Alberta Purchasing Connection Vendor User Manualvendor.purchasingconnection.ca/help/PDF/vendor.pdf · The Alberta Purchasing Connection ... Inform purchasers about your company by

Alberta Purchasing Connection (APC)Purchaser Manual

Monday, June 11, 2012

Version 1.2

Alberta Purchasing Connection (APC)Vendor Manual

Monday, June 11, 2012

© 2012 Government of Alberta - Version 2.10.3

Alberta Purchasing Connection (APC)Vendor User Manual

The Alberta Purchasing Connection (APC) replaces MERX asthe official electronic tendering system for Alberta's publicsector. APC provides a single point of access for purchasersto advertise purchasing opportunities and for vendors tobrowse and download purchasing opportunities free of charge.

The Alberta public sector includes:

Government of Alberta (GOA) - ministries, departments,agencies, boards, councils, committees, commissions,commercial enterprises and crown corporations.

MASH Sector - municipalities, municipal organizations,school boards and publicly-funded academic, health andsocial service entities.

APC meets Alberta's obligations for "Transparency and FairAcquisition Processes and Procedures for Procurement" asset out in the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) between theFederal, Provincial and Territorial Governments. For moreinformation, refer to The Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT)section of this manual.

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IContents

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Table of Contents

Part I Introduction 2

................................................................................................................................... 21 About this User Manual

................................................................................................................................... 22 What is APC?

................................................................................................................................... 33 Key APC Features for Vendors

................................................................................................................................... 34 Doing Business with Alberta Infrastructure

................................................................................................................................... 35 Doing Business with Alberta Transportation

................................................................................................................................... 46 APC & Construction Opportunities

................................................................................................................................... 47 Other Canadian Procurement Sites

Part II Accessing APC 7

................................................................................................................................... 71 System Requirements

................................................................................................................................... 72 Accessing the Vendor Opportunity Centre

Part III APC Vendor Opportunity Centre 9

................................................................................................................................... 91 Basic Navigation

................................................................................................................................... 102 Using the APC Vendor Home Page

................................................................................................................................... 113 Using the Help System

Part IV Your APC Profile 14

................................................................................................................................... 141 Creating Your Profile

................................................................................................................................... 152 Modifying Your Profile

................................................................................................................................... 153 Editing Your Password

................................................................................................................................... 164 Logging in to APC

Part V Viewing & Downloading Opportunities 18

................................................................................................................................... 181 Finding an Opportunity

.......................................................................................................................................................... 18Browse Opportunities

.......................................................................................................................................................... 19Search Opportunities

......................................................................................................................................................... 21Performing a Search

.......................................................................................................................................................... 22Limited Opportunity List

................................................................................................................................... 222 Viewing an Opportunity Notice

................................................................................................................................... 233 Downloading a Goods or Services Opportunity

................................................................................................................................... 254 Downloading a Construction Opportunity

.......................................................................................................................................................... 26Expressing Interest in a Construction Opportunity

................................................................................................................................... 275 Updating Interest

.......................................................................................................................................................... 27Updating Contact Information

.......................................................................................................................................................... 29Removing Your Interest

................................................................................................................................... 316 Viewing Interested Vendors List

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................................................................................................................................... 327 Viewing Closed/Awarded Opportunities

................................................................................................................................... 348 Viewing Your APC History

Part VI The Vendor Directory 37

................................................................................................................................... 371 Accessing the Vendor Directory

................................................................................................................................... 382 Section 1: Creating a Profile

................................................................................................................................... 403 Section 2: Vendor Information

................................................................................................................................... 414 Section 3: Vendor Attributes

................................................................................................................................... 425 Changing a Company Name

................................................................................................................................... 426 Creating a Branch

Part VII Premium Membership 45

................................................................................................................................... 451 Purchase Premium Membership

.......................................................................................................................................................... 48Renew Premium Membership

................................................................................................................................... 482 Logging in to Premium Membership

.......................................................................................................................................................... 49Set Start Tab

................................................................................................................................... 503 Manage Robots

.......................................................................................................................................................... 50Add a Robot

.......................................................................................................................................................... 56Edit a Robot

.......................................................................................................................................................... 58Delete a Robot

................................................................................................................................... 594 Review Your Opportunities

.......................................................................................................................................................... 60Advanced Search

................................................................................................................................... 605 Reports

.......................................................................................................................................................... 60Posted vs Awarded

.......................................................................................................................................................... 62Bid Amount Per Opportunity

.......................................................................................................................................................... 64Review vs Bid by Organization

Part VIII APC Vendor Glossary 67

Index 75

Introduction

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1 Introduction

1.1 About this User Manual

This User Manual introduces you to APC Vendor services and shows you how to completefrequently performed Vendor functions, such as viewing an opportunity and downloading a bidpackage.

This guide contains several sections, as outlined below.

1. Introduction: overview of this manual, the APC system, and doing business with AlbertaInfrastructure and Alberta Transportation.

2. Accessing APC: all you need to know about system requirements, accessing APC viathe Internet, logging in to APC, and creating a vendor profile.

3. APC Vendor Opportunity Centre: overview of how to navigate through the VendorOpportunity Centre, use the Vendor home page, and access the Help system.

4. Your APC Profile: describes the steps involved in creating and modifying your APCprofile, editing your password, and logging in to APC.

5. Viewing and Downloading Opportunities: explains how to perform Vendor functionssuch as locating, viewing and downloading opportunities.

6. The Vendor Directory: explains how to access the Vendor Directory, create a VendorDirectory profile, change a company name and create a branch.

7. Glossary: terms used throughout the Vendor User Manual.

1.2 What is APC?

The Alberta Purchasing Connection (APC) is the official electronic tendering system forAlberta's public sector. APC provides a single point of access for purchasers to advertisepurchasing opportunities and for vendors to browse and download purchasing opportunitiesfree of charge.

The Alberta public sector includes:Government of Alberta (GOA) - ministries, departments, agencies, boards, councils,committees, commissions, commercial enterprises and crown corporations.MASH Sector - municipalities, municipal organizations, school boards and publicly-funded academic, health and social service entities.

APC meets Alberta's obligations for "Transparency and Fair Acquisition Processes andProcedures for Procurement" as set out in the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) betweenthe Federal, Provincial and Territorial Governments and the Alberta/B.C. Trade, Investmentand Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA). For more information, refer to The Agreement onInternal Trade (AIT) section of this manual or The Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility

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(TILMA) section of this manual.

1.3 Key APC Features for Vendors

The Alberta Purchasing Connection (APC) will allow you, as a Vendor, to:

Search APC for all current tender notices with our easy-to-use interface.

Download official tender document and attachments free of charge.

Receive e-mail notifications of amendments to opportunities you have downloaded.

Inform purchasers about your company by registering in the Vendor Directory.

1.4 Doing Business with Alberta Infrastructure

Alberta Infrastructure contributes to Alberta's economic prosperity and quality of life throughnecessary, effective and safe infrastructure for all Albertans. We:

Ensure the funding and efficient planning, design, construction, rehabilitation, operation,maintenance, and land management of government-owned and supported infrastructure.Provide infrastructure to meet the needs of Albertans including health care, learning andcommunity service facilities, and seniors' lodges through innovative partnerships.Manage central services to all government ministries including accommodationrequirements, property acquisition and disposal, air transportation, and government vehiclefleet operations.

Alberta Infrastructure's policy for contracted consulting services is intended to provide greateraccessibility to the department's contracts, improve transparency and fairness in thedepartment's consultant selection practices, and help attain better value for money spent onconsulting services.

Companies wishing to be considered for Alberta Infrastructure business opportunities arerequired to identify their Areas of Specialty and Services by adding their companies to the Vendor Directory.

