eB2B Procurement Platform – Bidders’ manual

1. General Information ...................................................................................................................................... 2

1.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................................................. 3

1.2 Helpdesk contact: .................................................................................................................................................................... 3

1.3 Registration and login .............................................................................................................................................................. 4

1.4 Password recovery .................................................................................................................................................................. 6

1.5 User’s interface........................................................................................................................................................................ 8

2. Awarding procedure module ....................................................................................................................... 13

2.1 Submitting offer in RFP/RFQ stage. ...................................................................................................................................... 14

2.1.1. Awarding procedure setting ............................................................................................................................................ 15

2.1.2. Attachments .................................................................................................................................................................... 16

2.1.3. Participants ..................................................................................................................................................................... 18

2.1.4. Bidding ............................................................................................................................................................................ 19

2.1.5. Inquiries/Information ....................................................................................................................................................... 20

2.2 Submitting offer in RFP/RFQ stage with a detailed offer. ...................................................................................................... 22

3. Bidding stage (e-auction) ............................................................................................................................ 26

3.1 Bidding – English or Dynamic action ..................................................................................................................................... 28

3.2 Bidding – Japanese action .................................................................................................................................................... 30

3.3 Bidding – Dutch auctions ....................................................................................................................................................... 34

3.3.1 Dutch auction – one bid only ........................................................................................................................................... 36

3.3.2 Dutch auction – one bid for each bidder ......................................................................................................................... 38

3.3.3 Dutch auction – alignment to the first bid during the following cycle. .............................................................................. 39

3.3.4 Dutch auction - alignment to the first bid during the same cycle will end at the end of the cycle in which the first bidder

submitted an bid ........................................................................................................................................................................... 40

4. Settings module .......................................................................................................................................... 42

4.1 My settings ............................................................................................................................................................................ 42

4.2 My companies ....................................................................................................................................................................... 45

4.3 My attachments ..................................................................................................................................................................... 46

4.4 Users ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 46

5. Help module ............................................................................................................................................... 47

1. General Information

1.1 Introduction

This manual is intended for bidders participating in awarding procedures on eB2B Platform available at https://bsh.eb2b.com.pl.

eB2B Procurement Platform provides communication between the sponsor and the bidder, enabling:

• Downloading and attaching awarding procedure documentation

• Sending inquiries to the sponsor of the awarding procedure, receiving sponsor’s information

• Submission of offers/bids in the awarding procedure

• Supplementing the offer, responding sponsor’s information

1.2 Helpdesk contact:

Platform users are provided with eB2B support from 08:00 to 16:00 (UTC +1: 00) on working days. If you have any questions about

the eB2B Purchase Platform or to report any errors in translation or operation, please contact us by phone at

+48 22 378 39 70, +48 222584861, +48 537333338, +48 695347328 or by writing to the following address: admin@eb2b.com.pl

For support in English, please call: +48 600 390 036, support@eb2b.com.pl

For substantive issues concerning the organization of awarding procedures, contact the relevant sponsor on BSH site using the

Inquiries / Information tab in the details of the awarding procedures.

Figure 1. Main page view

1.3 Registration and login

There are two ways to register in the system:

• Registration by completing the registration form (self-registration of the bidder);

• Registration performed by BSH employee or eB2B administrator;

To register yourself, go to https://bsh.eb2b.com.pl and select “Registration” from the menu, then fill the registration form.

Figure 2. Self-registration

The registration form consists of 4 elements:

• Form with basic data. Mandatory fields are marked with the sign “ * ”.

• Selection of the right industry

• Indication of the BSH assortment group (optional)

• Learn and approve eB2B Procurement Platform’s Terms and Conditions.

After registration the bidder receives an e-mail with one time access password. To sign in to the system, enter your email address

and password. The first time you log in, change your password and accept the eB2B Procurement Platform terms and conditions.

Figure 3. Logging in to the system

1.4 Password recovery

If the user does not remember password, click on “I do not remember password”. After entering the e-mail address in the form, click

the "Send" button.

Figure 4. Password recovery

Note - after logging into the system, make sure that the correct time zone and language are assigned to the user.

Figure 5. Information about the currently assigned time zone in the User account

If the time zone is not correct, change it in the Settings / My Settings menu and save the changes.

