SUBMITTING TENDERS VIA THE INTERNET E-PROCUREMENT FOR ENTERPRISES July 2014
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Preface... 3 2. Requirements... 4 2.1. A computer equipped with:... 4 2.2. Requirements to work with a Belgian e-id:... 4 3. www.publicprocurement.be... 4 4. The e-procurement applications... 5 5. Registering and logging in... 6 5.1. Registring as an enterprise... 6 5.2.Advantages to registration... 6 5.3.Registring as an enterprise... 7 5.4.Loggin in... 8 6.e-Notification... 9 6.1. What is e-notification?... 9 6.2. Searching for contract notices... 9 7. Submitting a tender or a request to participate... 10 7.1. What is e-tendering?... 10 7.2. Registration and logging in... 10 7.3. Navigating to the dossier: 3 options... 10 7.4. Submitting a tender or a request to participate... 11 7.5. Submitting your documents... 11 7.6. Completing the submission form... 13 7.7. Signing the submission report... 14 7.8.Signing with own token or software - brief instructions... 17 7.9. signing with an e-token smartcard or USB stick... 17 8. Further information... 19 8.1.Technical guidelines... 19 8.2.Remarks... 19 8.3.Submission rights... 19 8.4.Restricted procedures and negotiated procedures... 19 8.4.The opening session report... 20 2
1. Preface This brochure was compiled to offer enterprises the opportunity to take part in the electronic public procurement process. It offers an insight into all the aspects of the electronic public tendering process and explains how you can take part in that process in Belgium. The aim of the authorities is to simplify the tendering process and to make it more transparent and efficient. For that reason, e-procurement provides for every stage of the process an application that allows the electronic handling of the public tender, starting from the publication of the contract notice up to the awarding. The full details about these applications can be found on our web portal (incl. links, manuals, etc.): www.publicprocurement.be. The e-procurement team 3
2. Requirements 2.1. A computer equipped with: An internet connection A Windows, Linux or Mac OS operating system A standard web browser: Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari Java 1.6 update 26 or higher 2.2. Requirements to work with a Belgian e-id: An e-id card reader (further information available on www.cardreaders.be) Don't forget your e-id PIN code! 3. www.publicprocurement.be This is the Federal Government's website for public procurement. This web portal features information about: The legislation governing public procurement sample documents; Information about public procurement for buyers and companies; Information about e-procurement, incl. the links to the different applications. 4
4. The e-procurement applications For every stage of a public procurementproces an application is available. This brochure focuses merely on explaining e-notification and e-tendering. This brochure only deals with registering and signing in via the User management and only serves to illustrate e- Notification and e-tendering. The publication of and searching for contract notices https://enot.publicprocurement.be Submitting and opening tenders /requests for participation https://eten.publicprocurement.be Aside from e-notification and e-tendering, e-procurement also offers the applications e- Catalogue and e-awarding. 5
5. Registering and logging in You should first register and log in as Enterprise at https://my.publicprocurement.be. The user management can also be accessed from e-notification and e-tendering by clicking "User management" at the top of the page. Registering and signing in can then be done in the same way. 5.1. Registring as an enterprise The e-procurement User management centralizes the registration and log-in for the e- Procurement applications. A one-time registration allows the user access to all applications. Likewise, only a single login is required in order to navigate between the different applications. 5.2.Advantages to registration You can create search profiles in e-notification and activate the messaging. You will receive a daily listing of the publications in question by email You can participate in forums that awarding authorities have activated for their dossier, allowing you to ask questions online regarding the contract notices. You can add dossiers to a list of "favourite dossiers" and you can also mention whether you want to receive automatic updates about changes to the dossiers. e-notification offers the option to create a "business card" which will be visible to awarding authorities, increasing the enterprise's visibility, especially in the "Free Market" (i.e. contract notices below the national publication threshold), where awarding authorities can search for potential candidates online. 6
5.3.Registring as an enterprise Via the website https://my.publicprocurement.be. In the left-hand menu, click "Register as en enterprise". Fill in your personal details and the enterprise data. Enterprises registered with the Belgian Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (CBE/KBO) have the possibility to retrieve the enterprise data from the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises. Using this option is highly advisable to ensure that the data stored in the database is consistent for different users from the same enterprise for instance. Additionally, this data is also used when submitting electronic tenders, so it is important that it is correct and matches the official data in the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises. Choose "Belgium" in the "Country" selection. Enter a valid CBE/KBO number (in the 0123.456.789 format). Click "CBE/KBO look-up". If the enterprise has several establishment units, a pop-up window will appear. 7
Select the correct establishment unit and click "Select". ---> The establishment unit data will be completed automatically. Fill in missing data if necessary. Click "Save" to save your profile. If you do not have a Belgian CBE/KBO number, please enter a "fake" number in the same format (0123.456.789). Foreign enterprises with a foreign enterprise number will need to first enter the "Country". They can then add their enterprise number. 5.4.Loggin in Via the website https://my.publicprocurement.be. In the left-hand menu, click "Log-in". Enter your user name and password and click "Log-in". At any time, you can switch between the different applications by using the button bar. 8
