Bid Express® | Settings

Related articles: Infotech Express® | My Account

In this article:

• Settings | Agency • Profile • My Agency • Users
• Settings | Vendor • Profile My Business • Users
• Notifications | Vendor

Settings | Agency

Profile

This tab is the location for User Details, Preferences, Q & A forum notification settings, and Infotech Digital ID management.

User Details 

The user section displays the user’s name and email address currently logged into the Bid Express service.

If you need to update your name, email address, or other account details, click Manage in the top right corner to navigate to your business's Infotech® Express My Account page. 

Learn more about managing your account on the Infotech Express platform.

User Preferences

This setting is automatically enabled post-account activation for every agency user that is invited to your instance. To opt-out of Q & A notifications on every solicitation, click the toggle to gray, disabling notifications.

Note | Individuals may opt-in for Q & A notifications per solicitation by clicking Enable in the blue banner at the top of General Info on any advertised solicitation.

My Digital ID™ & Electronic Signature

This section is your one-stop shop for managing the creation, backup, install, or replacement of your Digital ID.

Learn more about managing your Digital ID from this section by visiting this in-depth Knowledge Center page.

My Agency

This tab gives you access to your agency’s shareable public home page and enables managing members to enable/disable pertinent instance settings. 

Note | Only Managers in Bid Express (see Users tab) may make edits or updates to this section of your My Agency tab. Once saved, these changes are reflected for other users in the business. 

 

Agency Details

This section displays your agency’s official name, as displayed on your public home page and with solicitations.

Click or copy your agency’s public home page link to:

• Begin customizing your public home page for use in vendor communications
• To hyperlink to external websites, in emails, etc., to promote your team’s use of the Bid Express service for electronic bidding purposes.

Click here to learn more about customizing your public home page.

Agency Preferences

These settings enable/disable settings specific to your agency instance. 

Restrict Agency

1st toggle - Restrict Agency: You can lock down your solicitations to only a select group of vendors and hide it from the public's view by setting the solicitation option for restricted bidders.

If your solicitation is restricted, you must invite vendors to bid on the solicitation and decide which components you'll allow the public to see. The list of invited vendors can't be saved; you must enter the list each time.

2nd toggle - Add Downloaders to Plan Holders: Enable this toggle if you would like document downloaders on any solicitation to be automatically added to the solicitation’s plan holder list.

3rd toggle - Allow Electronic Signatures: 

Note | This functionality must be enabled by an Infotech representative before you will be able to enable the functionality from within your agency instance. If you currently use Infotech Digital ID bidding and want to make the switch to electronic signature bidding, please contact [e-mail].

Once enabled by Infotech, opt-in for electronic signature bidding by clicking the toggle to blue.

Note | Post-enabling, you will need to transition the templates in your instance (Our Solicitations > Templates) to electronic signature bidding by editing Solicitation Options in General Info. 

Users

The Users section lets managing members assign Bid Express-specific roles to new and existing employees.

For users of Bid Express, there are two locations for role management:

• Roles in Infotech Express for each business instance
• Roles in the Bid Express service to limit or grant access to manage solicitations and reporting.

You must reference Infotech Express and click Invite Employee to invite a new user into your business.

Only a Bid Express Manager can manage other users’ access. When new employees activate their accounts, they default to Executive Manager (read-only access) for security purposes.

Managers can not change their own roles. With that in mind, having more than one manager in Infotech Express and Bid Express is recommended.

If the primary managing member deactivates their account, a remaining managing member from Infotech Express may then manage Bid Express roles.

