MyFloridaMarketPlace

MyFloridaMarketPlace Vendor Teleconference SeriesJuly 9, 2008: “Solicitations”12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT

The toll free number is: (888) 808-6959Conference Code: 4888366

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Agenda

Welcome/Introduction [Eric Swanson] Overview of Solicitation, eQuote, and Vendor Bid System Commodity Codes Solicitations eQuote Vendor Bid System Account Helpful Hints Resources

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Welcome/Introduction

Due to the number of participants, this teleconference call will be muted

Please send any questions you may have during the presentation to: myfloridamarketplace@dms.myflorida.com

We will address as many questions as possible at the end of the presentation

We are working to make future sessions interactive

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Agenda

Welcome/Introduction Overview of Solicitation, eQuote, and Vendor Bid System [Eric Swanson] Commodity Codes Solicitations eQuote Vendor Bid System Account Helpful Hints Resources

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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

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Overview

Solicitations The state primarly uses three electonic tools to solicit quotes and bid

responses from the vendor community:

eQuote Ariba Sourcing Vendor Bid System (VBS)

Each tool requires registration and enables you to identify the products/services that you offer

Notifications will be distributed based on the classification you’ve selected

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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://myfloridamarketplace.com/sourcing/

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

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Agenda

Welcome/Introduction Overview of Solicitation, eQuote, and Vendor Bid System Commodity Codes [Eric Swanson] Solicitations eQuote Vendor Bid System Account Helpful Hints Resources

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Commodity Codes

Commodity - An item of physical property as opposed to a service

Commodity code - A system of words and/or numbers designed to identify and list commodities or services by classes or sub-classes

Florida uses commodity codes in several tools to seek vendor

participation in solicitations (VBS, eQuote, Sourcing)

Commodity codes are selected by vendors as part of their MFMP registration

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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)

Each solicitation tool (eQuote, VBS, Sourcing) requires registration and enables

you to identify the products/services you offer

When buyers solicit bids/quotes for products, notifications will be distributed

based on the classification you’ve selected

In addition, commodity codes are also used by state purchasers to notify the

applicable vendors of upcoming bids and solicitations

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Commodity Codes

Example – National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP) Commodity Codes

Florida currently uses a customized version of this structure

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Commodity Code

Selecting Commodity Codes Commodity codes are selected during the initial registration process,

but can be updated as needed by logging into vendor registration https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/

To find or update commodity code selections: 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

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Commodity Codes

Searching for Commodity Codes

http://www.myflorida.com/apps/spurs/spurs.main_menu_form

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Commodity Codes

Enter search description for your products

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Commodity Codes

Class & Group are displayed with description

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Commodity Codes

MyFloridaMarketPlace Sourcing The commodity codes you select in Vendor Registration will be transmitted to

your Sourcing account at the Class (3 Digit) level

Once invited to a solicitation in MFMP Sourcing, you will 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 Vendor Registration account are sent over to Sourcing

Commodity Codes are added regularly; review your accounts frequently to ensure that all your products are selected

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Commodity Codes

MyFloridaMarketPlace eQuote

The commodity codes you select in your MyFloridaMarketPlace Vendor Registration 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

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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 address you identified when your VBS account was created

If the account needs to be updated contact the VBS Helpdesk, SPURSHelp@dms.myflorida.com

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Commodity Codes

Helpful Hints A Commodity Code vendor training aid is available at:

http://dms.myflorida.com/business_operations/state_purchasing/myflorida_marketplace/vendors/vendor_toolkit/mfmp_vendor_training

Commodity Codes are added regularly; review your accounts frequently to ensure that all your products are selected https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/

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Commodity Codes

Helpful Hints cont’d A searchable Excel document is available on the MFMP Toolkit under Vendor

Tools and Sourcing/Solicitations Web pages

This Excel file will assist you with finding your commodity code prior to making your selections or updating your selections in your MyFloridaMarketPlace Vendor Registration account To use this Excel file, please follow these steps:

Open the document Click "Edit" on the top of the tool bar Choose "Find" In the box that appears, type a keyword, the first selection that matches

your keyword search will appear

The Excel file’s far left column is the main category; the next column to the right is a subcategory, and so on. Use the "Find Next" button within the search to go to the next product level in the document Make sure to update your Vendor registration account to reflect any

updated commodity codes

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Agenda

Welcome/Introduction Overview of Solicitation, eQuote, and Vendor Bid System Commodity Codes Solicitations [Mark Oyster] eQuote Vendor Bid System Account Helpful Hints Resources

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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://myfloridamarketplace.com/sourcing/

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

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Solicitations

Enter your Sourcing account username and password

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Solicitations

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

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Solicitations

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

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Solicitations

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

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Solicitations

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

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Solicitations

Submit any pricing components if required on the Enter Values page

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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

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Solicitations

1. To verify and review your previously submitted bid, select the Bid Id number (link)

2. To revise or edit your bid select the Revise Bid (Response) button

1

2

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Agenda

Welcome/Introduction Overview of Solicitation, eQuote, and Vendor Bid System Commodity Codes Solicitations eQuote [Mark Oyster] Vendor Bid System Account Helpful Hints Resources

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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

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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

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eQuote

Viewing QuotesViewing 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

Dept. of Management Services

Dept. of Management Services

State User

State User

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Agenda

Welcome/Introduction Overview of Solicitation, eQuote, and Vendor Bid System Commodity Codes Solicitations eQuote Vendor Bid System [Eric Swanson] Account Helpful Hints Resources

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VBS

Vendor Bid System (VBS)

The Vendor Bid System is an online bid posting site

Executive 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

http://vbs.dms.state.fl.us/vbs/notification_new.selection

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VBS

VBS Main Page

Select Search Advertisements to search for active solicitations

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VBS

Type Competitive Solicitations Public Notices Agency Decisions

Agency

Number

Title

Commodity Code (13 Digit)

Closed by Date

VBS Search Parameters

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VBS

VBS Search Results are displayed with Title, Number, Version and Type

Links are provided in the Number Column to the solicitation documents

Search Results

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Agenda

Welcome/Introduction Overview of Solicitation, eQuote, and Vendor Bid System Commodity Codes Solicitations eQuote Vendor Bid System Account Helpful Hints [Eric Swanson] Resources

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Account Helpful Hints

Type of Account How often should I check this account?

Where do I go to access this account?

E-Quote At least monthly or as new products are offered

http://equote.myfloridamarketplace.com

Sourcing At least monthly or as new products are offered

https://myfloridamarketplace.com/sourcing

Vendor Registration

As needed to keep information updated

https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com

Vendor Bid System (VBS)

At least bimonthly (this is the main repository for all MFMP bids)

http://vbs.dms.state.fl.us/vbs/notification_new.selection

MFMP Helpful Hint: Consider using Microsoft Outlook Calendar to set up reminders for updating and checking your MFMP account information

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Other Helpful Hints

Today’s presentation is available on MFMP Vendor Toolkit http://dms.myflorida.com/business_operations/state_purchasing/

myflorida_marketplace/vendors/vendor_toolkit/vendor_tools

Future teleconferences: 7/16/08: Solicitations (eQuote, Sourcing, VBS) 7/23/08: Importance of Keeping Accounts Updated 8/20/08: Transaction Fee Processing & Reporting

Questions

Comments

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Agenda

Welcome/Introduction Overview of Solicitation, eQuote, and Vendor Bid System Commodity Codes Solicitations eQuote Vendor Bid System Account Helpful Hints Resources [Eric Swanson]

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Resources

Resources Solicitation Specific Questions

Contact the Agency Contract Administrator/Purchasing Office responsible for the solicitation

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