Overview

This Quick Reference Guide (QRG) is intended for Procurement Officers/Buyers who need to prepare a solicitation for advertisement in eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA). It shows how to prepare a solicitation for an Invitation for Bid (IFB).

NOTE: For best results, use the Google Chrome browser to access eMMA.

This QRG discusses this process in 3 sections:

• Prepare Your Solicitation in eMMA
• Setup Pricing
• Add Attachments

Prerequisites

This QRG assumes you have completed the steps for creating a Sourcing Project and adding Vendors to an established sourcing project in eMMA. If not, please see the QRGs called, “Creating a Sourcing Project in eMMA” and “Add Vendors to a Sourcing Project in eMMA.”

NOTE: For best results, use the Google Chrome browser to access eMMA.

If you need help at any time, please reach out to the eMMA helpdesk at emma.helpdesk@maryland.gov. 

Instructional Video

This video follows the steps written below. This lets you choose which learning method works best for you.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare Your Solicitation in eMMA

NOTE: This QRG uses diagrams with specific callouts to show required and optional fields in forms. A yellow callout with a red border indicates a required field, while yellow callouts with a black border indicate optional fields. Letters within the callouts correspond to the explanations below the diagram. A red asterisk * indicates a required field.

NOTE: Additional fields may display depending on your selections.

1. Access eMMA at https://emma.maryland.gov and log in with your credentials.
   
   NOTE: Depending on your agency, you may only need to click the State SSO Login (Secure Auth) button or the MDOT SSO Login (MSAzure) button and log in with your credentials.
   
   
2. Click the Sourcing tab at the top of the screen and select Browse Sourcing Projects from the drop-down menu that opens. Search fields display above a list of sourcing projects of which you are a member.
   
   
3. Use the search fields and filters to find the sourcing project to which you need to award vendors in the list displayed and click the Edit (pencil) icon to the left to view the project. You can also click the hyperlinks for the project or ID as well.
   
4. Click the Prepare Solicitation tab on the left-hand side-panel and locate the Setup subtab on the Prepare Solicitation page.
   
   
   
5. Enter information in the fields on the left side of the form. A red asterisk (*) indicates a required field.
   
   NOTE: Depending on your selections in the fields, more fields may display.
   
   1. The Status, Round #, and Lot # fields are system-generated. You do not need to do anything in these fields. 
   2. Solicitation Title (*): The title of your solicitation auto-populates here.
   3. Template (checkbox): Select this checkbox if you want to make a template from this solicitation to use in the future.
   4. Solicitation Type (*): Click this field and select the type of solicitation from the drop-down menu that opens; IFB: Invitation for Bid, and IFB: Invitation for Bid (w/ Min Quals). 
   5. Summary: Enter a brief introduction and summary for your solicitation.
   6. Additional Information & Instructions: Enter any additional information and instructions in this field. 
   7. Alternate Link: Enter the link to the bid board on which this solicitation is posted, if applicable; i.e. BidExpress.
   8. Pre-Bid/Proposal Conference? (checkbox): Click this checkbox if you intend to have a Pre-Bid/Proposal conference for this solicitation. If you selected this checkbox, new mandatory fields display.
      
      1. Pre-Bid Conference Date (*): Click this field and select the date of your pre-bid conference. 
      2. Pre-Bid Conference Details (*): Enter the details of your pre-bid conference, like when, where, how to register, what Vendors need, etc.
6. Enter information in the fields for the Response Dates and Public Visibility sections on the right side of the form. A red asterisk (*) indicates a required field.
   
   1. Publish Date: This field auto-populates when you post the solicitation, later in these instructions. 
   2. Auto opening (checkbox): Select this checkbox if you want to have your bids automatically opened upon the closing date. This means the bid tabulation will populate immediately after the closing of the solicitation and the results will be public.
      NOTE: Leave this checkbox deselected if you want to manually open responses when the solicitation closes. 
   3. Due/Close Date (*): Click this field and select the date that vendors can no longer submit responses.
   4. Auto closure (checkbox): The option to close the solicitation on the due date is selected by default and cannot be changed. You do not need to do anything here. 
   5. Due/Close Date (EST): This field populates after you click Save. You do not need to do anything here.  
   6. No end date: Do you prefer to have an open end date? Click this field and select Yes from the drop-down menu if you prefer to close the solicitation manually No is the default selection. 
   7. Public Portal Publish Date: Click this field and select the date that you want to publish your solicitation in the public portal. Leave this field blank if you want to publish immediately.
   8. Public Portal Archive Date: Click this field and select the date that you want to unpublish your solicitation in the public portal.
7. Click the arrow to the left of the Advancedoptions section below the Response Dates and Public Visibility.
   