1.5 Doing Business with Alberta Transportation

Alberta Transportation provides and supports a safe, sustainable transportation network andenvironmentally safe water and wastewater infrastructure through innovative and cost-effective programs and partnerships. We:

Manage transportation safety programs to improve driver, vehicle, carrier, road, and railsafety. Manage the provincial highway network to improve the safety, efficiency, andeffectiveness of provincial highway infrastructure. Develop and preserve water management infrastructure to ensure safe and effective


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water management on behalf of Alberta Environment. Represent Alberta's interests in transportation policy to work with stakeholders and otherjurisdictions to develop and promote policies in support of efficient transportation (road,air, rail, and port). Partner with Municipalities to support municipal transportation and safe water/wastewaterinfrastructure. Alberta Transportation's policy for contracted consulting services is intended to providegreater accessibility to the Department's contracts, improve transparency and fairness inthe Department's consultant selection practices, and help attain better value for moneyspent on consulting services.

Companies wishing to be considered for Alberta Transportation business opportunities arerequired to identify their Areas of Specialty and Services by adding their companies to the Vendor Directory.

1.6 APC & Construction Opportunities

COOLNet Alberta hosts construction opportunities, and provides an electronic means ofdistributing all associated construction documentation (e.g. plans, specifications anddrawings). The COOLNet Alberta system is a result of the cooperative efforts of Alberta'slocal construction associations, the Alberta Construction Association, the AlbertaRoadbuilders and Heavy Construction Association, and the Government of Alberta.

Construction opportunities will be created in APC and exported from APC to COOLNetAlberta, which will host the complete opportunity, including plans, specifications, drawings,etc. The only documentation that APC will host for construction opportunities is theOpportunity Notice and the Award List. The Opportunity Notice is a description of the type ofconstruction project being tendered and a clear statement of where the constructiondocuments can be obtained. The Award List provides information on the Vendor who wasawarded the contract.

1.7 Other Canadian Procurement Sites

This list provides links to purchasing sites maintained by governments in Canada. Thisinformation is provided solely as a service to Alberta businesses interested in viewingopportunities available across Canada. The Alberta Purchasing Connection is not responsiblefor the accuracy of the information provided. For more information on specific opportunities,please contact the originating government.

Links to purchasing sites for other provinces, territories and the federal government:

British Columbiawww.bcbid.gov.bc.ca

Canada www.merx.com

Manitoba

http://www.bcbid.gov.bc.ca

http://www.merx.com

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www.merx.com

New Brunswickwww.gnb.ca/3000/

Newfoundland and Labradorwww.gpa.gov.nl.ca

Northwest Territories: www.contractregistry.nt.ca/public

Nova Scotiawww.gov.ns.ca/tenders/

Nunavut: currently not implemented

Ontariowww.merx.com

Prince Edward Islandwww.gov.pe.ca/tenders/

Quebecwww.seao.ca

Saskatchewanwww.sasktenders.gov.sk.ca

Yukon: www.gov.yk.ca/tenders

http://www.merx.com

http://www.gnb.ca/3000/

http://www.gpa.gov.nl.ca

http://www.contractregistry.nt.ca/public

https://www.gov.ns.ca/tenders/

http://www.merx.com

http://www.gov.pe.ca/tenders/

http://www.seao.ca

http://www.sasktenders.gov.sk.ca

http://www.gov.yk.ca/tenders

Accessing APC

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2 Accessing APC

This section outlines the necessary system requirements, and explains how to access theAPC Vendor Opportunity Centre.

2.1 System Requirements

In order to access APC, it is recommended that you have a direct internet connection; theuse of dial-up internet access is not recommended. Ensure that you are able to connect tothe APC website at http://www.purchasingconnection.ca through the Internet and that youhave an Internet browser installed.

The manufacturer of your computer's operating system lists minimum hardwarerequirements for the operating system to run correctly. You should read and follow theseguidelines to ensure your access to APC performs properly.

We recommend that you update your browser to the latest version supported by youroperating system so that you can take advantage of new browser features.

The following versions are the minimum that APC will currently support:Internet Explorer 7.0 and later

Does APC use "Cookies"?

Yes, a small text file -- a "cookie" -- is stored on your computer by the web server. It isessentially your identification card, and cannot be executed as code nor can it delivercomputer viruses. It is uniquely yours and can only be read by the server that gave it to you.The cookie is used to remember that you are logged in. If you arrive on www.purchasingconnection.ca with your cookies turned off, you will not be able to register or log into APC.

2.2 Accessing the Vendor Opportunity Centre

To access the APC website via the Internet:

1. Start Internet Explorer or your web browser of choice.2. Enter the APC website address: http://www.purchasingconnection.ca in the Address or

Location field at the top of your browser and press Enter. 3. The APC Launch Page is displayed.4. Under "Are you a Vendor?", click Launch to connect to the Vendor Opportunity Centre.

Note: Bookmark the APC Vendor Site in your browser to ensure easy access!

http://www.purchasingconnection.ca

http://www.purchasingconnection.ca

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3 APC Vendor Opportunity Centre

This section explains how to navigate through APC, use the home page, and access the Helpsystem.

3.1 Basic Navigation

Navigating in APC is simple. Below is a sample of a page that shows you all the navigationalicons, buttons and links that are part of the Vendor Opportunity Centre. A link is an electronicpath that quickly takes you to a particular page/function within APC.

Use the menu links on the left side of the page to go or return to a specific APC page. Youcan exit APC at any time by closing your browser (click the "X" in the upper right corner).


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3.2 Using the APC Vendor Home Page

The Vendor home page provides you with general information about APC. It is organized intofour (4) zones:

What is the APC? Describes what the APC system is and what it can do for you, as wellas how to find opportunities and download their bid packages. Also has answers tocommon questions such as How Do I Find a Purchasing Opportunity for My Business?

Doing Business in APC Describes how APC can help you improve the way you dobusiness, and also explains how APC handles construction opportunities.

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AIT or TILMA Information: Describesthe Agreement on Internal Trade and theTrade, Investment and Labour MobilityAgreement.

What's New? View APC and GovernmentPartners announcements as well as VendorNewsletters.

3.3 Using the Help System

The Help system can be accessed from the main menu on the left under the Need Help?heading.

Getting Started

Select the Getting started link to review the basic features of the site including: creating auser account, viewing opportunities, and downloading opportunities. Getting started isavailable in both flash and text versions.

Online Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

APC's online FAQs provide answers to frequently asked questions about the VendorOpportunity Centre. To access FAQs, click the FAQ link.

User Guide

A version of the APC Vendor User Manual is available online. To access the User Guide,


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click the User Guide link. There is also a PDF version of the User Manual that you can print.

Contact Us

Select the Contact Us link for the APC Help Desk contact information.

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4 Your APC Profile

This section explains how to:

Become a registered user of APC by creating a user profile

Modify your profile

Edit your password

Log in to APC

4.1 Creating Your Profile

Although there is no cost to use APC, you must be a registered user to downloadopportunities. To become a registered user, you must create a user profile.

Create a user profile by following these steps:

1. Access the Vendor Opportunity Centre. For more information on how to do this, refer toAccessing APC.

2. Click the New User link on the sidebar of the Vendor home page.3. The Self Registration page appears.

4. Enter your contact information. All required fields have an "*" beside them.

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5. If you want your profile information added to the Vendor Directory, select the check boxnext to the Vendor Directory Information section.

6. Click the Submit Registration button to save your changes. A page is displayed toconfirm that your changes have been saved. When you have successfully registered withAPC, a confirmation of your registration is sent to you in the form of an e-mail message.

7. Click Home on the sidebar to return to Vendor home page.



4.2 Modifying Your Profile

As a registered user of APC, it is important to keep your contact information current.