Figure 6. Settings/ My Settings – changing time zone

1.5 User’s interface

The user can decide what columns to display, in what order. By clicking on the table heading (for example, the Name field), click on

the small triangle, then select the Columns menu and select / deselect selected columns. The browser will remember the settings

on your computer.

In My awarding procedures submenu, press Introduction to watch a video showing how you can navigate in the eB2B Procurement

system. The film is available in Polish and English.

Figure 7. „Introduction” button – displays video presentation panel

Figure 8. Sponsor’s view – display of selected columns

By clicking on the table header (e.g. the Name field) and holding down the left mouse button you can move the column to another

place (drag and drop), the user can also define the width of the columns by catching the edge of the column and holding the left

mouse button move the column edge to the right or left . You can also sort and filter the displayed data.

Figure 9. Sponsor’s view – moving the column to the left

Certain columns can be hidden / invisible to the user in the default view.

To search for specific awarding procedure, knowing its name, type in the Name column for the appropriate phrase, e.g. "test" The

system will display the procedure containing the word "test" in the Column Name.

Filters can be combined - by typing in another column awarding procedure number, e.g. 123. the system will display procedures

containing the word "test" in the column name and 123 in the column number.

Figure 10. Bidder’s view – filtering in columns

To remove the selected filter, hover the mouse over the filter field and click on the cross (the field with active filter is displayed in

green italic)

To remove all filters at the same time, click on the icon

Figure 11. Removal of all filters from the list of procedures

2. Awarding procedure module

In “Awarding procedure” module the user can go to:

• “List of open awarding procedures” – the list can be empty, as BSH does not conduct open awarding procedures

• “My awarding procedures” – displays list of awarding procedures, in which the bidder participates or has ever participated,

• “Awarding procedure results publication” – contains the list of awarding procedures results if they are published by BSH

(option).

• “Offers opening announcement” – contains information of submitted offers. The list will be empty, because BSH does not

disclose offers information.

Figure 12. Awarding procedure menu

In Awarding procedures/My awarding procedures menu after selecting the chosen awarding procedure the following tabs are

available on the toolbar: “Go to awarding procedure” - allows viewing details of the selected procedure, “Download awarding

procedure settings” – allows to download awarding procedure settings in pdf format, “Resignation from participation” – resign from

participation in the awarding procedure (the awarding procedure will remain on the list, but once you resign, the sponsor will be

notified and you will not have an access it. “Invite other participant from your company” – allows to invite another employee form

your company (depending on the settings of the procedure, the employee change may require the consent of the sponsor).

Figure 13. Awarding Procedures/My awarding procedures toolbar

2.1 Submitting offer in RFP/RFQ stage.

In order to submit an offer in a given awarding procedure, login to the platform, select the appropriate procedure in the Awarding

procedures / My awarding procedures module, double-click the appropriate procedure, or select the one and click on the "Go to

awarding procedure" button.

Figure 14. Click Go to the awarding procedure button to see its details

In the details of the contract awarding procedure there are the following tabs available to bidder:

➢ Awarding procedure setting (displaying procedure settings details)

➢ Attachments (displaying sponsor’s attachments ,allowing adding your own once)

➢ Participants (presenting other invited users from bidder’s company)

➢ Bidding (select to enter your offer for defined items’ evaluation criteria )

➢ Inquiries /Information (presenting information from sponsor allowing for sending your own inquiries)

2.1.1. Awarding procedure setting

The awarding procedure settings tab presents procedure details, dates, stages, terms of bid submission, awarding procedure items

and their evaluation criteria. All this information may be printed in pdf file.

Figure 15. Awarding procedure settings tab

2.1.2. Attachments

The tab enable displaying sponsors attachments and enables bidder to upload his/her own once.

Figure 16. Attachments tab

Click +Add attachment, then select Upload a new attachment to the contract awarding procedure tab, name your file and click

Select a file button. Other bidders have no access to your files, but the sponsor.

Note – if the Add attachment button is not active it means the sponsor defined a deadline by which bidders can upload their file and

it expired.

Alternatively you can try do add an attachment using the Inquiries /Information tab, unless the deadline was set there as well.

Figure 17. Adding attachment to the contract awarding procedure

2.1.3. Participants

In the Participant tab the bidder may see other employees form bidder’s own company who were invited to the contract awarding

procedure by the sponsor. Every invited bidder has the same rights e.g. each bidder may place an offer during the procedure. To

avoid duplication of work it is recommended to contact your colleague before the bidding stage starts.

