Supplier Guide - RFI€¦ · Please always pay particular attention to the timing rules and never...

PEP 2015 – Processes and Systems

Training Document

Supplier Guide - RFI

Version 1.0 / October 2010

PEP 2015 – Processes and Systems Error! Reference source not found.

Version 1.0 / October 2010 /17

Table of Contents

1 What is an RFI?....................................................................................................................................... 3

2 Accessing the Ariba Sourcing System........................................................................................... 4

3 Responding to an RFI........................................................................................................................... 5

3.1 Accessing the RFI.......................................................................................................................... 5

3.2 Review Agreement – Accepting/Declining Participation................................................ 6

3.3 Review RFI Content ...................................................................................................................... 8

3.4 Downloading Documents........................................................................................................... 8

3.5 Message Board .............................................................................................................................. 9

3.6 Preparing Your Answers...........................................................................................................10

3.6.1 Uploading Documents ..........................................................................................................10

3.6.2 Replacing and Deleting Documents ................................................................................10

3.6.3 Exporting RFI Content into Excel and Respond Online .............................................11

3.7 Saving Your Answers.................................................................................................................11

3.8 Submitting Your Answers ........................................................................................................12

3.9 Revising Your Response ...........................................................................................................13

3.10 Response History.........................................................................................................................13

4 Event Status ...........................................................................................................................................15

4.1 Open.................................................................................................................................................15

4.2 Paused.............................................................................................................................................15

4.3 Pending Selection .......................................................................................................................15

4.4 Completed......................................................................................................................................15

5 Logout from Ariba ...............................................................................................................................17



1 What is an RFI?

RFI (Request for Information) is typically designed as a questionnaire for suppliers to

complete. In an RFI, Buyers gather information prior to receiving pricing information and

judge suppliers’ capabilities based on their responses.

An RFI event is used to gather non-competitive data, information, comments, and

reactions from potential participants. Participants typically do not respond to an RFI with

pricing information. Instead, RFIs usually precede other events (RFPs or Auctions) that

include price.



2 Accessing the Ariba Sourcing System

When the RFX opens, you automatically receive an email message containing a link to

the Roche Ariba Sourcing website. You can either click on the indicated URL or open an

internet browser and type in the following website address:

http://rsmsourcing.roche.com

Enter your user name and password, which were sent out to you in a separate system

generated email. Then click the Login button.



3 Responding to an RFI

3.1 Accessing the RFI

To access the RFI you have been invited to, simply select it from the Event List that

appears after login.

If you have been invited to only one event, you will be taken directly to that project after

logging in. In case you have been invited to multiple events, you will see them grouped

on your screen, based on their status: Completed, Open, Pending Selection.

You may expand the panels by clicking on the arrow located on the very left of the page.

You can enter the event by simply clicking on the event name.

In the upper right hand corner there is the countdown clock, which shows you how

much time is remaining to complete the RFI and submit your responses.

In the Event Details panel you can check the message board of the event and

download tutorials. The Introduction part will give you a general overview of the event.

Below that, you can see the owner of the event and the timelines in the Event Overview

and Timing Rules panel.



Please always pay particular attention to the timing rules and never leave bidding for the

last couple of hours.

3.2 Review Agreement – Accepting/Declining Participation

Before participating in an event, you will need to review and accept the bidder

agreement. Normally you will not be able to see the event details unless you accept the

agreement and state your intentto respond.

This agreement is separate from the initial agreement you see when you first log in to

the site, and must be agreed to on a per event basis. To access the bidder agreement,

click Review Agreement.

Accept the terms of the agreement if you agree to them and want to participate in the

event. Decline the terms of the agreement if you do not want to participate.

Select I accept… or I do not accept… and click OK.



If you click on Decline to Respond a pop-up window will appear where you can add

the reason for declining.



3.3 Review RFI Content

RFIs consists of different sections. Normally there is an introductory part where you may

see instructions posted by the Buyer, and any documents that may have been uploaded

for you to review.

You can switch to view all content or select only one section to review.