Modify your contact information by following these steps:


2. Log in to APC. For details on how to log in, refer to Logging in to APC.3. Click the Edit Profile link on the sidebar of the Vendor home page.4. The Edit Profile page appears.5. Update your contact information as required.6. Click Save Profile Changes to save your changes. A page will be displayed to confirm

that your changes have been saved.7. Click Home on the sidebar to return to Vendor home page.

4.3 Editing Your Password

To change your password at any time, follow these steps:


2. Log in to APC. For details on how to log in, refer to Logging in to APC.3. Click the Edit Profile link on the sidebar of the Vendor home page.4. Scroll to the User Account Information section at the bottom, and click the Change

Password link.5. Enter your old password in the Old Password field.6. Enter your new password in the New Password field.7. Confirm your new password by re-entering it in the Confirm New Password field.8. Select the Save Profile Changes button to save your changes. The Edit Profile page is

displayed to confirm that your changes have been saved.


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9. Click Home on the sidebar to return to Vendor home page.

4.4 Logging in to APC

You must be logged in to APC in order to download opportunities (i.e. the bid package for anopportunity). If you have not previously registered with APC as a user, click the New Userlink on the sidebar of the Vendor home page to create a new profile. For more information onhow to create a profile, refer to the Create Your Profile section of this manual.

If you have forgotten your user id or password, click the "Forgot" link and follow the screenprompts to request your id or password from APC.

To log in:

1. From the Vendor home page, click Existing User from the sidebar.2. Enter your User Name and Password and click Login. Note: Passwords are case

sensitive; make sure you type your password using the appropriate case.

Figure: Login Page



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5 Viewing & Downloading Opportunities

Learn how to perform common APC Vendor activities by following the quick and simple, step-by-step instructions provided in this section. You can review instructions for the following:

Finding an opportunity

Viewing an opportunity notice

Downloading an opportunity

Viewing a closed opportunity or award notice

5.1 Finding an Opportunity

You do not need to be logged in to the APC system to locate and view opportunities. Thereare three (3) ways to find an opportunity:

Browse Opportunities

Search Opportunities

Limited Opportunity List

5.1.1 Browse Opportunities

To browse through a list of opportunities organized by categories, select the BrowseOpportunities link under Main Menu on the Vendor home page.

The Browse Opportunities page displays a list of categories that are divided into threecommodity groups (i.e. Goods, Services and Construction). To the right of each category is asummary number of all opportunity notices posted in the Last 7 Days and all Openopportunity notices that match that category. The summary numbers are hyperlinked. Whenclicked, the Opportunities Results page will be launched and all matching opportunity noticesfor that category will be displayed.

If you are logged into the APC system, a third category, Since Last Login, will be displayed.Clicking this hyperlink will launch the Opportunities Results page and display all the newopportunity notices that have been published since you last logged in.

To limit the number of results per page and make viewing easier, select a number (e.g. 10,25, 50) from the list at the top of the page.

Note: Because opportunities may reflect multiple GSIN categories, summing the numbers tothe right of the GSIN listings under a category may result in a total greater than the summarynumber indicated for that category. Matching opportunity notices for each category are listedin order of Closing Date.

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Figure: Browse Opportunities Page

5.1.2 Search Opportunities

Another way to locate an opportunity is to search for it. The APC system has extensivesearch capabilities. The search engine is mainly based on keyword(s). You enter a keywordand then a list of the items containing that word is presented in the Results list. It is alsopossible to search for an opportunity based on its status, associated commodity, postingdate, or closing date. These can be combined with the keyword search.

Figure: Search Opportunities Page

The following table outlines the search attributes that can be used when searching for anopportunity on the Vendor Site.

Attribute Field Options Fields Being Searched


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Keyword(s) Enter a word. A partial keyword search mustcontain the partial keyword followed by * (e.g.Terms*).

Agreement Type

AIT Exception Reason

Category

City

Contact Title

Created By

First Name

Last Name

Address Line 1

Address Line 2

Display Name

E-mail

Fax

Phone

Postal Code

Mobile

Opportunity Type

Organization Name

Province

Reference Number

Region Of Delivery

Region Of Opportunity

Short Description

Solicitation Number

Solicitation Type

Submission Address

Title

Vendors In Region

Long Description

Response Specifics

GSIN List

Category

Reference ID Enter a Reference ID (partial or full). A partialnumber for this field does not need to containa * (e.g. AB-2010-123). To search for anexact number, surround the SolicitationNumber with quotes ("). (i.e. "AB-2010-12345").

Solicitation Number Enter a Solicitation Number (partial or full). Apartial number for this field does not need tocontain a * (e.g. 2011-1). To search for anexact number, surround the Solicitation


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Number with quotes ("). (i.e. "2011-1").

Status

Posting Date

Closing Date

Jurisdiction

Example of a keyword search: To search on partial reference number, enter "2004-003*" into the Keyword(s) field.It is also possible to search by full reference number – "2004-00398".To search on opportunity title, enter a title in the Keyword(s) field. To search on apartial opportunity title, enter "Road*". If you enter "R*", the list of results will be quiteextensive. It is more helpful to narrow your search.

Multiple Attributes

In APC, it is possible to perform a search using multiple attributes. This type of search can beperformed using any of the following three methods:

- AND (which returns a list of items that contain both attributes; e.g. 2004-003* ANDtransform*)

- OR (which returns a list of items that contain either one attribute or the other, butnot both; e.g. 2004-003* OR transform*)

- NOT (which returns a list of items that contain the first attribute but not thesecond; e.g. 2004-003* NOT transform*)

5.1.2.1 Performing a Search

To search for an opportunity:

1. Select the Search Opportunities link under Main Menu on the Vendor home page.


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2. Choose one or more search attributes. For more information about search attributes,refer to Search Opportunities.

3. Click the Search button.4. The Results list will be displayed with opportunities that matched your search attributes.

The total number of results appears at the top of the list.5. Use the Next and Previous links to move through the search results. Or, use the page

number links to navigate through the results.

5.1.3 Limited Opportunity List

When posting opportunities, Purchasers can limit an opportunity to a list of Vendors or keep itopen to all vendors. If an opportunity has been restricted to certain vendors, and you are partof the list, you will receive an e-mail with a hyperlink to that opportunity. To view theopportunity, click the hyperlink in the e-mail or log on to the APC Vendor Site and use the Search Opportunities feature. Note: In order to search for an opportunity on the Vendor Site,you must first log in to APC. If an opportunity has been restricted and you are not on the list,you will not be able to view the opportunity details.

5.2 Viewing an Opportunity Notice

Once you have located an opportunity of interest to your company, click the title of theopportunity to view more details. The Opportunity Notice will be displayed in a new window,similar to the example below.


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Figure: Sample Opportunity Notice

If you are interested in responding to an opportunity, it is recommended that you download thebid package to obtain additional details regarding the opportunity and specific information onhow to submit a bid. As soon as you download a Goods or Services opportunity, you areconsidered to have expressed interest in that opportunity. This means that you have beenadded to the list of Interested Vendors, and you will receive e-mails regarding amendments tothe opportunity. For Construction opportunities, you need to manually express interest.

Note: When an opportunity reaches its closing date, it is possible to view Bid and AwardLists on the Opportunity Notice, if they have been published. Refer to Viewing Closed/Awarded Opportunities for more details.

5.3 Downloading a Goods or Services Opportunity

After reviewing an Opportunity Notice, if you choose to pursue the opportunity you candownload the bid package (you must be logged in to APC in order to do this). Refer to the Logging in to APC section of this manual for more information. Once you download the bidpackage for a Goods or Services opportunity, you are automatically added to the InterestedVendors list and you are considered to have expressed interest in the opportunity. You willthen receive e-mails regarding amendments to the opportunity details.