Role	Abilities
Manager	Can assign roles, edit business information, create, edit, and delete draft solicitations, advertise a solicitation or request for proposal, receive Q & A notifications and answer Q & A questions, issue addenda, open bids or responses, view bid details, enter manual bids, post apparent bids, has access to all reporting (bid tabulation and other), and can archive solicitations. This role must have a Digital ID if the owner-agency requires Digital IDs. This role can access API functions.
Contract Admini- strator	Can create, edit, and delete draft solicitations, advertise a solicitation or request for proposal, receive Q & A notifications and answer Q & A questions, issue addenda, open bids or responses, view bid details, enter manual bids, post apparent bids, has access to all reporting (bid tabulation and other), and can archive solicitations. This role must have a Digital ID if the owner-agency requires Digital IDs. This role can access API functions.
Solicitation Manager	Can create, edit, and delete draft solicitations, advertise a solicitation or request for proposal, receive Q & A notifications and answer Q & A questions, issue addenda, view bid details, post apparent bids, has access to all reporting (bid tabulation and other), and can archive solicitations. This role must have a Digital ID if the owner-agency requires Digital IDs.
Contract Editor	Can create a solicitation or request for proposal, edit an existing solicitation, and receive Q & A notifications. This role does not need a Digital ID.
Executive Manager	Can navigate the service with read-only access, but can't modify or manage anything. Can download and view reports. This role does not need a Digital ID.
Evaluator	Must be issued an invitation to access request for proposals prior to the RFP being advertised. Has read-only access to the RFP before the deadline and can receive Q & A notifications for that RFP. After the RFP deadline, can score responses, and can fetch responses if they have an approved Digital ID prior to the RFP being advertised (for agencies that require a Digital ID).
Q & A Reviewer	Can navigate the service with read-only access, but can't modify or manage solicitations. Can download and view reports. Can receive Q & A notifications and compose and save Q & A answers, but not publish the answers. This role does not need a Digital ID.

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Settings | Vendors

Profile

This tab is the location for User Details and Infotech Digital ID management.

User Details 

The user section displays the user’s name and email address currently logged into the Bid Express service.

If you need to update your name, email address, or other account details, click Manage in the top right corner to navigate to your business's Infotech® Express My Account page.

Learn more about managing your account on the Infotech Express platform.

My Digital ID™ & Electronic Signature

This section is your one-stop shop for managing the creation, backup, install, or replacement of your Digital ID.

Learn more about managing your Digital ID from this section by visiting this in-depth Knowledge Center page.

My Business

Manage your business’s profile information from this tab location.

If you opt-in to the service’s Vendor Directory (see opt-in preference at the bottom of the page), this information will be presented to other vendors who have subscribed to the service to view related information via the Vendor Directory tab.

Business Details

Note | Only Managers in Bid Express (see Users tab) may make edits or updates to this section of your business’s profile. Once saved, these changes are reflected for other users in the business. 

To the right of the Business Details section title, you’ll note your business’ unique “Business####”. This is critical for electronic bid bond verification and serves as your team’s “Contractor ID” (the word “business”, all numbers, and case sensitivity).

Information like your Business Name, Phone Number, and Address will pre-populate from the information given at the time of account registration.

To further customize your business profile, click the hyperlinks for Business Role, Business Website, Business Size, and Business Description

A Business Details pop-up modal will appear, enabling you to complete the blank fields.

Click Save.

As long as you are a Manager in Bid Express, you can edit your business profile information at any time by clicking the Edit button in the top right corner.

Primary Contact Information

This information does not auto-populate from any specific user’s information in your business and must be customized by a Manager in Bid Express.

Note |  Adding this information will make the primary contact’s full name and email address public if your team opts in for Vendor Directory.

Click Add contact name or Add contact email to add this information. A Primary Contact Information pop-up modal will appear.

Click Save.

As long as you are a Manager in Bid Express, you can edit the Primary Contact Information at any time by clicking the Edit Contact Info button in the top right corner.

Trades

Use this section to select all of the work types and trades your business offers.

Note |  Adding this information will make the primary contact’s full name and email address public if your team opts in for Vendor Directory.

Click Add Trades. A Work Types pop-up modal will appear. Select one or more trades that apply to your business. Click Save.

As long as you are a Manager in Bid Express, you can edit the Trades at any time by clicking the Edit Trades button in the top right corner.

Certifications

Use this section to designate if your business is certified under a state/county/local program that provides bidding opportunities to disadvantaged, minority-owned, or woman-owned businesses.

Note | Only Managers in Bid Express (see Users tab) may make edits or updates to this section of your business’s profile. Once saved, these changes are reflected for other users in the business.

If applicable, click Add Certifications to designate how your business is certified. A Certifications pop-up modal will appear for you to make your selections from.

Click Save to save these to your profile.

Vendor Directory

Use this section to opt-in to display your business details in Vendor Directory.

