RESPONSIBLE & RESPONSIVE BIDDING
Key elements to putting together a
successful, comprehensive bid
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:
Responsible
Competitive
Patient
Will invest the resources to market their
business
Technologically 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:
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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
sources
Place business on registration lists
Industry-specific organizations
PA UCP
System for Award Management (SAM)
Search for bid opportunities online
eMarketplace
FedBizOps
Maintain databases of information
More offerors are requiring electronic bidding
TYPES OF SOLICITATIONS
IFB (Invitation to Bid)
Bid package is considered complete
Price is a major consideration
RFQ (Request for Quote or Request for Qualification)
Request for information on pricing
Not a binding contract
Contract 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 project
Evaluated 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 / patterns
Packaging and delivery requirements
Bid forms
Payment terms
Service Providers
What you will deliver
How you will deliver it
Bid forms
Payment terms
SPECIFICATIONS (Project Manual)
Construction Projects
General Conditions
Bid Forms
Instructions to Bidders
Addenda/Bulletins
Scope of work
Special Conditions
Wage Rates
Payment Terms
BLUEPRINTS, DRAWINGS, TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
Any solicitation may have
Layout / Scale
Notes
Symbols
Abbreviations
MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS
Common to many solicitations
Forms
Units of Quantities / Measure / Pricing
Schedule
Start date
Intermediate timelines
Finish date
Other required documents
Bonds / Insurance
Licenses / Permits
MWBE percentage participation
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Construction Projects
Geo-technical reports
Hazardous Waste Conditions
Alternates
Manufacturers, Suppliers, Service
Providers
Alternates
Contract extensions
PRE-BID MEETINGS
Primarily Construction but can apply to other
goods and services
Additional 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 information
Compile questions into one request for information if
possible
Send 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 offeror
Once 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
Material
Labor
Equipment
Fees
Overhead 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 exceptions
Different materials
Different terms
Different conditions
DON’T DO THEM!
AFTER THE BID GOES IN…
Keep track of dates
Bid Opening
Award
File for future reference:
Estimating work sheets
Research of the project/solicitation
MORE INFORMATION
Websites
Industry Specific
Competitors
Industry Related Associations
Books and Industry-related publications
Amazon
Trade Association magazines
QUESTIONS?
COMMENTS?
Presented by
Elizabeth Bowers
Corporate Small Business Liaison Officer
One PPG Place, 27th Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
412-384-1000
ebowers@dckww.com