Note: The Interested Vendors list can be viewed on the APC Vendor site by any Vendor.

To download the bid package for a Goods or Services opportunity:


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1. Log in to the APC Vendor Site.2. Search or browse to locate the opportunity you are interested in. Double-click on the

opportunity name to view the Opportunity Notice.3. Click View Bid Package. The Opportunity Notice is updated to include the list of

documents in the Bid Package.

Figure: Opportunity Notice w ith Bid Package

4. Click on the name of a document to begin downloading that file. You can choose toOPEN the document or SAVE it to your computer. Repeat this step for each documentyou wish to download. A check mark will appear beside each document that isdownloaded.

5. By downloading any of the documents in the bid package, you have expressed interest inthe opportunity.

6. Now, you will automatically receive e-mail notifications of amendments made to thisopportunity. The e-mail will contain a link to the opportunity on the Vendor site. Note: Anopportunity can be amended at any time.


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5.4 Downloading a Construction Opportunity

The process of downloading a Construction opportunity is somewhat different than theprocess for downloading a Goods or Services opportunity. For a Goods or Servicesopportunity, you can download all of the components of the bid package from APC. With aConstruction opportunity, the only document you can download from APC is the OpportunityNotice. The associated documents (i.e., the remainder of the bid package) can only beobtained from CoolNet Alberta or CoolNet Edmonton. In addition, you need to manuallyexpress interest in a Construction opportunity; it is NOT automatically done when youdownload the bid package as it is with a Goods or Services opportunity.

To download the bid package for a Construction opportunity:


opportunity name to view the Opportunity Notice. To download the Opportunity Notice,click on the APC link. You can either OPEN it or SAVE it to your computer.

3. To download documents associated with the opportunity, click one of the location links onthe right side of the page (e.g., CoolNet Alberta OR CoolNet Edmonton). Follow thedirections provided on the selected site.

Figure: Construction Opportunity Notice

4. After you have downloaded and reviewed the bid package, you may want to expressinterest in the opportunity (i.e., submit a bid). Refer to the section entitled ExpressingInterest in a Construction Opportunity for more information. Note: As mentioned earlier,


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your interest in a Goods or Services opportunity is automatically expressed when youdownload the bid package; for a Construction opportunity, this process is done manually.

5.4.1 Expressing Interest in a Construction Opportunity

The procedure for expressing interest in a Construction opportunity is different than theprocedure for expressing interest in a Goods or Services opportunity. With a Goods orServices opportunity, you express interest by downloading the bid package. For aConstruction opportunity, you need to manually express interest (whether or not youdownload the bid package) and at the same time define the Contractor Type that bestdescribes you.

To express interest in a Construction opportunity:


opportunity name to view the Opportunity Notice.3. Click the Express Interest button.

Figure: Opportunity Notice for a Construction Opportunity

4. The Opportunity Notice now displays the Interested Vendor Contact Information. Updateor add your contact information, including your name, phone number, fax number, and e-mail address. If you want your e-mail address to be publicly posted on the InterestedVendors list, select the Publicly Available checkbox. Your e-mail address will be publiclyposted for this opportunity only. You also need to select the Contractor Type that bestdescribes you from the drop-down list box at the bottom of the page.


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Figure: Interested Vendor Contact Information for a Construction Opportunity

5. Click the Express Interest button to save the information. Note: Once you have initiallyexpressed interest in an opportunity, you can update any of the information on this pageby selecting the Update Interest button (which is only visible once you have initiallyexpressed interest in the opportunity).

6. Each time this opportunity is amended, you will receive an e-mail outlining the changesthat were made. The e-mail message may or may not be sent from APC.

5.5 Updating Interest

At some point, you may want to update your contact information or remove yourself from theInterested Vendors list for an opportunity (i.e., withdraw your bid). If you remove your namefrom the list, you will no longer receive e-mail notifications regarding changes to thatopportunity. To resubmit a bid for the opportunity, you would need to download the entire bidpackage again. This section explains how to change your contact information and/or removeyour bid (i.e., interest in the opportunity).

5.5.1 Updating Contact Information

To update your information on the Vendor Contact page:

1. Log in to the APC Vendor Site.2. Search or browse to locate the opportunity you want to remove your bid from. Double-

click on the opportunity name to view the Opportunity Notice.


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3. Click the Update Interest button on the Notice.

Figure: Update Interest in an Opportunity

4. The Opportunity Notice now displays the Interested Vendor Contact Information.


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Figure: Updating Vendor Contact Information

5. To update your contact information: enter the changes into the appropriate fields. Ifyou want your e-mail address to be publicly posted on the Interested Vendors list, selectthe Publicly Available checkbox. Your e-mail address will be publicly posted for thisopportunity only.

6. To save the changes, click the Update Interest button.

5.5.2 Removing Your Interest

To remove your interest in an opportunity:

1. Log in to the APC Vendor Site.2. Search or browse to locate the opportunity you want to remove your bid from. Double-


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click on the opportunity name to view the Opportunity Notice.3. Click the Update Interest button on the Notice.

Figure: Update Interest in an Opportunity

4. Click the Interest Removal Warning link at the bottom of the screen. Read through thedocument.


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Figure: Updating Vendor Contact Information

5. Select the check box next to Interest Removal Warning.6. Click the Remove Interest button. Your profile name will automatically be removed from

the list of Interested Vendors and you will no longer receive any e-mail notifications forthis opportunity. Note: To reinstate your interest in this opportunity, you will need todownload the entire bid package again.

5.6 Viewing Interested Vendors List

To view a list of Vendors who have expressed interest in an opportunity, click the ViewInterested Vendors button on the Opportunity Notice. The Notice is updated to include thelist of Vendors who have expressed interest in this opportunity. The Vendor information that isdisplayed typically includes: the company name, contact name, address, telephone number,


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and fax number. If a Vendor chose to make his/her e-mail address publicly available, that willbe listed as well. Note: You do not need to be logged in to APC to view the InterestedVendors list.

Figure: Opportunity Notice w ith Interested Vendors

5.7 Viewing Closed/Awarded Opportunities

Closed opportunities are Opportunity Notices that have passed their closing dates but are stillaccessible on the APC system. They remain accessible to allow the purchasing organizationto publish a Bid List and/or Award List for the opportunity. You can check back at a later dateand view the opportunity to see if a Bid List and/or Award List have been posted. You do notneed to be logged in to APC in order to view Bid and Award Lists.

Viewing Closed Opportunities

1. Click the Search Opportunities link on the Vendor home page. See SearchOpportunities for more information.

2. Choose "Closed" from the Status drop down list.


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3. Select the maximum number of results you want displayed per screen from the dropdown list at the bottom.

4. Click the Search button to initiate the search and view the results.

Viewing a List of Vendors who have Bid on Contracts

1. Locate or search for the Opportunity Notice that is of interest to you. See SearchOpportunities for more information.

2. Click the title of the Opportunity Notice. 3. The Opportunity Notice will be displayed in a new window.4. If a bid list is available, it will appear as a link in the right column (i.e. View Bid List) of the

Notice.5. Click on the View Bid List link to view the list of Vendors who bid on the opportunity (and

their bid amounts).

Figure: View Bid List Link

Viewing a List of Vendors who have been Awarded Contracts


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1. Locate or search for the Opportunity Notice that is of interest to you. 2. Click the title of the Opportunity Notice. The Opportunity Notice will be displayed in a new

window.3. If an award list is available, it will appear as a link in the right column (i.e., View Award

List) of the Notice.4. Click on the View Award List link to view the list of Vendors who were awarded the

opportunity (and their bid amounts).

