Key elements to putting together a successful, comprehensive bid

RESPONSIBLE & RESPONSIVE BIDDING

Have you ever…

Submitted a bid late?

Forgotten to sign the bid forms?

Not included all the required attachments?

Lost money because your bid did not include all costs?

THE EDUCATED BIDDING PROCESS

Breaking the mass of data down to manageable parts with a systematic approach.

WHO CAN BID?

Any business that sells a product or service and is:

ResponsibleCompetitivePatientWill invest the resources to market their businessTechnologically proficient

RESPONSIBLE

Has the financial and physical resources to start the project on time,

Has the appropriate registrations or licenses

Meet timelines and deadlines with the work and necessary reporting,

Finish on budget and on time.

OTHER BIDDER CRITERIA

You may be asked to provide proof of:• Compliance with all applicable laws pertaining to the

solicitation, including Prevailing Wage Act / Davis Bacon Act• Federal E I N or Social Security Number• Equal Employment Opportunity Policy• Certificates of Insurance on Workmen’s Comp, General

Liability, Errors & Omissions, Professional Liability, Product Liability

• License to work in that city, county or state• Minority & Women Business Enterprise Participation

COMPETITIVE

Understand competitors

Understand the client

Understand the market

Offer value as well as competitive price

PATIENCE AND MARKETING

Be able to bid and endure the bidding process.

Bidding is a form of marketing

Bidding takes time and money to prepare the bid

You may win 3 out of 10 bids submitted

TECHNICALLY SAVVY

Download solicitation material from online sourcesPlace business on registration lists

Industry-specific organizationsPA UCPSystem for Award Management (SAM)

Search for bid opportunities onlineeMarketplaceFedBizOps

Maintain databases of informationMore offerors are requiring electronic bidding

TYPES OF SOLICITATIONS

IFB (Invitation to Bid)

Bid package is considered completePrice is a major consideration

RFQ (Request for Quote or Request for Qualification)

Request for information on pricingNot a binding contractContract will come out of a purchase order

RFP (Request for Proposal)

Project details are not complete / owner is looking for someone to help them complete the design and details of the projectEvaluated on Technical Proposal, Cost and DBE participation

Any process for evaluating and responding to a request for pricing, opportunity to bid or invitation to qualify as a vendor will require equal diligence in order to win bids and make a profit.

EACH SOLICITATION IS UNIQUE

Read very carefully.

Then READ IT AGAIN

Everything you need to know about doing the job should be in the solicitation document(s).

FIRST LOOK FOR…

1. Scope of Work: Does it fit with what your company does?

2. Specifications: Have you ever bid this scope with these specifications or conditions?

3. Resources: Do you have the physical and financial ability to perform this contract?

SPECIFICATIONS

Manufacturers and Suppliers:Technical specifications / drawings / patternsPackaging and delivery requirementsBid formsPayment terms

Service ProvidersWhat you will deliverHow you will deliver itBid formsPayment terms

SPECIFICATIONS (Project Manual)

General Conditions

Instructions to Bidders

Scope of work

Wage Rates

Bid Forms

Addenda/Bulletins

Special Conditions

Payment Terms

Construction Projects

BLUEPRINTS, DRAWINGS, TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Any solicitation may have

Layout / Scale

Notes

Symbols

Abbreviations

MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS

Common to many solicitationsForms Units of Quantities / Measure / PricingSchedule

Start dateIntermediate timelinesFinish date

Other required documentsBonds / InsuranceLicenses / PermitsMWBE percentage participation

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Construction ProjectsGeo-technical reportsHazardous Waste ConditionsAlternates

Manufacturers, Suppliers, Service Providers

AlternatesContract extensions

PRE-BID MEETINGS

Primarily Construction but can apply to other goods and servicesAdditional information from project personnel.

Affords all bidders a chance to ask questions

A networking opportunity between Primes and Subs for this and future projects

Provide for a walk-through of the site

WALK-THROUGH (actual)

Also known as a “Site Visit” in Construction

Ask for a site visit if one is not offered

Use a check list on every walk-through

Make sketches if necessary

Take pictures if allowed.

WALK THROUGH (virtual)

Consultants

Visit the offeror’s website

Research offeror’s competitors

Visit the offeror’s place of business

Check out the facility

Get a feel for the company climate

WALK THROUGH (virtual)

Manufacturers / Suppliers

Visit the offeror’s website

Obtain a sample of previous parts or supplies from past contracts

ASK QUESTIONS

Follow the procedure set up in the bidding documents.

Use a Query List to compose all your questions from any source of informationCompile questions into one request for information if possibleSend your questions in writing to the contact listed in the solicitation. If your question and answer are not in writing, you do not have an answer.

REVIEW

You’ve read and understood the solicitation

Questions have been asked and answered

You are now ready to start putting the bid together

MANAGING THE BID PROCESS

POINT OF TRANSITION

The solicitation (generated by the owner/ offeror/client) is owned by the offerorOnce you process the paperwork into a bid it becomes your bid and will be a part of your contract when you win. You will be bound by your offer (bid).

BID DOCUMENTS ELEMENTS

Prioritize

Use your research to craft the bid

Allocate tasks to analyze the bid documents and prepare the estimate

Take-offs

Pricing

Review and Reconciliation

CALCULATING THE ESTIMATE

Be accurate with figures: Expenses that are your responsibility MaterialLaborEquipmentFeesOverhead and Profit

CALCULATING THE ESTIMATE

You don’t get a “do over” if you miss something or add incorrectly. You hurt yourself when you get a contract based on your figures and they are wrong.

PROCESSING THE FORMS

Review the forms as part of your beginning process, not at the end

Questions about the forms should have been asked during the Q & A.

Use the forms supplied

Do not improvise

FORMS

You don’t get a “do over” if you do not fill out the forms correctly or omit something. All of your work can be for nothing if the forms are missing anything.

PACKAGING THE BID

Cover letter

Estimate

Required forms

Required Attachments

Bid submission

DUE DATES AND TIMES

Deliver your bids on time and to the right place

If possible, secure proof of timely bid submittal

One minute late, and the whole exercise was a waste of time and money.

CONDITIONAL BIDS

An easy way to get your bid tossed

Definition: a bid with exceptionsDifferent materials

Different terms

Different conditions

DON’T DO THEM!

AFTER THE BID GOES IN…

Keep track of datesBid Opening

Award

File for future reference:Estimating work sheets

Research of the project/solicitation

MORE INFORMATION

WebsitesIndustry Specific

Competitors

Industry Related Associations

Books and Industry-related publicationsAmazon

Trade Association magazines

QUESTIONS?

COMMENTS?COMMENTS?

Presented by

Elizabeth Bowers Corporate Small Business Liaison Officer

One PPG Place, 27th FloorPittsburgh, PA 15222

412-384-1000ebowers@dckww.com