MyFloridaMarketPlace

MyFloridaMarketPlace MyFloridaMarketPlace Vendor Meetings December 16, 2009: “Solicitations” 12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m. EST The toll free number is: (888) 808-6959 Conference Code: 9766076#

Agenda • Welcome/Introduction • Overview of Solicitation, eQuote, and Vendor Bid System • Commodity Codes • Solicitations • eQuote • Vendor Bid System • Account Helpful Hints • General Guidance for Preparing Bid Responses • Resources

Welcome/Introduction • Due to the number of participants, the audio portion of today’s meeting will be muted • Please type any questions you may have during the in the chat box in the bottom right hand corner of the WebEx application • We will address as many additional questions as possible at the end of the presentation

Overview What are Solicitations? • The process by which the buyer decides who to buy from, at what price, in what quantities, and under which terms • Solicitations can be formal or informal: • Formal bids are for procurements in excess of $25,000; these are typically done through the Request for Proposal, Request for Bids, etc. process • Informal bids are for procurements less than $25,000; these are typically done through written quotes

Overview Solicitations • The state primarily uses three electronic tools to solicit quotes and bid responses from the vendor community: • eQuote • Ariba Sourcing • Vendor Bid System (VBS) • These tools are all available for registration within the vendor’s MFMP VIP Account • Notifications will be distributed based on the commodity codes you’ve selected • Electronic notifications are a courtesy

Overview • eQuote is the tool which vendors use to respond to quote requests from the State of Florida that are under $25,000. You can access this site at: http://equote.myfloridamarketplace.com • Ariba Sourcing is the tool which vendors use to respond/bid to State of Florida solicitations that are over $25,000. You can access this site at: https://sourcing.myfloridamarketplace.com • Vendor Bid System is the tool used by all agencies to post upcoming competitive solicitations, single source, and agency decisions and is also used by vendors to receive notices, view and search information at: http://vbs.dms.state.fl.us/vbs/notification_new.selection

Commodity Codes • The commodity code can be comprised of 13 digits: • Class - first 3 digits • Group - second 3 digits • Item - third 3 digits • Detail - last 4 digits • Most solicitations are issued at the Class or Group level (3- or 6-digit commodity code) • When buyers solicit bids/quotes for products, notifications will be distributed based on the classification you’ve selected • In addition, commodity codes are used by state purchasers to notify the applicable vendors of upcoming bids and solicitations

Commodity Codes • Example – National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP) Commodity Codes • Florida currently uses a customized version of this structure

Commodity Code Selecting Commodity Codes • Commodity codes are selected during the initial registration process, but can be updated as needed by logging into the Vendor Information Portal (VIP) • https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/ • To find or update commodity code selections, vendors can search for commodity codes in their VIP accounts • For a listing of commodity codes proceed to the following links • Commodity codes for goods: http://www.myflorida.com/apps/spurs/SPURS.commodities.display_categories?code_str=1 • Commodity codes for services: http://www.myflorida.com/apps/spurs/SPURS.commodities.display_categories?code_str=2

Commodity Codes • Vendors can enter ‘key words’ to conduct searches for applicable commodity codes • Vendors can simply select the checkbox next to the applicable commodity code and then hit ‘Continue’ • These commodity codes are then added to the vendor’s account

Commodity Codes • Vendors can search/add/update commodity codes with in VIP • While public notification / posting continues to be available, it is to a vendor’s advantage to register for applicable commodity codes • Please note: Registration for commodity codes facilitates notification of available bid opportunities for vendors

Commodity Codes • Please note that there is a checkbox that a vendor can use if there is a preference for NO commodity codes to be associated with the account • Please note: Registration for commodity codes facilitates notification of available bid opportunities for vendors • While public notification / posting continues to be available, it is to a vendor’s advantage to register for applicable commodity codes

Commodity Codes MyFloridaMarketPlace Sourcing • The commodity codes you select in VIP are transmitted to your Sourcing account at the Class (3 Digit) level • Once invited to a solicitation in MFMP Sourcing, you have access to the solicitation by simply logging into your MFMP Sourcing account • Notifications of solicitations published in Sourcing are distributed at the Class level (first three digits of the commodity code) and are distributed to the Sourcing contact on your account • Updates from VIP are sent over to Sourcing • Commodity Codes are added regularly; review your accounts frequently to ensure that all your products are selected

Commodity Codes MyFloridaMarketPlace eQuote • The commodity codes you select in your MFMP VIP account will be transmitted to your eQuote account when you first register • You can manage your own eQuote categories within the system • When an agency customer creates a quote for goods or services the request will be sent to the selected vendor by email • Commodity Codes are added regularly; review your accounts frequently to ensure that all your products are selected

Commodity Codes MyFloridaMarketPlace Vendor Bid System (VBS) • Email notifications for solicitations are distributed using the 6 digit commodity (class and group) • The notification will be sent to the Main Contact address in the vendor’s MFMP VIP account

Solicitations MyFloridaMarketPlace Sourcing • Online competitive bidding tool • Used to collect bids/responses for formal solicitations (>$25,000); Current primary use is for State Term Contracts and DMS Agency Term contracts • Allows the review and electronic submittal of responses / bids • Notification of / invitation to solicitations based on selected commodity codes and election to receive solicitations in your Vendor Registration account • https://sourcing.myfloridamarketplace.com • The username "publicuser" grants access to view all State of Florida active, competitive bidding events. Enter the username "publicuser" and password "publicuser" to enter the system