Figure: View Award List Link

5.8 Viewing Your APC History

There is a report that vendors can access whenever they want to review a history ofopportunities they have downloaded from APC. This is called a Vendor History report and canbe accessed from a button on the Vendor Site. You need to be logged in to the system inorder to generate this report (and be able to see the Vendor History button).

A sample of a Vendor History report is shown below. The download date, document name,and associated opportunity number are displayed for all documents that you downloaded in


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the past.

Figure: My History Page

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6 The Vendor Directory

The Vendor Directory is part of the APC system and is used to maintain a current list ofVendors that the Government of Alberta and the Province's MASH Sector can access whencreating a purchasing opportunity.

It is important to keep your Vendor Directory profile current. Try to update your information asit changes. You will be sent an e-mail reminding you to update your information once a year.

This section describes how to:access the APC Vendor Directory from the Vendor Site

create a profile for your company

describe the history of your company

classify your company's products/services according to NAICS

change your company name

create a branch of your company in APC

6.1 Accessing the Vendor Directory

In order to add your company to the Vendor Directory, you need to first access the directoryand then enter basic information regarding your company to create a profile. More descriptiveinformation is optional.

To access the Vendor Directory:

1. From the APC Vendor home page, select the Access Directory button on the side bar.

2. The Login window will appear. Enter your user name and password and press the Loginbutton. Note: If you are a new user to the Vendor Opportunity Centre, click the New Userlink on the side bar and fill out the registration page. For more information on how to dothis, see the Your APC Profile section.

3. The Vendor Directory Editor will appear. Notice that Section 1 is "Required". In order tosubmit an entry into the Vendor Directory, you must complete Section 1.


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6.2 Section 1: Creating a Profile

To create a profile in the Vendor Directory, you must first enter basic information related toyour company. Basic information includes items such as your name and the company nameand address.

To create a profile:

1. From the Vendor Directory Editor, select the Edit Section button next to Section 1.


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2. The Vendor Profile page will appear. Note: When you first register with APC, if yourequest to have your contact information copied to the Vendor Directory, the fields in thissection will already be populated.

Figure: Vendor Directory Editor

3. If the fields are not populated, enter information into the Company and Contact sections.All the fields are required except Address Line 2 and the fax number.

4. The Branch Creation Key is required in order to submit a profile to the Vendor Directory,unless you are a branch of a primary company. Note: When setting up a branch under aprimary company, you need to correctly enter the Branch Creation Key in order tobecome part of the primary company's profile. For more information, refer to Creating aBranch.

5. Press the Save and Next button to save your information to the Vendor Directory andreturn to the Vendor Directory Editor. The Vendor Profile section (section 1) will now readas "Submit Pending".

6. Press the Submit Info button at the bottom of the page. The profile will be created in theVendor Directory and the Vendor Profile section will now read as "Submitted". At thispoint, you can edit Sections 2 and 3, if necessary.


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Once you have entered basic information and submitted your entry, your profile will becreated in the Vendor Directory. At this point, you can also add descriptive information(Sections 2 & 3) to your profile. This information can also be added at a later date. Section 2holds contact and historical information regarding your company. Section 3 containsattributes that relate to your company's type of business (which is important when apurchasing organization is creating an opportunity since this allows them to match yourcompany to a related opportunity).

Note: You can edit your profile at any time.

6.3 Section 2: Vendor Information

To enter additional company information:

1. Once information has been entered into Section 1, the status of Section 2 becomes"Optional". Press the Edit Section button next to Section 2 on the Vendor DirectoryEditor to enter information into this section. The Vendor Information page will appear.


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2. Enter company (e.g. date established, history of firm) and contact information (e.g.name, employee type, professional qualifications) for the company. All fields are optional. Note: You can enter a maximum of five contact names.

3. Press the Save and Next button to return to the Vendor Directory Editor. The VendorInformation section (section 2) will read as "Submit Pending".

4. When you are finished entering information, press the Submit Info button to send thechanges to the Vendor Directory. Once the changes have been saved to the VendorDirectory, the Vendor Information section will read as "Submitted".

6.4 Section 3: Vendor Attributes

To select attributes that relate to your company:

1. Once information has been entered into Section 1, the status of Section 3 becomes"Optional". Press the Edit Section button next to Section 3 on the Vendor DirectoryEditor. The Vendor Attributes landing page will appear.

2. The example below shows the sub-categories for Alberta Infrastructure Services. Note:To return to the Vendor Directory Editor, select the Back to Main link.

Figure: Vendor Attributes Landing Page


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3. Click on a sub-category to view a list of related attributes. For some categories, there areseveral different levels. Continue to navigate through the levels until you find theappropriate attributes.

4. Select the attributes that best describe your company's business by clicking on thecheck box next to an attribute. There is no limit to the number of attributes you select.

5. Press the Save and Next button to return to the Vendor Directory Editor. The VendorAttributes section (section 3) will read as "Submit Pending".

6. When you are finished entering information, press the Submit Info button to send thechanges to the Vendor Directory. Once the changes have been saved to the VendorDirectory, the Vendor Attributes section will read as "Submitted".

6.5 Changing a Company Name

The first time you enter information into Section 1: Vendor Profile (in the Vendor Directory),you have the ability to change the Legal Name of your company. Once you have clicked onthe Save and Next button and submitted the information for Section 1, the only way you canchange the company name is to contact the APC Help Desk and request a name change. Note: A name change is only possible for primary companies; branches cannot change theirnames.

APC Help Desk

Telephone: (780) 644-5726Toll Free (in Alberta) 310-0000E-mail: [email protected]

6.6 Creating a Branch

The Branch Creation Key allows companies to list information for the multiple branches theymay have in their organization.Please enter a keyword as a 'key' for your company. Each subsequent branch must usethe same key when creating a new branch. If the Branch Creation Key already exists in APCfor that office, obtain the key (word) from that office. The Branch Creation Key acts like asecondary password to prevent others from creating a branch of your company.

To create a branch:

1. Create a new profile for the branch company. The branch will have the same name asthe primary company. For details on how to create a profile, refer to Section 1: Creating aProfile.

2. Access the Vendor Directory. For more information on how to do this, refer to Accessingthe Vendor Directory.

3. Select the Edit Section button next to Section 1. The Vendor Profile page will appear.


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4. An error message is displayed to inform you that a company already exists with thesame name. Select the check box below the Legal Name of Company field to define yourcompany as a branch.

5. Authenticate your request by entering the Company Password and clicking Set. 6. Once the Password has been correctly entered, you can modify fields in Sections 1 and

2; the fields in Section 3 have already been filled in by the primary company and are notmodifiable.

Note: A new profile must be created for each new branch.

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7 Premium Membership

APC offers a Premium Membership that brings business opportunities directly to you.Membership provides the following value-added services:

A list of opportunities that you have expressed interest in and information on recentupdates to these opportunities. Expressed interest was logged in the system whenyou downloaded associated documents to opportunities.These opportunities can bein Open, Closed, Suspended or Awarded state. Once you receive the list, you selectwhich documents to download.The ability to set up various criteria called a Robot, which APC will use to create a listof any new opportunities for you that you may be interested in. Each night your listsare updated and then sent to your e-mail account. A maximum of 12 robots (set ofcriteria) can be created.

Having a Premium Membership saves you time from having to monitor opportunities and anychanges to them.

To purchase a membership, continue below.

7.1 Purchase Premium Membership

A Premium Membership package can be purchased any time. Memberships are one yearand APC will inform you in advance of your expiry date, to provide time for renewal.

To purchase a Premium Membership:

1. On the Vendor home page, click the APC Premium Membership button on the left handside.

2. Click on the Purchase 1 Year Subscription on the introduction page.


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Figure: Premium Membership Introduction Page

3. Enter your username and password on the APC Login screen after it appears. Click the Login button. If you are not currently set up as a user of the APC system, refer toAccessing APC in this manual for information on how to become a registered user.