6.e-Notification 6.1. What is e-notification? e-notification is the application: Awarding authorities can use to publish their contract notices Companies can use to check these publications (incl. the procurement documents). Since January 2011, it has been the official publication platform for public procurement contracts in Belgium (following the integration of the Bulletin der Aanbestedingen (BDA) into e-notification). Every awarding authority in Belgium can avail of e-notification to publish their contract notices electronically. What's more, over and above the national publication threshold (85,000 Euro excl. VAT) they are even obliged to do so; below the publication threshold it is deemed advisable that they do. Contract notices exceeding the national publication threshold can be found in the e- Notification BDA environment, while contracts below the national publication threshold are published in the Free Market environment. Companies can consult these publications free of charge. At that, you can even set your search profiles at the time of registration so that you daily will be notified by email of any contract notices that may be of interest to you. 6.2. Searching for contract notices Searching for contract notices anonymously Select Search for publications ; Select the tab page Simple search or Advanced search ; Enter your search criteria; Click the Search button. Receiving daily emails featuring contract notices that may appeal to you Register and log in as Enterprise via the User management; Select My search profiles via e-notification; Enter your search criteria ; Specify that you wish to receive any recent notices by email and Save. 9
7. Submitting a tender or a request to participate 7.1. What is e-tendering? Once you have found the contract notice and consulted the procurement documents you can also submit your tender electronically, provided the public buyer allows you to do so. This can be done via e-tendering. This application allows companies to submit their tender or request to participate electronically, public buyers to open them electronically and to generate an opening report electronically, with the result that it can also be consulted electronically by companies who have access to it. 7.2. Registration and logging in You should first register and log in as Enterprise in the User management, as specified in chapter 5. 7.3. Navigating to the dossier: 3 options 1. If e-tendering has been activated (by the public buyer)and you can submit your tender/request to participate electronically, you will see the button Access to e- Tendering platform in the dossier in e-notification. You can find the dossier in e-notification by performing a search as described above, or via a link in the email listing the opportunities e-notification sends out to registered companies every day. In e-notification, click the button Access to e-tendering platform. Enter your user name and password and you will automatically be redirected to the dossier. 2. Enter e-tendering. Click Search a dossier in the left-hand menu and enter the reference number. You are free to use wild cards (%) if you wish. 10
3. Look for the dossier in the list of dossier "that are active" on the home page. 7.4. Submitting a tender or a request to participate Via the dossier in e-notification, you will automatically be redirected to the dossier you wish to submit a tender or request to participate for. 2 tab pages will appear: Details and Parameters. Click the button Participate. A new tab page My Tender will appear and the dossier will also be listed on the My Dossiers page. Via the My Tender tab page you can upload the files that form part of your tender. 7.5. Submitting your documents Click the Add new documents button (screenshot below). An applet will upload. Click Choose to select the documents you wish to submit; In the open dialogue box, select the documents you wish to submit and click "Open". The documents you have selected will be displayed in the applet; You can select more documents by clicking the Select button again: o You can also remove documents from the applet by selecting them and clicking Delete ; o You can change the title of every document in the column Title of document ; 11
Click Upload to launch the submission process: o Confirm the list of documents you wish to submit in the confirmation notice; Once the documents have been submitted, the system will display a new confirmation notice featuring the documents that have been submitted; Click OK ; Click Close to return to the My Tender tab page; The documents that were uploaded will now appear in the My Tender tab page. You can upload more documents if you wish by going through the previous steps again. 12
7.6. Completing the submission form Via the submission form, you, as tenderer, can enter the name and the address of your company and the price of your tender if you wish. These details will automatically appear in the Opening Report. Mind, you will only be able to complete the submission form if the awarding authority has activated it. If the "My Tender" tab page features a "Submission Form" button, the awarding authority has activated it. A red button will warn you that you have not yet completed this registration form. Complete the submission form and make sure that the details on this online form match the details on your tender (form) to perfection; Click the "Submission Form" button; Enter your company's details: o Where applicable, specify which lots you are submitting a proposal for; o Where applicable, enter the overall price (per lot) ; Once the form has been completed in full, the "Submission Form" button will turn green. 13
7.7. Signing the submission report Once all the documents have been uploaded, you can sign the submission report. This report features all the relevant details about the documents you uploaded and - where applicable - the details of the online submission form. Make sure that you have correctly inserted your smart card in the card reader Click the Generate and sign submission report button; The submission report opens up; You can view more information by folding out the various sections; Now you can sign your report in 3 ways, depending on the token you wish to use: o e-id; o your own token with its own signature software; o an etoken smartcard or USB stick. Signing with e-id Click Sign with e-id Server 1 or click the Sign with e-id Server 2 back-up button and you will be redirected to the Fedict DSS portal; Click Sign. If you are asked for confirmation, click "Yes ; Enter your PIN code if asked to do so; 14