Figure 18. Participants tab

2.1.4. Bidding

In the Bidding tab there is a place to enter the values of each evaluation criteria for each defined awarding procedure item. Enter

the respective values and click “Save your bid “to confirm.

During the offer submitting stage you can enter as many values (offers) as you want. The last properly validated offer is the binding

one. The ranking of submitted offers is not available during offer submitting stage.

Note – if your offer is incomplete of incorrect the system will display an error message.

Figure 19. Bidding tab – submitting the offer (without a detailed offer)

2.1.5. Inquiries/Information

Using this tab the bidder may contact the sponsor. The tab is divided into sections: New/Sent and Received. To send an inquiry to

the sponsor select New/Sent then +Add Inquiry/Comment and type in its title, inquiry body, add attachment (optional) and press

Save.

Received tab displays information from the sponsor which you can respond to. Any time you receive an information the system will

also send you an e-mail, but the response can only be done in the system.

Figure 20. Inquiries/Information tab New/Sent

Figure 21. Inquiries/Information tab Received

2.2 Submitting offer in RFP/RFQ stage with a detailed offer.

To submit an offer for an item for which a detailed offer was defined you must click on icon which will direct you to a detailed

offer tab where you can enter unit prices for all line items defined by the sponsor. Once you are done with unit prices click Ready to

get back to the Offer tab and complete offer for other evaluation criteria of chosen procedure item, if any. The system will transfer

the total price value of all line items of the detailed offer to a product for which a detailed offer was defined.

Select another contract awarding item of your choice and continue the above process, or follow instructions as in the 2.1.4. section,

if the detailed offer is not defined.

Figure 22. Submitting an offer for Product 1 with a defined detailed offer.

Figure 23. Detailed offer view

When you are ready click Save your bid button to confirm your offer. You can change your submitted offer any time during the offer

submitting stage.

Figure 24. Saving the submitted offer

Note – in case if many line items within a detailed offer it is recommended to download the detailed offer items, complete the offer in

excel and upload the file back to the system.

Figure 25. Detailed offer preview – downloading/uploading the file with a detailed offer.

3. Bidding stage (e-auction)

The bidding stage may be a very first stage of a contract awarding procedure or it may be a continuation of RFP/RFQ or RFI. If we

continue the procedure there is usually no need to add any attachments or send inquiries to the sponsor during the bidding stage,

but if required, so it is recommended to read section 2 of this manual.

If there is no defined deadline for adding attachments or sending inquires you can do it at any time during the procedure regardless

if the sponsor requests you to provide them. See section 2 of this manual for details. Your attachments or inquiries are not available

for other bidders but the sponsor, unless the sponsor decides to respond to your inquiry, in which case both your inquiry and the

response will be available to all bidders, but you remain anonymous.

To bid during the bidding stage – go to Awarding procedure/My awarding procedures. Highlight the procedure of your choice and

double click it or highlight the procedure and click Go to the awarding procedure button. The bid may only be submitted during the

bidding stage and extra times. The bidder should understand the extra times settings if it was defined.

The details of the extra time are set in the setting tab in the contract awarding procedure preview.

Launch bidding extra time – if set to „yes” enables to initiate extra time by which the system extends the bidding stage according to

its settings.

Number of seconds between the last bid and closing of an awarding procedure – specifies the condition at which the system will

activate the extra time. If sponsor defines e.g. 180 sec and. the bidding was to be completed at 12:00 – then if the bid was

submitted by any bidder at 11:57 or later (i.e. 180 seconds or less before the end of the bidding stage) the system would extend the

auction by the time marked as the length of the extra time i.e. to 12:03. (default system settings)

Length of extra time (in seconds) – sets the time by which the procedure will be extended.

Number of extra times – specifies the amount of extra times. By defining, for example, five 3 minute extra times and the end of the

bidding stage at 12:00 - the system will definitively complete the procedure by 12:15 (or earlier if the conditions for the extra time

are not met).

After the n-th extra time, the length of extra time is changed? – "yes" means that after the n-th extra time the length of the extra time

will change (usually the sponsor will shorten the time of extra times).

