and Corporations including various departments or groups such as Purchasing/Support Departments, Contract Administrators, Materials/Facilities Management, Design/Construction Groups, Public Works, and others can immediately reap the benefits of BidsOnline™ system.

An important concern that quietly arises within government agencies, educational institutions and corporations is the lack of better management control to comply with their Outreach Programs. Needless to say, BidsOnline™ built-in workflow management automatically resolves this matter.

Clearly, BidsOnline™ is the leading system that helps organizations provide better service; it excels in providing universal access for sharing up-to-date information through a private or public network over the Internet, and efficiently fosters two-way communication amongst buyers and vendors.

Key Benefits

Buyers and Vendors - Brings Buyers and Vendors together by providing fully automated workflow functions for any buyer and contract administrator to manage daily bidding activities over a private network.
Outreach Programs - BidsOnline™ helps government agencies and other organizations fully comply with their outreach programs by effectively managing the process. For example, a list of suppliers matching the category of goods and services requested (from the organization's database) is automatically generated and a customized email notification is sent to each vendor titled "Bid Alert".
Built-in Task/Workflow Management to Save You Time and Money - BidsOnline™ automates the entire day-to-day bid workflow process of all departments involved in purchasing by providing full access to assigned users (i.e. System Administrators, buyers) to better control their daily activities.
Easy to Use - A simplified layout is consistently maintained throughout the system to make sure that easy point and click, flexibility of use and a low learning curve always prevail.
Cost Effective - Aside from being powerful, robust and secure, BidsOnline™ is also very cost effective to customers of all sizes. In fact a unique Pilot Program is available. It provides the best opportunity to interact and assess overall issues without long-term commitment. We strongly encourage this affordable approach.
Quick Set-Up and Deployment - Usually, set-up and deployment of BidsOnline™ is completed within 4-6 weeks, which includes importing of your current active vendors, category codes (i.e. NIGP), vendor types, special terms, customized images, vendor registration form, etc., followed by internal user testing and training.
Improves Customer Service and Reduces Internal Workload - Every organization will immediately benefit from features such as Vendor Registration and Vendor Profile Management (refer to "Key Features" section below) thus helping to provide better customer service, hence reducing unnecessary calls and problems.
Secure - The process of securely handling data on the Internet is and will always be of utmost importance to us. However, the dynamics and concerns of security are multiple and could originate internally or externally, such as human factors or hackers intruding networks consisting of servers, routers, firewalls, etc. While we are constantly thriving to make sure that all security options are promptly implemented, the issues of security will always be there.
Scalable - BidsOnline™ includes multithreaded platform architecture, integrated load balancing and database connection pooling. Hence, it provides the most scalable environment for departments in an organization to effectively interact with each other as they grow.
Reliable - Running on multiple Windows 2000 Servers, the BidsOnline application is fully clustered and redundant.
No Software to Install - Our cost effective ASP program requires no software to be purchased and therefore represents the best option in getting our clients up and running in a very short time, including required training for staff members. Plus, there are no software-licensing issues to manage on your part. Have a total peace of mind!
No Server Administration - Our qualified IT staff manages all hardware and software, including servers, security, licensing issues and more.... a heavy load off your back.
Benefit from Future Upgrades at No Cost - As the system evolves, all our clients' benefit from future modifications such added features and performance improvements of BidsOnline™ at no additional cost, unless otherwise deemed appropriate.
Daily Backups - Backups of each organization's database are run automatically on a daily basis.
Broadcast onto PlanetBids.com - Buyers can benefit by choosing to broadcast any request onto the PlanetBids.com supplier community for more competitive bidding and further complying with their outreach program.
Browser Based and Transparent - the system is available through any of today's browsers. It is accessible at anytime (24hrs/day, 7days/week, 365 days/year), and from anywhere. BidsOnline™ seamlessly integrates to your current web site by maintaining full uniformity.
Entirely Customizable - BidsOnline™, a complete bid management system by PlanetBids, was designed and developed to be entirely customizable. Although the core of any well conceived system is the same, years of experience taught us the fact that each organization has a different way of managing their daily purchasing operations. In other words, we carefully listen, analyze, implement your specific requests but do not dictate how to manage your business. Because we are solving specific needs by custom tailoring departmental or enterprise processes, clients at all levels are positively welcoming our unique approach. We consider this to be one of our strengths.
ASP and In-House Solutions Available - As recommended, clients are encouraged to use BidsOnline™ through our ASP program. The underlying network and hardware infrastructure is fully maintained to support and host the required applications and databases reliably and cost effectively. We act as your extended MIS/IT department, thus relieving you from all the daily tasks and responsibilities. The ASP program assures quick setup, on-time deployment, scalability, reliability, security, and maximized performance. Further inquiries could be made for clients who wish to move from the ASP model at any given time, or to maintain an in-house solution from the beginning.