3.4 Downloading Documents

To download any documents attached by the Buyer, click on title of document and select

either Download this attachment or Download all attachments.



3.5 Message Board

It is possible to send messages to the Buyer through the system. To do that, click

Compose Message.

Type in a subject and your message in the Compose New Message screen and click

Send.

To see all the messages around the event go to the

Console and click on Event Messages. Here you will have

a list of all messages sent by you, the Buyer and the system.

To view a message select it and click View or click on the

subject. To reply, select message and click the Reply

button.

You will also find here system messages generated when

you submit an answer or when the event status changes.



3.6 Preparing Your Answers

In every RFI there is a section with questions that should be responded to by the

suppliers. All questions marked with an asterisk are required, which means you cannot

submit your response to the bid unless you answer the required questions. Questions not

marked are optional.

There are several types of answers: text boxes to enter free text or numbers, drop down

lists with predefined answers, and Yes/No answers.

For entering dates you should use the calendar icon instead of entering the date

manually.

3.6.1 Uploading Documents

It might be that you are required to attach documents to any of the questions. To attach

a file click on the Attach file link, and browse for your document. If you need to attach

multiple documents to one question it is better to save them in a zip file.

3.6.2 Replacing and Deleting Documents

To replace an uploaded document with another file, click Update file and browse for the

new document on your computer. To remove a document, simply click on Delete file.



3.6.3 Exporting RFI Content into Excel and Respond Online

For RFIs that contain a large amount of line items, you can also export the data into an

MS Excel spreadsheet, update it, then import it back to the system. Click Excel Import

to export content or import your offline response.

In Step 1 you can download RFI content and all attachments by clicking on Download

Content and Download Attachments. Attachments will be zipped in a single file.

In Step 3 you can upload responses using the RFI template, downloaded in Step 1.

To finish the upload, click the Upload button. Make sure that you do not change the

format of the template, do not delete or add columns, otherwise the upload will fail.

3.7 Saving Your Answers

Any time you stop working on the RFI, you can save it. Saving will let you leave the event

and return later on, without losing any responses entered previously.. Click Save button

to save your work.



Once you have saved your response you will see this message on the upper part of your

screen.

Please note that simple saving is not sending your response to the Buyer, it will be

visible only to you. Therefore never forget to submit your response before the event

closes!

3.8 Submitting Your Answers

Once you have completed working on the RFI, you can submit it by clicking on the

Submit Entire Response button.

You will see a pop-up message verifying that you want to submit your response.

Click OK to submit, or Cancel to continue working on your response.

After submitting your bid, you will see this message at the top of the page.



3.9 Revising Your Response

If you made any errors or you are required to enter additional information, you may edit

your response by clicking on the Revise Response button. Please note that editing an

event is only possible while it is in Open Bidding status.

Click OK to confirm your intention to revise your

response.

While editing you can reload your last submitted bid by clicking on the Reload Last Bid

button.

When ready, submit your answers by clicking on the Submit Entire Response button.

3.10 Response History

You can access all submitted versions of your answers by going

to Response History on the Console.



Here you will find the list of all your submitted answers. To enter any of them click on the

Reference Number.

This is how submitted answers look.



4 Event Status

4.1 Open

Open

In Open status you can work on your responses.

4.2 Paused

Paused

The event might be paused by the Buyer for editing reasons. In paused status you cannot

post any answers.

4.3 Pending Selection

When the event has ended, the countdown clock disappears and the event status

changes to Pending Selection. In this status, responses are no longer accepted and the

Buyer is evaluating the responses.

Here there are four actions you can take:

Download Content – download the event with your answers into an excel spreadsheet

Review Agreement – review the agreement you accepted at the beginning

Print Event Information - this is a print version of the event. It contains a summary of

the event and its contents.

Review Bidding – shows your last accepted bid

4.4 Completed

The final status of an event is Completed.

Go to View Award to see the award details. This button is only available if the bid was

partly or fully awarded to your company by the Buyer.



5 Logout from Ariba

For security reasons, always use the Logout button to exit Ariba Sourcing.

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