Number of extra time after which its duration changes – specifies after which extra time the duration of extra time will change

Length of extra time after the change (in seconds): sets the duration of a reduced extra time

Figure 26. Awaiting commencement of bidding stage

3.1 Bidding – English or Dynamic action

To submit a bid during the English or dynamic auction , just like during the offer submitting stage, the bidder is to enter values for

each evaluation criteria for al or selected awarding procedure items – subject to sponsor’s settings. If the bid is not submitted

correctly the system will return an error message.

During the auction the bidder can see various information according to sponsor’s settings of the bidding stage options: bidder’s

overall ranking (available only if the offer requirement is set to All items), ranking per each awarding procedure item, ranking per

evaluation each evaluation criteria.

Figure 27. Submitting bids in English auction- Bidding tab

In the above example offer requirement was set to All items. The color or bidder’s offer is red as the bidder is currently ranked 2nd

despite he placed the best bid for Product 1. The winning offer is marked in green.

In the procedures where the offer requirement is set to Selected items, the ranking gets displayed for each product separately.

3.2 Bidding – Japanese action

During the Japanese auction bidders are required to accept system generated values of evaluation criteria (bids). The auction lasts

as long as the bidder keeps on accepting lower and lower suggested bids. If you do not accept the suggested bid during a given

cycle the auction stops for you. The last accepted bid is your biding bid. The auction stops when the last bidder does not accept the

suggested bid.

The auction itself is relatively short, followed by even shorter extra times – subject to sponsor’s settings. During the bidding stage

bidder is suggested to accept value of awarding procedure item’s defined evaluation criteria at the level of their initial values set by

the sponsor or the values of bidder’s evaluation criteria (offer) submitted during the offer submitting stage reduced by the minimum

bid change defined by the sponsor. If during the bidding stage the suggested bid is accepted -the extra time starts (1st cycle) and it

continues suggesting during next cycles lower and lower bids as long as the bidder accepts it.

Duration of the bidding stage and extra times is available in the Settings tab of awarding procedure preview in the bidding stage

options section.

Figure 28. Bidding stage options section details

Figure 29. Bidding in Japanese auction - Acceptance of suggested all 3 values of evaluation criteria

By clicking „I accept proposed bid” the bidder bids 1000 Euro/piece for criterion Price and 12 months for criterion Warranty both of

Product 1 and 500 Euro/piece for criterion Price of product 2.

Figure 30. Bidding in Japanese auction - Acceptance of just 1 value of evaluation criterion (at the level of 950 Euro/piece)

Once bidder accepts just one proposed evaluation criterion of his/her own choice (Price at the level of 950 Euro/piece) he/she

cannot continue with unchecked others evaluation criteria anymore. It can only continue with Product 1 Price criterion. (for

unchecked criteria the binding bids are 12 months and 500Euro/piece respectively).

If the bidder does not want to accept a proposed bid - do not do anything during the cycle. In the case below the bid of 900Euro was

accepted (binding bid), 850 Euro was not accepted. The accepted bid is displayed in the Your offer column.

Figure 31. Bidding in Japanese auction – non acceptance of proposed 850 Euro/piece bid.(do nothing)

3.3 Bidding – Dutch auctions

The Dutch auction is like a reversal of the Japanese auction. The system will begin to suggest bids from the low initial value

increasing it gradually to the final value defined by the sponsor in the Awarding procedure item tab. Bidders have only one chance

to submit a bid, that is, to accept system proposed bid. Depending on the variant of the Dutch auction, the system stops

immediately after the first bid gets accepted by the “fastest” bidder or system allows others to submit the same level bids, optionally

sending information about bids submitted by other bidders.

The auction can be one-item or multi item, but in the latter case it is required to set bid requirements to Selected items. The Dutch

auction must always be one-criterion (e.g. price). The auction trend can be upward or downward (buy). There are no extra times in

Dutch auction.

There are 4 types of the Dutch auction in the eB2B Procurement system.

• Dutch auction – one bid only - the bidder accepts the bid proposed by the system, however, the bidder has only one

possibility to click on the "Accept" button, which ends the auction for all bidders. The longer the bidder waits for the higher and

higher bid, the greater is the likelihood that other bidders will accept the bid before him. The auction ends for all bidders when the

fastest bidder accepts bid proposed by the system.