Note | Only Managers in Bid Express (see Users tab) may make edits or updates to this section of your business’s profile. Once saved, your business will be searchable by others in the directory.

Note | It may take up to 24 hours after opting in or out for a user to see their business updated in or removed from the Vendor Directory. 

Users

The Users section lets managing members assign Bid Express-specific roles to new and existing employees.

For users of Bid Express, there are two locations for role management:

• Roles in Infotech Express for each business instance
• Roles in the Bid Express service to limit or grant access to manage solicitations and reporting.

You must reference Infotech Express and click Invite Employee to invite a new user into your business.

Only a Bid Express Manager can manage other users’ access. When new employees activate their accounts, they default to Executive Manager (read-only access) for security purposes.

Managers can not change their own roles. With that in mind, having more than one manager in Infotech Express and Bid Express is recommended.

If the primary managing member deactivates their account, a remaining managing member from Infotech Express may then manage Bid Express roles.

Role	Abilities
Manager	Managers can: Assign roles Purchase subscriptions Edit business information Select a solicitation for bidding Create, edit, withdraw, or submit bids Ask questions in the Q&A forum of solicitations This role must have a Digital ID if working with owner-agencies that require Digital IDs.
Bidder	Bidders can: Select a solicitation for bidding Create, edit, withdraw, or submit bids Ask questions in the Q&A forum of solicitations This role must have a Digital ID if working with owner-agencies that require Digital IDs.
Executive Manager	Executive Managers: Have read-only access to everything, but cannot edit anything Can ask questions in the Q&A forum of solicitations This role does not need a Digital ID.

Notifications | Vendor

Vendors have the additional option to set and manage notifications to receive email and text message alerts around work opportunities and followed agencies.

Click to expand the following sections and learn how to manage your notification preferences.

Personalized Notifications

When you opt in to alerts and set your work preferences, the Bid Express service will automatically search every solicitation posted for those that match your designations. Solicitations containing at least one of your keyword or code choices, that are also in your preferred work area, will be sent directly to you by text and/or email.

First, you'll opt in to personalized notifications by either SMS (text message) or email. Then, you'll set the locations, keywords, and codes that you want to receive matches for.

Opt in to personalized notifications

1. From the Notifications tab of the Settings page, scroll to the Notifications panel.
2. Next to the title Personalized Notifications, you'll see two toggles: Email and SMS.
3. Click on the toggle next to the notification type you want to receive.
4. To remove a notification type, click the toggle again.

Set personalized notification criteria

1. From the Notifications tab of the Settings page, scroll to the Notification Preferences panel.
2. Each option has an Edit button next to it. To select your preferences for any of the options, click on its Edit button.

For detailed information, see the section on the specific notification preference you want to edit.

Personalized notification preference types

To receive personalized notifications, you must have location criteria set. Additional options for matches include keywords and NIGP codes.

Location and job distance

Setting your location and a preferred job distance creates your own custom work radius. Any time that a solicitation is posted that falls within your preferred work radius, you will get an email/text notification.

The Location information that's automatically displayed here is pulled from the business address you gave when creating your account. You can change this location to wherever it is that you prefer to work from.

The job distance radius defaults to 50 miles from your preferred address, but you can choose a smaller or larger area in increments of 10 miles.

Note: changing your location here will not change your business address in My Account and vice versa. This location setting is only to set your preferences for notifications.

To change your Location preferences:

1. In the Notification Preferences panel, find the Location option and click Edit Location.
2. A pop-up modal will prompt you to enter an address. Use the text entry field to enter your preferred address, or select Use current location.
3. As you type, the modal will auto-complete possible addresses. Click on an address to select it for your new location.
4. The modal will close and you'll see a success message indicating that the location preference has been changed.

To change your preferred job distance from location:

1. In the Notification Preferences panel, find the Preferred job distance from location option and click Edit Distance.
2. A pop-up modal will prompt you to set a distance preference in miles. Use the text entry field to enter your job distance, or use the plus (+) and minus (-) symbols to increase or decrease the distance in increments of 10 miles.
3. When you're finished, click Save.
4. The modal will close and you'll see a success message indicating that the location preference has been changed.

