Bidding FAQ

How is electronic bidding set up for a project?

The planroom administrator has to enable electronic bidding for any project. The agency should coordinate with the planroom administrator and provide the names of any authorized bid managers.

Who is able to submit bids?

By default, any registered planroom user is able to submit a bid. This can be restricted further if need be; talk to your planroom administrator about setting up restricted bidding.

When are bids accepted?

Users are able to submit bids as soon as electronic bidding is enabled, right up until the bid deadline.

By default, no bids are accepted once the bid deadline passes.

The planroom can optionally allow a grace period to enable those who have already started submitting their bid prior to the deadline to still finish uploading the documents and submitting the bid even after the deadline. Let your planroom administrator know if you want to allow this grace period. It is not enabled by default.

Can bids be previewed prior to the bid opening?

Yes. The authorized bid manager can preview the list of bidders prior to the bid opening. This preview includes the name, contact info, and reference number for each bidder. The bid documents are NOT available for viewing or downloading at this time.

Are bid documents sealed?

Bid documents are not available prior to the bid opening. Neither the authorized bid manager nor even the planroom administrator can access the sealed bid documents.

Furthermore, the planroom provides a bidding log showing all bidding-related activity on a project to help protect the integrity of the bid process.

Who is able to open bids?

Only the designated bid manager(s) can view the final bids and download/open them. Make sure you have provided the names of any bid managers to your planroom administrator so they are properly authorized.

How are bids opened?

From the bid list, an authorized bid manager can click a 'download' button to immediately download a zip file of all documents submitted for a bid. It's that simple.

When first opened, every bid is stamped with the name of the manager as well as the current date and time.

Can bid lettings be broadcast online?

Many agencies choose to broadcast their bid opening meetings. Popular tools for this include Zoom, Webex, YouTube Live or Facebook Live.

If you hold an online broadcast, provide the meeting information to your planroom administrator to have it posted on the planroom for everyone to access.