• Dutch auction – one bid for each bidder - the auction does not end when the very first bidder accepts the bid submitted by the

system during subsequent bids. In other words, each bidder has one chance to accept the bid suggested by the system,

indicating his/her level of bid

• Dutch auction – alignment to the first bid during the following cycle - At the time when one of bidders accepts the proposed

bid, the other bidders are informed by pop-up message that the bid of certain value had been accepted and they can also accept

the same bid until the end of the following cycle. The auction stops at the end of following cycle regardless if others accepted

theirs bids or not (the same level as the first bidder).

• Dutch auction - alignment to the first bid during the same cycle - The auction ends at the end of the cycle in which the bid

was accepted, not at the time of its acceptance. After accepting the bid, the remaining bidders may also accept the same bid until

the end of the cycle, but they are not notified about the competitor’s bids.

3.3.1 Dutch auction – one bid only

Once the auction starts the system dispays a suggested bid which may be accepetd by a bidder by clicling the “I accept

proposed bid” button. Clicking the button, after bid confirmation, is tantamount to submitting the bid.

After clicking on "I accept proposed bid", the system asks you to confirm the bid.

When the bidder accepts the proposed value of the criteria for a given item, the system will display a confirmation of bid submission.

Acceptance of the bid for one item does not mean the end of the auction for the remaining items of the proceedings. The system will

continue to suggest bids for other items.

As below, if the bidder accepted a bid, the system will display the submitted bid in the Your bid column

3.3.2 Dutch auction – one bid for each bidder

Each of the bidders can submit an bid accepting the suggested values of the criterion - for example, the bidder 1 accepted the bid

Bidder 2 is not informed that the bid has been submitted by bidder 1. Bidder 2 can accept the proposed bid regardless of the

bidder’s 1 action.

3.3.3 Dutch auction – alignment to the first bid during the following cycle.

After acceptance the suggested bid by the first bidder in a given cycle, the system informs the other bidders, who may also accept

the same bid in the cycle in which the bid was made or during the next cycle.

Bidder 1 accepts the bid for item No. 2

The system informs the bidder 2 of the bid submitted by competitive bidder.

If Bidder 2 does not accept the bid in this or the next cycle, the bidding stage for this item will end at the completion of the next

cycle.

3.3.4 Dutch auction - alignment to the first bid during the same cycle will end at the end of the cycle in which the

first bidder submitted an bid

Bidder 1 accepts the bid proposed by the system for item 2:

Bidder 2 will not be notified about submitted bid, but can still accept the bid until the end of the cycle, in which the bidder 1 accepted

the bid

Bidder’s 2 view, in the same cycle during which bid was submitted:

The bidder 2 will no longer be able to submit bids for item 2 in the next cycle, but the current one. He will be informed about the bid

submitted by its competitor at the the end of the cycle/at the beginning of the next cycle.

4. Settings module

4.1 My settings

In the "My Settings" tab, the user has the ability to edit his/her data, change the password, time zone, configure a replacement, and

change the font and contrast of an application that is useful to people with disabilities. The user can also specify whether he/she

wants to receive new information about new open awarding procedures at his/her e-mail address, although since BSH does not

conduct open procedures, the marking the check-box is neutral.

Figure 32. Settings/My settings

The user can choose the option of additional authorization i.e. activation of the logon code. Then, when you log in, you will have to

enter your password and additionally the code from the application.

Additional verification is included in the Settings / My Settings menu. Click on the "Activate code logging" button, then click Activate

code and follow the instructions on the screen. Activation requires the installation of the Free OTP application on your mobile

phone. From now on, the login will require additional authentication by the code displayed by the application on your phone.

Figure 33. Activation of login with additional safety code

To deactivate code logging, select "Deactivate logging with a code" in the Settings / My Settings menu. If you have any problems,

please contact the Administrator or your local administrator.

Figure 34. Login panel with a safety code

4.2 My companies

The "My companies" tab provides the ability to view and edit company data and assign your company to one of the 250 industries.

Select your own company and click the Edit button, than either change your company data or assign it to the relevant industry. Save

changes when ready.

Figure 35. Editing company data.

4.3 My attachments

A tab allowing vendors to add attachments to vendor's profile. It is inactive under BSH license.

4.4 Users

"Users" tab provides the ability to view your own company users and edit their data, as well as to add a new user. It also allows you

to check the login history of the given user. To do so, select from the list the user you are interested in and click the "Login history"

button.

Figure 36. Adding a new user.

.

5. Help module

In the "Help" tab, there are links to: the system administrator’s helpdesk and user manuals, where you can find the latest version of

posted manual.