Keywords

Enter keywords related to the type of work you do, items you provide, or other general terms that identify your work preferences. Whenever a solicitation is advertised in your work radius that contains your keywords in its description or item list, you'll get an email/text notification.

To set your keyword preferences:

1. In the Notification Preferences panel, find the Keywords option and click Edit Keywords.
2. A pop-up modal will prompt you to enter keywords. Use the text entry field to enter your keyword preference.
   • Note: you can enter a multi-word phrase and save it as one keyword.
3. Click Add Keyword. You'll see the keyword displayed beneath the text entry field.
4. Continue entering keywords and clicking Add Keyword until you have all of your keywords set.
5. When you're finished, click Save.
6. The modal will close and you'll see your new keywords displayed in the panel.

To remove keyword preferences:

1. Open the Edit Keywords modal and click on the delete icon (x) next to the keyword you want to delete.
2. Click Save.

Codes

You can add National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP) commodity/services codes to your business profile to get super-specific with your work preferences. Whenever a solicitation is advertised that includes your selected codes, you'll get an email/text for it (if you are a subscriber or the agency sponsors solicitations and notifications).

To add NIGP codes:

1. In the Notification Preferences panel, find the Codes option and click Add Codes.
2. A pop-up modal will prompt you to manage codes. Use the drop-down menu to select a code class.
   • Note: use the search bar to quickly find a class.
3. Click into the Choose a code field to view or search for a specific code. When you've found the code, click to select it.
4. Continue selecting codes from your selected class until you have all of your preferences for that class set.
5. When you're finished, click Save.
6. The modal will close and you'll see your selected codes displayed in the panel.
7. To add codes from additional classes, repeat the process.

To remove NIGP codes:

1. From the Codes section of the Notification Preferences panel, find the code you want to delete.
2. Click Remove.
3. Click Ok to confirm.

Agency Notifications

If you are a brand-new user, this console will be blank.

If you have used the Bid Express service for a while and chosen to follow your favorite agencies, this console will display your personal list of agencies that you receive notifications from.

What agency notifications will I get?

When you allow agency notifications, you will get an email and/or text notification any time that:

• the agency advertises a new solicitation
• any addenda are issued on any solicitation
• the agency withdraws a solicitation

How to follow or unfollow an agency

You can follow an agency and receive their notifications if:

• you are a current monthly subscriber, or
• the agency has sponsored the cost of bidding for their vendor community

Make sure you've opted in to an agency's notifications from their public home page (see below).

To follow an agency:

1. Click on the agency name from your Home tab or solicitation search.
   • This will take you to the agency's home page.
2. In the General Info section, find the blue banner that says Click here to enable notifications and click on it.

You will now receive an email notification when the agency advertises, withdraws, or issues addenda on a solicitation.

To unsubscribe from an agency's notifications:

1. On the Settings tab, find the section called Agency Notifications.
• You'll see a list of all the agencies you follow here.
2. Find the agency you want to unsubscribe from and click the red X button next to their name.

Note: You can also disable these notifications directly from the banner listed at the top of the agency's public home page:

You will no longer receive notifications for that agency.

Manage notification types

There are two options for receiving personalized notifications: SMS (text message) and email.

SMS (text message) notifications

To turn on SMS alerts:

1. From the Notifications panel of the Settings page, find the SMS Settings option. Click Enable SMS.
2. A pop-up modal will ask you to review the service's terms and conditions. After reading, select the checkbox to agree to the terms.
3. Click Opt In to save.

To set your mobile number:

1. From the Notifications panel, find the Mobile Settings option and click Change Number.
2. Use the text entry field to enter your preferred mobile number.
3. Read the terms and conditions, then select each checkbox to agree to the terms.
4. Click Submit.
5. You will receive a verification code to the number you provided. In the new pop-out modal, enter the code you received and click Opt in.
   • If you did not receive a verification code, click resend verification code.

Good to know!

• Text alerts will come from a sender with the number 57436.
• You can save this number as a contact. We recommend naming the contact "Bid Express alerts" or similar.
• You can reply directly to the number with two keywords:
  • HELP: reply HELP to see the Bid Express support contact information.
  • STOP: reply STOP to unsubscribe from text alerts.