Overview

This Quick Reference Guide (QRG) is intended for Procurement Officers/Buyers who want to notify Vendors of their solicitation. This QRG shows how to notify vendors of a solicitation and complete the required public notice process.

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.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Notify Vendors of Solicitation

NOTE: This QRG assumes you have already added your Vendors to your sourcing project and completed the process of preparing your solicitation. If not, see the QRGs Add Vendors to a Sourcing Project in eMMA, and Prepare a Sourcing Project in eMMA.

  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.

    The Sourcing tab and the Browse Sourcing Projects option in the drop-down menu.
  3. Use the search fields and filters to find the sourcing project which you need to notify vendors of 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.
    The Edit or pencil icon for a sourcing project.

  4. Click the Prepare Solicitation tab on the left-hand side-panel.

    NOTE: You may need to click through the sub-tabs in the middle of the screen under Selected Round to complete the solicitation. It is important to provide as much information as possible so that Vendors know what they need to bid. A red asterisk (*) indicates a required field. You cannot advertise or publish your solicitation until at least all of the required areas are completed.
     
  5. Click the Invited Vendors subtab and scroll to the bottom of the selected Invited Vendors list.
    The Invited Vendors subtab.

  6. Click the next page number of Vendors.
    Graphical user interface, text, application Description automatically generated

  7. Scroll to the top and click the checkbox to the left of the Invited Vendors column header, if not already selected.
    The Select all checkbox.

  8. Click the Save button at the top of the page.

    IMPORTANT!! You must remember to click Save after you click the Select All checkbox on each page. Your solicitation will not post correctly without this step.
     
  9. Repeat Steps 6, 7, & 8 until all your vendors are selected and saved.

  10. Click the green Send button at the top of the page. A new window opens. This lets you send a message to the selected Vendors in the Invited Vendors sub-tab. These Invited Vendors are those involved with direct soliciting, or a discrete/exclusive list such as the three Vendors required for small procurements or secondary competition selected resellers.

    You can use this button to “send” a notification to the Invited Vendors ahead of the set opening day/time of your solicitation, as a heads up.

    NOTE: You must have at least one Vendor selected in the Invited Vendors subtab to use this button.

    NOTE: You can attach relevant documents to this message as well, although it is recommended to not attach any documents at this step. By not attaching documents to these emails, it requires the Vendors to go to the eMMA website and download them from there, which is preferable.
    The Send button.

  11. Adjust any settings in this window and click the Send and Close button. A prompt displays asking you to confirm; click OK. If your publish date is active or blank, another prompt displays to ask if you want to open the response period; Opening the response period means that the solicitation is publicly advertised, and that Vendors can bid on it. Click OK.
    The Send and close button.

  12. Click the Notify Commodity Vendors button at the top of the page to notify all Vendors in the selected commodity codes of the new solicitation.
    The Notify Commodity Vendors button.

  13. Click the Publish Notification button at the top of the page. A prompt displays letting you know the solicitation needs to be open; click OK. This final button officially publishes your solicitation on eMMA for the public to see. Now, all vendors in your sourcing project’s commodity(ies) were notified of the solicitation and it is ready to be bid on.

    The Publish Notification button.

  14. Click the Save button at the top of the page.


Next Steps

Once your solicitation has closed, see the Buyer QRG - Analyze Vendor Responses for the next steps.