Bid Document Distribution

Your program can manage bid distribution in multiple formats. Many agencies are required to continue the traditional practice of mailing and distributing Hard Copy Bid Documents to their vendors. Your program allows you to choose the bid distribution method which meets your agency's legal responsibilities. You may engage in on-line bidding opportunities directly with your vendors or continue the competitive bidding process through traditional bidding practices.

We have simplified the traditional bid distribution method by allowing you to upload a complete copy of your bid solicitation directly from your desktop computer. Once you upload your bid documents and select your NIGP commodity profile, the complete bid document is delivered automatically to your vendor's desktop. Your vendor will then print this bid document, complete all forms, sign the document and return it to your agency on or before the due date by mail. This process eliminates the time and costs associated with printing and mailing your solicitations. Yet instantly provides your vendors a complete hard copy bid document to continue your traditional practices.

Agency Buyer Portal:

The following instructions will direct you on how to issue procurement documents directly to your vendors in a traditional format. You will login to your agency system and automatically be directed to your Buyers Portal.

After you have logged into your agency account, you will automatically be at your Buyer Portal. The Buyer Portal is unique to you, and other buyers within your agency will each have their own unique Buyer Portal. The Buyer Portal allows you to navigate other services and functions within the Prime-Vendor system. We will briefly explain the services you may access from the main page of your Buyer Portal. The illustration seen in IMAGE #1 is a copy of your buyer portal and the first screen you will see.

At the top of the screen you will see the name of your agency and address. At the top left is your agency electronic commerce government agency identification number system, commonly called the ECGAINS number. This number identifies your agency uniquely from over 212,000 other government agencies in the United States. The ECGAINS number is recorded on all transactions your agency enters. To the left of your screen you will see function buttons. They are HOME, Bid Document Administration, Contract Administration, Vendor Management, Vendor Catalogue, Agency Administration, and LOG OFF. These are your control and function keys. As you will note, messages that appear on your screen identify actions you have already taken as a Buyer, or actions you may need to respond too. The messages identify the number of bid documents you have entered as the buyer and the number of bid documents entered by the agency as a whole.