Overview

Rounds are used in procurement to modify solicitations that have been sent to Vendors but not published. This Quick Reference Guide (QRG) is designed to help you, the Buyer, understand how to create a new round for an unpublished sourcing project in eMMA. This means that the solicitation has been sent to Vendors but not published in the system yet.

If the solicitation has been published, you will need to create an amendment. Please see the QRG for Creating an Amendment for a Solicitation.

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

If you need help at any time, email the eMMA Help Desk at emma.helpdesk@maryland.gov .

Prerequisites:

If the solicitation has been sent to Vendors but not published, you will need:

An Amendment document explaining any changes made to the solicitation.


Step-by-Step Instructions

  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.
    The Sourcing tab and the Browse Sourcing Projects option in the drop-down menu.

  3. Use the Search fields and filters to find the solicitation and click the Edit (pencil) icon to the left to view the project.
    The pencil icon is boxed on the sourcing project checklist.

  4. Click the Prepare Solicitation tab on the left-hand side-panel.
  5. Click the Other Actions button on the top right side of the page and select Create a new round from the drop-down menu that opens. The Round/Lot copy window opens.
    The Other Actions button and the Create a new round option in the Other Actions dropdown menu.

  6. Click the Create button to pull all the information from your solicitation into the new round.
    Round / Lot copy window with Create button highlighted in box.

  7. A confirmation prompt opens asking you to confirm that you want to create a new round. Click the Continue button on the prompt to proceed.
    Warning popup window with Continue button boxed.

    A new round is created as Draft in the Status field, and an attention message displays information about adding Amendment type documentation.

    Draft in Status field and 2 in Round field with Status, Round #, and Lot # in box.

  8. Update the solicitation as needed (e.g., change due date in Setup sub-tab) and click the Save button at the top of the page.
  9. On the Prepare Solicitation page, click the Attachments subtab and click the Create a Document button. The Content editor pop-up window opens.

    Attachments tab with Create a Document button in box.

  10. Click the Amendment link under Select a document type in the Content Editor window. The Amendment pop-up window opens.
    The Amendment option for a document type.

  11. Enter all required information in the fields. Fields marked with a red asterisk (*) indicate required fields.
  12. Make sure you click the Status field and select Approved from the drop-down menu. This step is important because you cannot send the Amendment notification to Vendors unless the Status is Approved.

    NOTE: Changing the Status from “Drafted” to “Approved” makes it visible to others, or Open.

    NOTE: The file size for uploaded documents must be less than 307,200 KB.

    Amendment status dropdown with default Drafted setting and Approved setting in boxes.

  13. Click the Click or Drag to add files button to add files from your computer. You can also drag files to the button to upload them. Repeat this step as many times as needed. Your added document(s) display below this button.
    Click or drag to add files link in a box.

  14. Click the Save & Close button at the top of the Amendment window.
  15. Click the Save button at the top of the page.
    Attachments tab with Save button in box.

  16. Click the Invited Vendors subtab.
    Invited Vendors tab box and checkboxes filled in.

  17. (Optional) Scroll down to the bottom of the Invited Vendors page and click the gear icon in the right-hand corner. A menu opens.
    1. Enter 150 in the Grid page size field and click the yellow checkmark to the right of the field. This expands your page results to the maximum amount viewable at once.
      The Grid Page size field in box showing a setting of 20 pages.
  18. Click the checkbox at the very top of the Vendor’s list on the left-hand side. This selects all vendors listed on the page.
    Checkboxes on Invited Vendors tab checked, with top checkbox highlighted in box.
  1. Scroll down to the bottom of the Vendors list and click the next page in succession. A list of unselected Vendors displays.
         A box highlighting the number links for pages of vendors.

  2. Repeat Steps 18 and 19 until the Vendors on all pages are selected. 
  3. Click the Save button at the top of the page.
  4. Click the green Send button along the top of the page to send the new round immediately. A popup window is displayed.
    Send button is boxed.

  5. At the top of the window, click all the checkboxes for Solicitation Attachments, and Excel Pricing Response Form to add required Amendment documents to the notification sent out to Vendors.

    Below that, make sure the checkbox is selected above the Company Name link to ensure all Vendors get the notification.

    The checkboxes to add attachments and pricing and to send to all vendors.

  6. Click the Send and close button in the pop-up window. Three prompts display asking for confirmation to notify Vendors and open the round. Click OK in each. This sets up the notification to Vendors regarding the round and changes the round status from Draft to Open.
    The Send and close button is boxed.

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


  8. Click the Notify Commodity Vendors button at the top of the page. Click OK at the prompt. Notify Commodity Vendors button highlighted in box.

  9. Click the Publish Notification button and click OK at the prompt.
    The Publish Notification box is highlighted with a box.

Your new round for your solicitation is now open. The previous round is now closed. The amended solicitation will show in eMMA. If further changes need to be made from this point, you will need to create an Amendment to this solicitation.

Two rounds of solicitation are displayed in the Selected Round dropdown, with Round 1 and 2 highlighted in a box.