4. You will be redirected to the TD Online page, where you need to enter your Addess andPayment information. Once the form is completed, click the Submit Payment button.


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Figure: Premium Membership Account Information Page

5. Once the payment is processed, the user will be redirected to the APC Vendor site, andthe Payment Receipt will be displayed. To receive a payment receipt copy of yourmembership, click on the Print Friendly button.


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7.1.1 Renew Premium Membership

You can renew your Premium Membership in the last thirty (30) days of your subscription. Atthat time, a Renew button appears on the Premium Membership tab. This tab can beaccessed by logging into the Vendor site and selecting the Edit Profile link.

7.2 Logging in to Premium Membership

It is a simple process to log in to APC's Premium Membership feature once you havepurchased the package. If you have not purchased the membership package, refer to thesection entitled Purchase Premium Membership.

To log in to Premium Membership:

1. On the Vendor home page, click the APC Premium Membership button.2. The Premium Membership main page opens.3. Select the Sign In Here link.4. The APC Login screen appears.5. Enter your username and password. Click the Login button. 6. The main Premium Membership page opens, with four tabs: Welcome, My

Opportunities, My Robots, Reports. By default, the Welcome tab is at the forefront whenyou first login, although you can change your default Start tab (i.e., the one that appearseach time you log in). Refer to the section entitled Set Start Tab for more information.


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Figure: Premium Membership Welcome Tab

7. From the Welcome page, you can:review a list of opportunities that you received as a result of Robots that you set up(with specific criteria), or updates to opportunities that you have already expressedinterest in (from the My Opportunities tab)

set up or change the criteria for Robots in the My Robots tab (you can have amaximum of 12 Robots in APC)generate reports that relate to your opportunities (from the Reports tab)

7.2.1 Set Start Tab

By default, the Welcome page is at the forefront when you first log in to APC's PremiumMembership. It is possible to change the page that appears each time you log in (e.g.,Welcome, My Opportunities, My Robots, Reports).

To change the Start tab:

1. Log in to Premium Membership. 2. From the main Premium Membership page, click on the drop-down list box in the section

called Set Your Start Tab.


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Figure: Set Start Tab

3. From this list, choose the tab you want to appear each time you log in.

7.3 Manage Robots

In APC, a Robot is a set of criteria defined by you which is used to create a list of newopportunities that may be of interest to you. Once you have set up one or more Robots, thesystem will download any new opportunities that match the Robots' criteria each night. Thesystem will also download up-to-date information regarding any opportunities you haverecently shown interest in.

This section explains how to add, edit and delete Robots in APC.

7.3.1 Add a Robot

This section describes how to add a Robot to your Premium Membership account. APCallows you to enter a maximum of 12 Robots.

To add a Robot:

1. Log in to the Premium Membership feature. For information on how to log in to PremiumMembership, refer to the section Logging in to Premium Membership.

2. Select the My Robots tab.3. The Robots page opens. If this is your first visit to the My Robots tab, select the New

Robot button to define the criteria for your Robot. If you have already set up a Robot, thispage will display your list of Robots, and allow you to add additional Robots, edit anexisting Robot, or delete a Robot. Note: You can have a maximum of 12 Robots set up inAPC.


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Figure: My Robots Tab

Note: At any time, you can click the My Robot List link at the top of the page to return toyour list of Robots.

4. Click on the Add Robot link at the top of the page.5. The following page appears. This page is the same whether this is your first Robot or

your twelfth. There are three sections in this page.


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Figure: Add a Robot

In section 1, enter a name for the Robot and the e-mail address(es) that theopportunities should be sent to. Separate multiple e-mail addresses using semi-colons. If the Robot is to begin sending opportunities to the e-mail addresses immediately, ensure that the Active checkbox has been selected.


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Figure: Section 1

In section 2, define the criteria for your Robot by selecting the appropriate Edit link.There are four types of criteria: jurisdiction, keyword, organization, and GSIN.Within each type, you can select one or more criteria. In order for an opportunity to beincluded in your list, it needs to match the criteria you set for that Robot. Specifically,the system searches for an opportunity that includes the keywords entered, one orall of the organizations that were selected, and one or all of the GSINs that wereselected. The opportunity does NOT have to include all of the keywords entered; ifkeywords are separated by the word "AND", then the opportunity must include bothkeywords in order to be included in the list. If the keywords are separated by the word"OR", then the opportunity only needs to include one keyword or the other in order tobe included in the Robot list (it could also include both).

Figure: Section 2

Note: The Jurisdiction plus one more of the other 3 types of criteria are necessary inorder to set up a Robot in APC.

To define a Jurisdiction:

a. Expand the Jurisdiction dropdown list and select a Jurisdiction. It is possible toselect the 'Any Jurisdiction' option to have the robot return opportunities for anyand all jurisdictions.

To define keywords:

a. Click the Edit Keywords link in Section 2.b. The following page appears.


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Figure: Select Keywords

c. Enter a keyword into the text box. When entering multiple keywords, use "AND" or"OR" to separate the words (e.g., Calgary AND Edmonton). When the word "AND"separates two keywords, an opportunity must include both keywords in order to beincluded in the list. When the word "OR" separates two keywords, an opportunitycan include either term and be considered part of the list. It is also helpful in somecases to enter a partial keyword (such as "constr*" when searching foropportunities with the word construction in them). When using a partial keyword,enter the keyword followed by an *.

d. Press the Save button.

To filter the list of opportunities by organization:

a. Click the Edit Organizations link in Section 2.


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Figure: Select Organizations

b. Navigate through the levels until you locate the chosen organization. Select thecheckbox, or the Check All button to select all the organizations or Check Noneto un-select.

c. Press the Save button.

To filter the list of opportunities by GSINs:

a. Click the Edit GSINs link in Section 2.


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Figure: Select GSINs

b. Navigate through the levels until you locate the chosen GSIN. Select theappropriate checkbox, or use the Check All button to select all the GSINs or CheckNone to un-select.

c. Press the Save button.

6. In section 3, press the Save button to save the criteria for this Robot.7. The final step in setting up a Robot is to generate a sample list of opportunities using the

criteria in the new Robot. This ensures that the Robot returns the types of opportunitiesyou expect it to. To generate a sample opportunity list, click the Save and Generate Listbutton. If the system does not return the types of opportunities you were hoping it would,go back and reset your criteria.

7.3.2 Edit a Robot

Once you have set up a Robot in APC, it is possible to edit that Robot's criteria at any time.Each time you edit the criteria, it is important to generate a sample list to ensure the systemis returning the results you expect it to.

To edit the criteria for a Robot:


2. Select the My Robots tab.3. The Robots page opens, displaying a list of your existing Robots.


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Figure: List of Robots

4. Click on the Title of the Robot to be edited.5. The following page appears. Notice that this page is similar to the page you see when

you first set up a Robot, except that the fields are filled in. You can edit such items as:changing/adding new e-mail addresses, setting the Robot as inactive if you are going onvacation (and re-setting it as active when you return), changing the various types ofcriteria (e.g., keywords, organizations, GSINs). To clear ALL of the criteria previously setfor a filter type, click the appropriate Clear link.


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Figure: Edit a Robot

6. Once you have edited the Robot:

click the Save and Generate List button (Review list and if the list does not includethe types of opportunities you thought it would, edit the criteria again) orclick the Save button

7.3.3 Delete a Robot

Since APC has a limit of 12 Robots per user, it may be necessary at some point to removeone of your Robots from the system to provide you with room to add a new one.

To delete a Robot:

1. Log in to Premium Membership. For information on how to log in to PremiumMembership, refer to the section Logging in to Premium Membership.

