Internet Bidding: Leveling the Playing Field TUG Conference St. Louis, MO October 8, 2007 Joe Phelan, Director, Info Tech, Inc. Ozette Brown, BidX Product Owner

Topics Current status within the DOTs Work flow solutions Advantages for DOT & contractors Valuable features to consider

Electronic Bidding Tools The program used to manage bid data The web service where contractors find and submit bid data

Expedite Licensees (42 Agencies)

Bid Express Usage In production (29) Implementation Approved (4) Evaluating (6)

Design and Bidding Data Flow Plan Sheets (drawings) Digital Plans

Advantages for the Agency Secure, reliable exchange with contractors Elimination of bidding errors –Expedite (bid program) checks for errors –Two-way bid submission system ensures: the proposal document is properly signed all Expedite amendments are applied the contractor is an eligible bidder cut-off times are enforced the proper vendor ID is used lock box that only the agency has access to for opening bids

Advantages for the Agency (cont’d) Direct interface to agency’s award system Immediate posting of “As Read Bids” Access to a potentially larger group of contractors for each letting Customizations available if needed For two-way bidding –Eliminates paper and streamlines the bidding process, saving time and reducing cost –Provides electronic bid bond verification

Sample Agency Results Over $53 billion in contracts handled by Bid Express in 2006 One Full Year of Internet Bidding in Georgia –90% of all bids were submitted via the Internet –995 bids worth over $2.25 billion successfully submitted (96% of total dollar amount)

Sample Agency Results One Full Year of Internet Bidding in Iowa –90% of bid items submitted via the Internet –793 bids for a total of $280 million successfully submitted using Expedite and Bid Express –Over 350 Iowa contractors subscribe to Bid Express –Save 1.5 processing days per bid letting using Bid Express One Full Year of Internet Bidding in Wisconsin –92% of all bids received over the Internet –Save 48 man-hours per bid letting using Expedite/BidX

Advantages for the Contractor Access to bidding resources from home office Time savings and error checking during bid preparation Data import and export for existing systems Streamlining of entire bidding process Access to customer support help desk Savings in time and expenses by eliminating requirement to travel to the letting location

Contractor Equipment Needs A computer with an Internet connection via a network or a modem Internet Service Provider (ISP) Web browser (either Internet Explorer or Firefox) Trnsport Expedite Bid software (free from DOT)

Valuable Bid Express Features Digital Plan Room Small Business Network

Why Offer Plan Sets on Bid Express? Agencies need to increase efficiency and reduce costs –Cut printing, mailing and storage costs –Provide faster service to vendors and contractors Contractors have been requesting it for years –Current process is inefficient and slow –Can obtain digital plan sets faster than paper sets –Low monthly cost for unlimited use –Contractors have high-speed Internet and high- quality printers available to them –Have just entered into agreements with two reprographics firms to provide paper plan sets

Plan Room Features Stand-alone system, scalable to support multiple users High end, redundant servers with large storage capacity and extremely high processing speeds Dedicated, redundant bandwidth (at least 10 times T-1 speed) Ability to order paper plans over the web Round-the-clock system administrator Customer support available (7 AM to 7 PM)

PDF is Preferred File Type Smaller than TIFF and other file types –15% to 65% in some cases Excellent printing functionality Can be made into “intelligent” files that: –Retain vector resolution –Contain hyper-links, embedded attribute data, searchable content –Maintain scalability Acrobat Reader is free and readily available

Plan Room Example

Small Business Network (SBN) Agencies activate this area of their Bid Express web site Gives Subcontractors a place to market their services Gives Primes a place to locate Subs and DBEs and to advertise projects Several states using FHWA Supportive Services funds to provide DBEs with Bid Express subscriptions Provides agency with “good faith” audit trail

Example

SBN Options

Select items to quote DBE selects items to quote using check boxes

Create Sub Quote

Bid Tab Analysis Service What is it? –Fast access to an agency’s historical bid prices –Organized by item number, key word, contract ID Agencies can use the service at no charge Useful for agency’s estimation staff as a quick lookup of current bid history data by proposal, item, quantity or even specific contractors Easy to use and constantly updated

Web Link to Bid Express for Bid Tab Analysis

Example Search

Search Results

Payment Docs

FHWA Guidelines for Funding Starting in February 2006, there was a new FHWA requirement that all services provided with Support Services Funding must be measurable FHWA Headquarters has agreed that the Bid Express service offers a measurable service to small businesses and has approved it for Support Services funding

Measurable Services

Benefits of the Small Business Network Subs and DBEs find opportunities quick and easy by item number and description Can create and submit sub quotes Check Bid Tabs Analysis for latest pricing Access to Plan Holder contact information Primes can solicit sub and DBE quotes Single site for Primes, Subs and DBEs to communicate both their needs and services Provides agency with electronic audit trail for verifying primes “good faith” effort

Summary Internet bidding has come of age and is changing the way agencies do business It is safe and reliable, and has been readily embraced by the contracting community It is serving to level the playing field by providing equal access to all contractors The Small Business Network has created a valuable communications link between Primes, Subs and DBEs to assist agencies in effectively meeting their EEO goals

For More Information Joe Phelan, Director, Info Tech, Inc. Phone: (352)