RFP guide

User guide for responding to a request for proposal

Logging in
Open an internet browser and go to the Emptoris Splashpage and select 'here' to log-on. Type in your IBM id and password and click on the submit button. If you need additional assistance about logging in, please refer to the "Getting started" section and go to Logging on and off of Emptoris SP

Accepting and responding to the RFP
To review the summary of the RFP, click on the Summary icon which is located in the second column next to the RFP name. This will display the summary. Read the information on the IBM buyer, schedule, and terms and conditions attachment.

To review the RFP select the view/respond to RFx button under the column header select. You will see a screen that asks you to confirm your acceptance of the invitation. You may enter an optional comment and select the OK button to accept. Now you are ready to view and respond to the RFP. To decline the invitation, select the red decline button. This will remove the RFP from the RFx screen and send a notification back to the buyer.

Open and upload attachments
Select the RFx Attachments link. From the next window right mouse click on the attachment content and select “SAVE TARGET AS…” Then save the attachment on your local system.

To upload an attachment at the RFP level, select the add/view your attachments tab. Select the add attachment button, name the attachment and then select the location on your local system where the attachment you are looking to upload resides.

Responses
The questionnaire tab should be in the forefront , select the place response button next to the questionnaire you wish to respond . (Please note, that you will only see the place response button if you’ve accepted the invitation and the RFx is in an open status). After you select “place response”, you will see a screen with the RFP questions and places to put your answers. You must answer all required questions (questions that have a star next to them) in order to be able to save your response. Select the save button to save your responses.

Hint: Frequent saving of your responses is recommended, as the system will automatically log you off if you’re inactive after 30 minutes.

Upload an attachment as part of each answer by selecting the attachments link to the right of each question. Select to add attachments, name the attachment and then select the location on your local system where the attachment you are looking to upload resides. After saving your response, you will receive confirmation that your changes have been saved successfully. Scroll through and select close.

Edit a response
Select the revise response button next to the questionnaire, type in your changes, and select the save button. Select two or more responses and select compare to view the differences between them. Only the submitted response will be seen by the buyer.

Placing a bid in the RFP

Single bid
The singlebid tab should be in the forefront. Select the red place new bid button next to the first line item. View item details then fill in your bid for this item. Select the save button to save this bid and submit it back to the buyer. Repeat this process for any remaining line items in the RFP.

Bidding with MultiBid
Select the MultiBid tab and you can select the help legend for an explanatory list of the symbols appearing on the screen. Select show advanced mode to display additional options to simplify the bidding process by resizing the bid form, and setting/clearing values uniformly across each column. If these options aren’t relevant for this request, then do not select show advanced mode. Set the bid action for each line item and type in your bid in the cell under the price per unit column for each line item. Then select the red save button, submitting bids for respective line items to the buyer. Drag the scroll bar to the right to verify that your bids have been submitted. Then select the save bids button in the lower right corner.

Editing and deleting a bid
To edit a bid, select the view my bid button next to the item you wish to correct. Select the revise bid button to edit your bid.

To delete a bid, select the check box to the right of the bid and the trashcan icon.

Logging out
Once you have completed your bidding, you can log out of the system by clicking the log-out function on the top right of your screen.