2. Select the My Robots tab.


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3. The Robots page opens, displaying a list of your existing Robots.4. Click the Delete link next to the Robot you want to remove from your list. It is

permanently removed from the system.

7.4 Review Your Opportunities

Once your Robots have been set up, the system will send you a list of new opportunities thatmatch your criteria each night, as well as new information for opportunities you have recentlyexpressed interest in (to ensure you have the most current information). The list is located inthe My Opportunities tab.

To review your personal list of opportunities:


2. Click the My Opportunities tab. 3. The Opportunities page opens, displaying your personal list of opportunities. This

personal list includes those opportunities that match the criteria from your Robots ANDthose opportunities that you expressed interest in (currently in Open state) and haverecently been updated. Note: To view the list in a printer friendly format, click the PrintFriendly button.

Figure: My Opportunities Tab

4. To view opportunities that you expressed interest in but are now Closed, Suspended, orAwarded, click the appropriate link at the top of the page (e.g., Closed).

5. Within the list, you can review the full details of an opportunity by clicking on theOpportunity Title.


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7.4.1 Advanced Search

You can search for a specific opportunity or type of opportunity in your list by selecting the Advanced Search button on the My Opportunities tab. This search page is similar to thegeneral search page, with the addition of an Expressed Interest checkbox. Select thischeckbox to ensure your search results only include those opportunities for which you haveexpressed interest. Enter the search criteria as you normally would in APC and click Search.For additional information on searching for opportunities in APC, refer to the section entitled Search Opportunities.

7.5 Reports

Premium Membership offers several reports that are based on the Robots you create. Eachreport has its own list of parameters (e.g., date range) that need to be entered before thereport can be generated. A report can display information for ONE Robot at a time.

The following reports are currently available:

1. Posted vs Awarded (shows the number of opportunities that have been Posted andAwarded during a specific period of time for the GSINs set in the selected Robot)

2. Bid Amount Per Opportunity (displays all of the bid amounts that an opportunity hasreceived, based on the GSINs that were set in the selected Robot)

3. Review vs Bid by Organization (graphs the number of opportunities that were reviewedby your organization compared with the number of opportunities your organization has bidon)

Figure: Reports Tab

This section of the manual describes how to enter the criteria for and generate each of thePremium Membership reports. Each of the reports has a unique criteria screen, with some ofthe fields being the same across screens.

7.5.1 Posted vs Awarded

This report displays the number of opportunities that have been Posted and Awarded during aspecific period of time. It is based only on GSINs.


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To create a report of this type:


2. Select the Reports tab.3. The Data Reporter page opens. This page lists the reports available in Premium

Membership.4. Select the Posted vs Awarded link.5. The following criteria window appears.

Figure: Criteria Screen for Posted vs Awarded Report

6. Enter the criteria that applies to the data you wish to view on the generated report.

Group By drop-down list box (you can group your report either by month or year)My Robots (from your list of Robots, you can choose the Robot to base the report on)Chart Type (select the method of displaying the data - either bar graph or line graph)Date Range (you can select a date range from a list of several different date ranges)

user period = set the start date and the end date

present period = you can choose to create a report using data from this month, lastmonth, last three months, or last six monthsmonth = select the month to base the report on

month range = set a range using the month list boxes

year = select the year in which to base the report

7. Once you have the criteria set, click the Generate Report button.8. The report will appear in the Reports tab where you are currently working. The example

below is a line graph.


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Figure: Posted vs Awarded Report

9. If you wish to change some of the report parameters, change them in the criteria sectionand then click the Generate Report button OR the Update Report button to re-generate the report. To return to the report list and create a new report, click the SelectDifferent Report button.

Note: It is possible to download the data in your generated report to a .csv file. To do this,click on the Download Data as CSV button. Enter a name for the new .csv file and select thelocation for the file. Click OK. The new file is placed into the selected location.

7.5.2 Bid Amount Per Opportunity

This report displays all of the bid amounts that an opportunity has received from variousorganizations. The report parameters for this report are quite limited; you can select theopportunity that you want to base the report on as well as the type of graph for the report (i.e.,bar or line).




Membership.4. Select the Bid Amount Per Opportunity link.5. The following criteria window appears.


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Figure: Criteria Screen for Bid Amount Per Opportunity Report


Bid On Opportunities drop-down list box (select the opportunity you wish to base thereport on)Chart Type (select the method of displaying the data - either bar graph or line graph)


below is a bar graph.




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7.5.3 Review vs Bid by Organization

This report compares the number of opportunities that:have been downloaded by your organization

your organization has expressed interest in

your organization has submitted a bid for

have been awarded to your organization

Note: When you as a Vendor create your user profile in APC, you are requested to enter abranch key (i.e., a group that classifies you within the parent organization). This branch keyis then used to obtain data for this report. If you didn't enter a branch key, then this report willonly display data for the parent organization. If you entered a branch key, then this report willdisplay the type of information that relates to your branch/group.

In addition, this report can display bidding details for any individual that is listed in your VendorProfile.




Membership.4. Select the Review vs Bid by Organization link.5. The following criteria window appears.

Figure: Criteria Screen for Review vs Bid by Organization Report


Group By drop-down list box (you can group your report either by month or year)Chart Type (select the method of displaying the data - either bar graph or line graph)Vendor Profile (select the vendor you wish to base the report on)Date Range (you can select a date range from a list of several different date ranges)


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user period = set the start date and the end date

present period = you can choose to create a report using data from this month, lastmonth, last three months, or last six monthsmonth = select the month to base the report on

month range = set a range using the month list boxes

year = select the year in which to base the report


below is a bar graph.

Figure: Review vs Submitted by OU Report



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8 APC Vendor Glossary

The following terminology is used throughout the APC Vendor User Manual.

AddendumA document that is added to an opportunity after that opportunity has been posted. Anaddendum is listed under Amendments on the Opportunity Notice. See Amendment.

Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) The domestic trade agreement signed by the federal and provincial governments, aswell as the Northwest Territories and Yukon governments, to reduce and eliminate (to the extent possible) barriers to the free movement of persons, goods, services,and investment within Canada and to establish an open, efficient, and stable domestic market. The Department deals specifically with the procurement provisionsof Chapter 5 and the Annex 502.4 of the Agreement on Internal Trade.

Agreement TypeA field on an Opportunity Notice that indicates the agreement under which anopportunity falls. All Alberta opportunities are subject to the Agreement on InternalTrade if they are above specific limits. See Opportunity Type.

Alberta TimeMeans Mountain Standard Time or Daylight Saving Time as provided for in theDaylight Saving Time Act of Alberta.

Alberta Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA) The domestic trade agreement signed by Alberta and British Columbia, to reduce andeliminate (to the extent possible) barriers to the free movement of persons, goods,services, and investment within Canada and to establish an open, efficient, and stabledomestic market.

AmendmentAn amendment is a change to an opportunity after it has been posted to the VendorOpportunity Centre. This can be a change to the details of an opportunity (e.g., closingdate) or a new document that has been added as an addendum. See Addendum.

APCAlberta Purchasing Connection. APC is the Province of Alberta's official system forposting and distributing purchasing opportunities from the Alberta public sector (i.e.GOA and the MASH Sector).

AttachmentsAttachments are documents (mostly electronic) that are attached to an OpportunityNotice to provide supporting information. These attachments are referred to as a BidPackage. Other types of attachments may be available elsewhere, as indicated in theOpportunity Notice. See Bid Package.

Award ListA list of the Vendors who are awarded an opportunity. This is part of the Opportunity


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Notice and includes the name, comments, and bid amount for each Vendor who isawarded the opportunity.

