Tender Preparation Tool Usage

Filling in a Tender

The process of completing a tender using the Tender Preparation Tool is straightforward, and comprises of the following steps:

  1. Open the Tender template of a CfT
  2. Fill in the required information in Envelopes/Sections/Lots
  3. Validate the Tender
  4. Review, Save as PDF and Print Tender (optional)
  5. Pack the Tender

 

Step 1: Open the Tender template of a CfT

The Tender template of a CfT is an XML file that can be obtained from the online eProcurement system, and contains the description of the expected information that a Tender must contain. To open a Tender template, the tenderer should click on the Open button in the Menu Area and locate the template file stored locally at the tenderer's workstation.

Notes:
  • Each tender template relates to a single Call for Tender
  • A Tender template is an empty Tender
  • The user can also open draft Tenders in the same way. This allows the user to finalise a tender in more than one sessions.
  • Opening a file that does not follow the predefined format of a Tender template, or a Tender, will give the user the option to generate a Digital Print for it, in order to submit it to the online eProcurement system

Step 2: Fill in the required information

To fill in the required information, the tenderer must select each envelope/section/lot and type in or select a value for the Criteria. The application will automatically notify the user if a selection made is incompatible with the defined criteria limitations.

Step 3: Validate the Tender

A tenderer can click on the Validate button to check the prepared Tender for any remaining problems. If the validation is successfull (Fig. 1), the Tender is ready for packaging and submission. If inconsistencies are detected in a Tender (Fig. 2), they will be shown and a link to them will be provided for clicking them and correct any ommissions/errors.

Figure 1 : Successfull Tender Validation

Figure 2 : Unsuccessfull Tender Validation

Step 4: Review, Save as PDF and Print Tender

A Tenderer can optionally print a completed Tender and also export it as a PDF file for later reference. This can be achieved by clicking on the Export to PDF button to open the Print Preview (Fig. 3).

Figure 3 : Print Preview Page

This window allows the Tenderer to see the Tender as it will be printed and browse through the generated pages. It also lets the Tenderer to save a PDF copy of the generated printout. The functions of the buttons in the menu bar are described in the following table.

Save: Saves the Tender Printout in a PDF file
Print : Prints the Tender
Navigation: Navigate throught the Tender pages
Page View size : Changes the presentation of the page
Zoom: Sets the Zoom percentage

 

Notes:
  • To export a Tender to PDF, the Tender must first be locally saved at the workstation of the user.

 

Step 5: Pack the Tender

The final step in the Tender preparation procedure is to generate the Digital Print and the Tender Package of a Tender. These two files are required by the online eProcurement system in order for a valid Tender to be uploaded. To produce these files, the tenderer should click on the Pack button. The files will be saved in the Tender folder, using as a prefix the name provided by the tenderer , and adding the words "_DIGITAL_PRINT" for the Digital Print, and "_TENDER" for the Tender Package.

 

Notes:
  • To pack a Tender, the Tender must first be locally saved at the workstation of the user.
  • Digital Print is a series of characters generated by an algorithm, that uniquely represent each tender. It is computationally impossible to produce two different tenders that result in the same Digital Print. Thus, any change in the tender will be reflected in the generated Digital Print. The Digital Print is used by the eProcurement System during a two-phased submission to ensure that each tender package submitted after its Digital Print, has not been modified. The system will calculate the Digital Print of the uploaded Tender Package and compare it to the Digital Print that has already been uploaded. In case they do not match the submitted tender may be rejected