The ultimate goal of BidConnect is to provide the builder the ability to compare bids from multiple vendors and determine which bid(s) will give them the best cost structure to meet their budget estimates for a bidding project. Additionally the user can export data to Excel in a format for uploading into the builder’s ERP system.

The bid analysis function is performed through a series of “views” based on Bid Groups. They are accessed by clicking on the Bid Analysis button on the Project Detail page on the Bid Analysis link in the left navigation bar. Each view (except the take-off item and option views) contains budget data as well as a column for each vendor who was invited to bid (and has submitted a bid response). They also include a row to “select” one vendor for the bid group that will be shown for that bid group on the Project Bid Summary page (see more detailed about “Selected Bidder” in the business rules section). For the discussions below, “base house” means bids that do not include options. It should also be noted that there is no budget data for options or take-off items. Each view also has a button for exporting the data for the given view in two formats; Export for ERP creates a spreadsheet which can be used to upload the awarded bids to the builder’s ERP system, Export to Excel provides the view data in Excel for them to do “off-line” analysis and manipulation in a format just like the view including drill down capabilities.

Bid Analysis Page Filters:

1. Select the bid group from the Bid Group filter.

2. Select the "view" (see description of views above) from the View filter.

3. Click on the Select button.

   No data will be displayed on the Bid Analysis page until a bid group and view have been selected.

The views include:

• Base House by Plan & Elevation – This view summarizes the bids from all vendors who were invited to bid on cost codes for a bid group as well as budget data for the bid group by plan & elevation. The view also allows the user to “drill down” to view the data at a cost code level and if the cost code is a take-off cost code to view the bids for each take-off item for the cost code. It also summarizes the data at the bottom of the page to provide comparative data information such as cost per square foot and bid versus budget.

• Base House by Cost Code – This view summarizes the bid and budget information by cost code with the ability to drill down to plan & elevation data. It does not provide the ability to drill down to take-off items.

• Options by Plan & Elevation – This view is similar to the Base House by Plan & Elevation but only includes option bids. Again, the data is originally displayed summarized by plan & elevation for each option. Within an option, the user can drill down to cost code and take-off item levels.

• Options by Cost Code – This view is similar the Base House by Cost Code view but only includes option bids. Within a cost code, the data is shown by plan & elevation with the ability to drill down to take-off items if the cost code is a take-off cost code.

• Take-off Items – This view only includes “take-off” cost codes and shows data by plan & elevation for each-take off item. Since suppliers only submit unit costs for take-off items, the data shown is the “unit cost” bid for each vendor for each take-off item for each plan & elevation. There is no drill down capability on this view because take-off items are the lowest level of detail in the system.

Selected Bidder Row (row of check boxes below Bid Total row) (all views)

This row of check boxes provides a check box for each bidder who has been invited to bid on the cost codes for the bid group. Placing a check mark on one of the boxes “selects” that bidder and will cause that bidder’s bids to show up on the Project Bid Summary page for the bid group.

• Only one vendor can be "selected" for a bid group

• The selected bidder is highlighted in yellow (including the vendor name at the top of the bidder column of the view)

• If a bid has been awarded for a bid group, the "selected bidder" check box for that bid group cannot be changed (all selection boxes for that bid group are disabled)

• If a bid is rescinded, the check boxes are re-enabled for the bid group.

Bid Group Summary Rows (set of rows below the bid data rows)

• Bid Total

• Sq.Ft. - The total number of plan & elevations for the project

• Mix - The total number of the units projected to be built in the project.

• Budget - the total dollars budgeted for the bid group (sum of the values at the plan & elevation level)

• Supplier Columns -

• For "lump sum" cost codes, this is the Unit Cost submitted by the supplier.

• For "take-off item" cost codes, this is the total of the "extended cost" (unit cost multiplied by the quantity of the item) for all take-off items for the cost code for the plan & elevation

• Bid Avg

• Sq. Ft. – The total sq. ft. for all of the plans & elevations divided by the number of plans (value on the Bid Total line)

• Budget – The total from the Bid Total line divided by the number of plans & elevations (value under the Sq. Ft. column on the Bid Total line)

• Supplier Columns – The bid total for the supplier from the Bid Total line divided by the number of plans & elevations (value under the Sq. Ft. Column on the Bid Total line)

• Diff. of Current Budget (reflects whether the average for the supplier is above or below the budget)

• Supplier Columns – The difference between the Bid Avg. for the supplier and the Bid Avg. from the budget column.

• If the supplier’s avg. is less than the budget, the number will be a negative number enclosed in parenthesis.

• If the supplier’s avg. is above the budget, it will be shown as a positive number.

• Avg. Cost/Sq. Ft.

• The values on this row are the totals from the Bid Avg. row divided by the average sq. ft. (value in the Sq. Ft. column on the Bid Avg. row).

• Cost of Mix

• The values on this row are the totals of the values in the respective column for each plan & elevation multiplied by the mix for the plan & elevation

• Diff. of Current Budget to Mix (reflects whether the total mix for the supplier is above or below the budget)

• Supplier Columns – The difference between the “Cost of Mix” for the supplier and the “Cost of Mix” from the budget column.

• If the supplier’s “Cost of Mix” is less than the budget, the number will be a negative number enclosed in parenthesis.

• If the supplier’s “Cost of Mix” is above the budget, it will be shown as a positive number.

• Avg. Difference / House in Mix (reflects whether average difference for the supplier is above or below the budget)

• Supplier Columns – The “Diff. of Current Budget to Mix” for the supplier divided by the value in the Mix column on the Bid Total row.

• Percent (+ / -) (reflects the percent  the supplier is above or below the budget)

• Supplier Columns – The “Diff. of Current Budget to Mix” for the supplier divided by the value of the “Cost of Mix” in the Budget column

Buttons/Actions

• Export for ERP - Clicking on the Export for ERP button will open an MS Excel spreadsheet containing the bid information to be uploaded to the builder's ERP system.

  This button is only shown for bid groups that have been "awarded".

• Export to Excel - Clicking on the Export to Excel button will open an MS Excel spreadsheet containing the bid information for the bid group.

• Save Selections - Clicking on the Save Selections button will save the check mark for the "selected" vendor for the bid group.

• Send Email Function

• Email Type - A drop down list of the types of email messages that can be sent from the Bid Analysis view. The types of email messages are:

• Bid Invitation - This email message begins with the bid invitation message that was set up via the Email Formats link under the Master Mgmt section.

• The list of subcontractors for the bid invitation will be all "included" subcontractors for the project.

• Subcontractors who have already been sent a bid invitation message for the project will not be selectable on the subcontractor list.

• Bid Award - The email message begins with the bid award message that was set up via the Email Formats link under the Master Mgmt section.

• The list of subcontractors for the bid award email will be all "selected" subcontractors.

• Subcontractors who have already been sent a bid invitation message for the project, will not be selectable on the subcontractor list.

• Rescind Bid Award - The email message begins with the rescind bid award message that was set up via the Email Formats link under the Master Mgmt section.

• The list of subcontractors for the rescind bid award email will be all subcontractors who have been awarded a bid.

• Bid Rejection - The email message begins with the bid rejection message that was set up via the Email Formats link under the Master Mgmt section.

• The list of subcontractors for the bid rejection email will be all subcontractors that have not been "selected".

• Subcontractors who have already been sent a bid rejection message  for the project, will not be selectable on the subcontractor list.

• Email Broadcast - This is a general email that begins with a blank message box so the user can compose the email message from scratch.

• The list of subcontractors for the email message will include all "included" subcontractors for the project.

• Send Email - Clicking on the Send Email button will open the window to send the email type selected in the Email Type filter.