   NOTE: Some checkboxes are selected by default and some cannot be changed because of the nature of your project type.
    
8. Review and make selections necessary to your project.  Options include: Solicitation Visible to Public, Sealed Responses, Vendors must Acknowledge & Identify intent to Respond, and Bid Holders List Visible to Public. If the option for Bid Holders List Visible to Public is not selected, then you must click the checkbox to the left of it to select it.
   
   
   
   
9. Click the Save button at the top of the Prepare Solicitation page.
   
   
   

Setup Pricing

This section uses the Pricing subtab to show how to set up item pricing for your solicitation. This process continues from the last step in the previous process.

10. Click the Pricing subtab on the Prepare Solicitation page.
    
11. Enter information in the form fields to create a line item within the pricing grid for each item for bid. A red asterisk (*) indicates a required field. A (V) to the right of the heading indicates values that are visible by vendors and the public, if you opted to make this a public solicitation.
    
    1. Item Code (V) (*): This item code auto-populates. You do not need to do anything here.
    2. Item Type (V) (*): Required itemis the default selection in this field, but there are additional options in this drop-down menu, if needed.
       1. Required Item
       2. Price Adjustment
       3. Optional Item
       4. Additional Fees
    3. Item Label (V) (*): Enter in the name and brand of the item in this field.
    4. Detailed Description: Enter a detailed description of your item in this field.
    5. Commodity: Click this field and click the See All option at the bottom of the menu. The Select Commodities window opens. Enter a term for your commodity in the Keyword field and click the Search button for relevant results. You may need to click the plus and minus  icons to expand and collapse commodity tiers. Click the checkbox to the left of the commodity that applies to your item and close the Select Commodities window.
    6. Quantity (*): Enter the quantity needed for your item in this field.
    7. UoM (*): Click this field to open the drop-down menu and select a unit of measure for your item. (Optional) Click the See All option at the bottom of the menu to select from a more detailed list.
    8. Reference Price: Enter the price of the item for one unit on the market. This is the market value or previous value of that line item from other contracts.
    9. Target Price: Enter the amount you calculate the item should cost.
       
       
12. Click the Save button at the top of the Prepare Solicitation page. A new line is created in the pricing subtab and displays at the top of the list. Your first item is entered and displays below the empty line item fields in the Pricing subtab.
    
13. (Optional) Repeat Steps 10 and 11 to add new items, if necessary.

Add Attachments

This section uses the Attachments subtab to show how to add documents to your public solicitation. This process continues from the last step in the previous process.

13. Click the Attachments subtab on the Prepare Solicitation page.
    
    
    
14. (Optional) Click the Create a Document button to add a new document to your solicitation.
    
    NOTE: Uploaded documents cannot exceed 300,000 KB.
    
    
    1. In the Content Editor window that opens, click the link that best describes your document.
       
    2. Enter information in the document window fields and add the document (Click or Drag to add files button).
       
       NOTE: Make sure you change the document status to Approved so that both team members and vendors can view it.
       
       
    3. Click the Save & Close button at the top of the window. Your added document displays below the Attachment subtab.
       
       
15. (Optional) Click the Attach Existing Document button to add a document that exists in the Documents tab of your project. The Sourcing Project/Documents window opens and lists any documents you added to the Documents tab.
    
    
16. Select one or more checkbox(es) to the left of the document(s) you want to attach and click the Save & Close button at the top of the Sourcing Project/Documents window. The selected document(s) display in a list on the Attachments subtab.

Next Steps

Notify Vendors of your Solicitation. See the QRG Notify Vendors of Solicitation and Publish.