Bid ListA list of the Vendors who bid on an opportunity and their associated bids. After anopportunity has closed, this may become part of the Opportunity Notice. The Bid Listincludes the name, comments and bid amount for each Vendor who bid on theopportunity. It is optional for the purchasing organization to publish a Bid List.


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Bid PackageThis package contains any documentation associated with an opportunity. The BidPackage may include items such as: official documentation, drawings, plansspecifications, addenda, contractual documents, etc. As a Vendor, you are required todownload this package in order to respond to an opportunity.

BrowseThe process of locating and viewing opportunities in the APC Vendor OpportunityCentre. You do not need to be logged in to the APC system to browse and viewOpportunity Notices. See Download, Search.

BrowserA browser such as Internet Explorer is required to use the APC system.

CategoryThe category indicates whether an opportunity is concerned with Goods, Services orConstruction, and is displayed on the Opportunity Notice. The purchasingorganization selects which category best represents the opportunity.

Closing DateThe date by which all bid submissions must be received. This appears on theOpportunity Notice. See Closing Time.

Closing TimeThe time by which all bid submissions must be received. This appears on theOpportunity Notice. See Closing Date.

CommodityA good or service that can be associated with an opportunity. The APC system usesGSIN codes as a way of organizing commodities. See Commodity Code, GSIN Code.

Commodity CodeA way of organizing commodities. At least one commodity must be attached to anopportunity in the APC system. See Commodity, GSIN Code.

ConstructionOne of the three categories that an opportunity can be classified as in the APCsystem. See Category, Goods, Services.

COOLNet Alberta The Construction Opportunity Online Network that maintains an electronic distributionnetwork among Canadian Construction Association (CCA) members fordisseminating construction procurement opportunity information in Canada.

DownloadAs a Vendor, by downloading documents associated with an opportunity (i.e. the bidpackage), you are showing interest in that opportunity. You must be logged in to theAPC system to download, although you can view Opportunity Notices without being


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logged in. See Bid Package, Browse, Interested Vendors, Search.


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GoodsOne of the three categories that an opportunity can be classified as in the APCsystem. See Category, Construction, Services.

GSIN CodeA standard group of codes that refer to various goods and services and are attachedto an opportunity created in the APC system. These codes are set by the federalgovernment. See Commodity Code.

Help SystemThere are several Help screens in APC that contain hyperlinks for a user to select andconnect to a helpful explanation regarding the current topic.

Home PageThe base page for the Vendor Opportunity Centre.

HyperlinkA word or series of words that connects you to a new page when selected.

Interested VendorsVendors who have downloaded at least one document attached to an opportunity. Youcan view a list of the Interested Vendors on the Opportunity Notice. See Download.

Launch PageThe first page you see when you enter the Alberta Purchasing Connection website.This page allows you to access either the Purchaser Site or the Vendor Site.

LinkSee Hyperlink.

MASH Sector (MASH)In general, this term can refer to any of the following: Alberta's municipalities,municipal organizations, publicly-funded academic institutions, school boards, andhealth services (including regional health authorities and hospitals).

NAICSNorth American Industry Classification System. NAICS is a unique system forclassifying business establishments.

OpportunityA requirement for goods or services published via the Alberta Purchasing Connection(APC) for Vendors to peruse. See Opportunity Notice.

Opportunity NoticeThis notice is published on the APC Vendor Site and includes information related to anopportunity and any associated documentation.


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Opportunity StatusThe status of an Opportunity Notice. The various statuses include: Open, Suspended,Closed or Awarded. An open status indicates that the opportunity is currently open forviewing and Vendors may respond to it. A suspended status indicates that theopportunity is temporarily unavailable but it will be re-posted to the Vendor OpportunityCentre once it is finished being amended. A closed status indicates that theopportunity is no longer open and Vendors may no longer respond to it. A status of awarded indicates that the opportunity has been awarded. If the Award Notice hasbeen published, then Vendors can view it on the Opportunity Notice (it appears as alink).

Opportunity TypeThe solicitation method selected by the purchasing organization who created theopportunity. This field describes opportunity restrictions (if any) and is used inconjunction with the Agreement Type. It appears on the Opportunity Notice. See Agreement Type.

OrganizationA field on the Opportunity Notice. This is the organization that created and posted theopportunity.

Over-ThresholdRefers to opportunities that represent a value above the threshold dollar amount forGoods or Services, as described by the AIT or TILMA. See Under-Threshold,Agreement Type.

Posting Date The date that an opportunity was posted to the Vendor Opportunity Centre for Vendorsto view. Since an opportunity can be posted more than once, this date may not be theoriginal posting date.

Reference NumberAn identification number for an opportunity that is generated by the APC system.Appears on the Opportunity Notice.

Region of DeliveryThe region where the Goods and/or Services are to be delivered. Appears on theOpportunity Notice.

Region of OpportunityThe region where the opportunity is available (e.g. Alberta, or Canada-wide). Appearson the Opportunity Notice.

Revised DateThis date appears on the Opportunity Notice. It is the last date that the opportunitywas amended (including the addition of new documents). Appears on the OpportunityNotice.

Search


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In the APC system, you can search for opportunities using a variety of attributes (e.g.keyword, status, commodity, posting date, closing date). You do not need to belogged in to the APC system to search and view opportunities. See Browse, Download.


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ServicesOne of the three categories an opportunity can be classified as in the APC system.See Category, Construction, Goods.

Solicitation NumberAn internal procurement code that a purchasing organization assigns to anopportunity. It can consist of only numbers, only letters, or a combination of both. Thiscode cannot exceed 20 characters, and may include slashes (/) and dashes (-).

TitleThis field on the Opportunity Notice contains the title of the Notice, as defined by thepurchasing organization who created the opportunity.

Under-ThresholdRefers to opportunities that represent a value below the threshold dollar amount forGoods or Services, as described by the AIT or TILMA. See Over-Threshold,Agreement Type.

Vendor DirectoryThe directory that holds Vendor contact and business information in the APC system.This is useful information for purchasing organizations to access when they arecreating new opportunities. You can add your company to the Directory by creating aprofile. See Vendor Profile.

Vendor Opportunity CentreAlso known as the Vendor home page, this is where Vendors can view, download,and respond to opportunities. See Home Page.

Vendor ProfileA record in the Vendor Directory that contains contact information for a Vendor. See Vendor Directory.

ZoneAn area of interest on the Vendor home page.

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Index- A -Accessing

APC 7

Vendor Site 7

APC

Accessing 7

Accessing Vendor Site 7

and Alberta Infrastructure 3

and Alberta Transportation 3

Downloading Opportunities 18

Key Vendor Features 3

Logging In 16

Overview 2

System Requirements 7

User Profile 14

Vendor Opportunity Centre 9

Viewing Opportunities 18

- D -Download

Opportunity Notice 23

- O -Opportunities

Browse 18

Downloading 16, 18, 23

Finding 18

Limited Vendor List 22

Search 19

Viewing 18, 22

Viewing Awarded 32

Viewing Closed 32

Opportunity Notice

Downloading 23

View 32

Viewing 22

- S -System Requirements

APC 7

- U -User Profile 14

Creating 14

Editing Password 15

Modifying 15

- V -Vendor

Limited List 22

Vendor Directory

Accessing 37

Adding Vendor History 40

Assigning Vendor Attributes 41

Changing Company Name 42

Creating Branch 42

Creating Profile 38

Using 37

Vendor List

Limited 22

Vendor Opportunity Centre 9

Home Page 10

Navigation 9

Using Help 11

View

Opportunity Notice 22

Documents

Alberta Purchasing Connection Vendor User Manualvendor.purchasingconnection.ca/help/PDF/vendor.pdf · The Alberta Purchasing Connection ... Inform purchasers about your company by