Solicitations Enter your Sourcing account username and password

Solicitations Select the agency that is responsible for the Solicitation from the list

Solicitations Select the solicitation from the list of active solicitations – Note the Time Remaining column

Solicitations Select Prepare Bid (Response) to provide a response to the solicitation

Solicitations Read, prepare and provide your bid/response as requested in the solicitation on the RFX Info page

Solicitations Submit any pricing components, if required, on the Enter Values page

Solicitations • Please note that clicking the SAVE button within MFMP Sourcing only saves your bid responses • The SAVE button does not transmit your bid response to the State • In order to transmit your bid response to the State, you must click the SUBMIT button on the SUMMARY page of the bid response

Solicitations To verify and review your previously submitted bid, select the Bid Id number (link) To revise or edit your bid select the Revise Bid (Response) button 2 1

eQuote How does eQuote work? • eQuote is used for informal procurement events (<$25,000) that do not require a competitive solicitation. Allows awarded quotes to be converted to a Purchase Order within MFMP http://equote.myfloridamarketplace.com • Step1: Florida buyers specify the products that they want to purchase and the vendors that they want to receive quotes from • Step2: MyFloridaMarketPlace notifies selected vendors via email, and delivers the eQuote directly to each vendor's eQuote inbox • Step3: Vendors electronically respond to the eQuote, and have the ability to offer product substitutions or specify other decision-making information to the buyer • Step4: The buying agency selects a vendor and issues a purchase order

eQuote Main Account Page • This is the main screen you will see when you login to eQuote • You can click on the user at the bottom to edit the contact information or add additional users to the account • Click on WORK at the top of the screen to view any pending eQuotes

eQuote Dept. of Management Services State User Dept. of Management Services State User Viewing Quotes • Within the WORK section you can view any pending quotes awaiting response • After handling an eQuote request the supplier can select that quote to Archive Viewing Quotes

VBS Vendor Bid System (VBS) • The Vendor Bid System is an online bid posting site • Executive and Cabinet branch agencies and some local governments publically post competitive solicitations, agency notices and agency decisions electronically in the tool • All formal solicitations that the state issues are posted in VBS • Note: VBS notifications are sent as a courtesy (emails not guaranteed) • http://vbs.dms.state.fl.us/vbs/notification_new.selection

VBS VBS Main Page Select Search Advertisements to search for active solicitations

VBS VBS Search Parameters • Type • Competitive Solicitations • Public Notices • Agency Decisions • Agency • Number • Title • Commodity Code • (13 Digit) • Closed by Date

VBS Search Results VBS Search Results are displayed with Title, Number, Version and Type Links are provided in the Number Column to the solicitation documents

VBS Searching for Past Advertisements Click on Search Advertisements

VBS Searching for Past Advertisements Complete your selected Commodity Code and the closed dates for the past three years then click Initiate Search

Account Helpful Hints MFMP Helpful Hint: Consider using your e-mail Calendar to set up reminders for updating and checking your MFMP account information MFMP Helpful Hint: There are no annual or direct fees associated with registering for any of these MFMP tools

General Guidance for Preparing Bid Responses • The instructions for preparing a bid response will vary based on the solicitation type (ITB, RFP, or ITN) • Respondents should review the instructions with the evaluation criteria established in the solicitation to ensure that all critical elements are addressed • Provide a professional looking response • If there are questions, contact the agency solicitation contact listed in the actual solicitation • Utilize the checklist provided in the solicitation to confirm compliance with the basic requirements • Allow enough time to have someone in your organization review the proposed response (preferably someone not associated with the preparation)

General Guidance for Preparing Bid Responses • Common Pitfalls • Submission of incomplete or unsigned documents • Exceeding established page limits for response • Not participating in mandatory meeting/site visit • Relying on information that is ‘heard’ rather than getting the information is writing from the solicitation owner • The most common pitfall is not allowing enough time to prepare and submit the bid

Resources Resources • Solicitation Specific Questions • Contact the Agency Contract Administrator/Purchasing Office responsible for the solicitation- this information is available in the solicitation documents • For technical questions concerning solicitations, please contact Vendor Help at: VendorHelp@myfloridamarketplace.com or 1-866-352-3776 • Contact information: MyFloridaMarketPlacePhone: 866-352-3776Fax: 850-414-8192Email: VendorHelp@MyFloridaMarketPlace.comWebsite: http://myfloridamarketplace.com Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 5:30 pm EDT • Vendor Toolkit: http://dms.myflorida.com/vendortoolkit

Resources • For general State Term Contract (STC) information, please contact the Division of State Purchasing: • 850-488-8440 • For questions about becoming a certified minority vendor, please contact the DMS Office of Supplier Diversity (OSD): • OSDHelp@dms.myflorida.com • http://www.osd.dms.state.fl.us • 850-487-0915

Resources • Today’s presentation is available on MFMP Vendor Toolkit • http://dms.myflorida.com/vendormeetings • Future teleconferences: • 1/20/2010: eInvoicing • 2/10/2010: 1% Transaction Fee / Fee Reporting • Register at http://dms.myflorida.com/vendormeetings • Questions / Comments • Be on the lookout for a participant survey!

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