Key Features

Vendor Registration and Management - A customized online registration process that complies with your current vendor registration form is developed and integrated within BidsOnline™ to better manage all your vendors. From online application submittal to the approval or disapproval of vendors, the system gives administrators full control of the process. Upon the completion of vendor registration and approval, the system will automatically or selectively (By Invitation Only) notify by email of any new request to vendors that provide that service or commodity. Build and maintain an updated customer database and improve communication with them.
Vendor Profile Management - Once registered, vendors can manage their profiles at anytime, such as, addition of new services offered. BidsOnline™ not only resolves many management tasks but also further alleviates organizations from such responsibilities.
Bid Searching - Any site visitor, registered or not registered, is able to search for any type of bid request submitted by your buyers from your Web Site at anytime from anywhere. Furthermore, vendors are able to view the detail pertaining to each request, line items, addenda, current prospective bidders, bid results, and awards.
Bid Document Uploading and Downloading - Each buyer has the ability to upload electronic versions of documents related to corresponding RFQ's from their desktop through BidsOnline™. Documents are then made available to any vendor that wishes to download the plans with or without any cost.
Plan Holders List - A plan holders list is maintained by BidsOnline™ every time a vendor requests or downloads a document. Buyers have the flexibility to enter plan holders manually as well to maintain a complete list of interested vendors.
Addendum Distribution and Acknowledgement - This feature is bound to be one of the most useful and cost effective features of BidsOnline™. Distribute addenda to all plan holders upon one posting of an addendum notification and receive electronic acknowledgements in a nice report format while bidding is in progress.
Electronic Bidding - One of the most important functions of BidsOnline™ is the ability to receive line itemized or lump sum electronic quotes from vendors until bid closing in a fully automated and secure environment. Vendors are able to withdraw or overwrite their submitted bids while bidding is still in progress. Bid closing date and time of each request is automatically calculated and managed by our servers; therefore, ensuring accurate bid closing time. Upon bid closing, the system calculates all dollars amounts thus preventing human calculation errors and taking away the burden of reviewing such accuracy by buyers or contract administrators. Discount and special terms are also applied during total calculations.
Bid Results - BidsOnline™ gives you the flexibility to post manual bid results for paper bids while electronic bids; upon your approval, are instantaneously calculated and reflected on your Web Site after bid closing.
Split and Lump Sum Awards - Whether you chose to award a request to one vendor or multiple vendors, BidsOnline™ gives this control to each buyer or contract administrator. Upon final award, notifications are sent by email to each bid participant and displayed on Web Site per buyer request.
Bid Analysis Report - To ease the process of awarding a bid to one or multiple vendors, BidsOnline™ analyzes all prices (including per line item) and indicates to the buyer or contracts administrator a combination of the best prices and/or terms
Statistical Report - BidsOnline™ provides a valuable statistical report on vendor activities to each buyer. Hence, historical activities of all vendors could be properly assessed, as well as, full compliance measures maintained at all times.
Administrator Control - BidsOnline™ users are given access to specific functions in the system. A designated super-user of an organization has full control to manage all users including limited user access to specific areas of the system.

To see a demonstration of BidsOnline™, please contact us!