If you have successfully signed the report, you will automatically be redirected to the submission report; You will also receive a email with the official version of your submission report. 15
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Close the submission report window to return to the My Tender tab page; A green "View and sign submission report" button tells you that the submission report has been signed. Now you have successfully submitted your bid or request to participate. As long as the dossier has not been opened you can still amend the online registration form and your files. Bear in mind however that you will have to sign a new version of your submission report if you do make any changes. 7.8.Signing with own token or software - brief instructions Click the third button Sign with own token and software at the bottom of the submission report to download the submission report. The report itself is an XML file that contains all the details; This document must be signed by your own software with the help of a matching token; Next, the signed file must be uploaded again in the window where you downloaded the XML file. Bear in mind though that, at the discretion of the awarding authority, certain restrictions in terms of signature format may apply. Generally speaking, all signature formats will be accepted unless the awarding authority has decided otherwise. In that case, you will be notified via the dossier s parameters. So, if you choose to sign this way, make sure that you are properly informed and run a thorough test first! 7.9. signing with an e-token smartcard or USB stick In addition to signing with an e-id there is another way to directly sign the submission report in e-tendering. This requires you to have a smartcard or USB token with a qualified certificate published on media of the etoken type, developed by SafeNet. Note that SafeNet is merely the manufacturer of the device and software. This means that you will need to look for a certificate provider who publishes his qualified certificates on this type of media. For the time being, the only certificate provider known to the e-procurement service is QuoVadis Trust/Link. They can be reached at http://quovadisglobal.nl. If there are other certificate providers using the aforementioned hardware, this can be notified via e.proc@publicprocurement.be. If you have such a smartcard or USB token which is correctly installed, you can sign and upload the submission report. 17
This is done by clicking on the Sign with etoken token button at the bottom of the submission report. (After accepting the possible security risks) the following window appears. select etoken en press on the binocular sign ; A password will be asked. This is the password you have been given; After you have introduced the password, your card or USB stick will be readed; Click on Sign, and if correctly executed, you can click on Upload ; Your submission report is now signed and send. 18
8. Further information 8.1.Technical guidelines An electronic tender or request to participate consists of one or more documents. You can send any kind of file type (.doc,.xls,.avi,.ppt...). Sending multiple documents is possible by using a ZIP file. The size of a single file cannot exceed 80 megabytes. The total file size of the tender cannnot exceed 350 megabytes (printing documents, signing and scanning for sending to e-tendering becomes difficult in this case due to file size). Give files a clear name (e.g. tender form,...). Make sure you have the right software configuration (Java, e-id,...). When in doubt, contact our helpdesk, but be sure to do this reasonably in advance. Our helpdesk staff will do everthing possible to ensure that you can use our applications under the best possible conditions. 8.2.Remarks The tenders which are not signed will be automatically excluded by the contracting authority, unless the public contract is awarded by negotiated procedure without prior publication. However, the exclusion also ensues in the latter case, when the contracting authority would have provided this penalty in the procurement documents. A signature must always be made by a mandatory or a person with power of attorney An electronic signature must be an advanced signature made with a qualified certificate stored on a secure device Configure your computer in time. This will allow you to insert electronic signatures. 8.3.Submission rights You may grant other tenderers the right to submit a bid/request to participate. For further information on this topic, please refer to our manual. 8.4.Restricted procedures and negotiated procedures Some procedures consist of 2 phases. Firstly, you will need to send in your request to participate. In the 2 nd phase, you will be asked to submit your tender. You can also do this via e-tendering, if the public buyer has selected you in the first phase.. In which case you will receive an invitation, i.e., an email with a letter in attachment featuring the following details: The dossier details The password to access the specifications and submit your tender July 2014
The link to e-notification to download the specifications The link to e-tendering to submit your tender 8.4.The opening session report Every public tender comes with a formal opening and, at times, with an opening session. Some procedures are public, others are not. The session is declared opened once the chairman opens the electronic safe. A report is invariably compiled of every opening session. This report contains all the information about the opening, the details the chairman read out, the incidents etc. The electronic tenders are automatically included in the report while the hard copy tenders can be added to the report. The report is then signed by the chairman, a second examiner and any of the other people present who wish to do so. The report on open procedures can be consulted by everyone; the report on the 2 nd phase of a restricted procedure can only be consulted by the tenderers. How to search for a report? Log in via the User management and go to e- Tendering; In the left-hand column, select Search, enter the reference number and select Search. Mind! If you click Search without entering a reference number, all the available reports will be listed. Wetstraat 51, 1040 Brussels 02/790.52.00 Visit us at: http://www.publicprocurement.be e.proc@publicprocurement.be 20