{"id":32950,"date":"2021-01-21T03:02:13","date_gmt":"2021-01-21T03:02:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/e-ratepaorg.local\/?p=32950"},"modified":"2021-01-31T20:00:13","modified_gmt":"2021-01-31T20:00:13","slug":"reviewing-and-evaluating-vendor-bidsproposals-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?p=32950","title":{"rendered":"Reviewing and Evaluating Vendor Bids\/Proposals"},"content":{"rendered":"

January 21, 2021<\/span><\/p>\n

Attached:\u00a0Sample Bid Evaluation Matrix<\/a><\/p>\n

~ Sample Bid Evaluation Matrix Attached ~<\/p>\n

After posting a Form 470 and waiting at least 29 days (or posting a PEPPM mini-bid and waiting at least 14 days), the next step in the E-rate process is to review and evaluate the proposals submitted by vendors.\u00a0 Such bid evaluations are an E-rate program requirement and must be kept for 10 years from the last date to receive service under that procurement, and may be requested USAC during their review of your Form 471 application.\u00a0 This message provides simple steps and FAQs to guide you through evaluating vendor bids.<\/p>\n

GENERAL<\/strong><\/p>\n

After the Allowable Contract Date\/bid due date (whichever is later), applicants should review vendor proposals as soon as possible.\u00a0 The review should determine if each proposal has met the minimum requirements of the Form 470\/RFP and deserves to be included in the bid evaluation.<\/p>\n

If a requirement listed in the original 470\/RFP was not been met and the applicant wishes to disqualify the proposal, I recommend that the vendor\u2019s name and specific disqualification reason be listed in the bid evaluation. The easiest method to creating bid evaluations is to use a spreadsheet, with each vendor\u2019s name\/price\/scores in a separate column.\u00a0 The winning bidder\u2019s name should be listed at the bottom of the page, along with the person(s) that evaluate the proposals and the date. \u00a0\u00a0Attached is a sample bid evaluation matrix, containing two tabs \u2013 a blank matrix for you to complete, and a completed sample to use as a guide.<\/p>\n

PREPARING FOR YOUR BID EVALUATION<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>How do you determine your Allowable Contract Date and\/or view a copy of your submitted Form 470? The Allowable Contract Date (ACD) is the 29th day after you hit submit on your Form 470, and is the first date that you are permitted to hit submit on your Form 471 (29 days include weekends and holidays).\u00a0 The EPC system will e-mail you an automatic reminder when your ACD has arrived.<\/p>\n

—\u00a0<\/strong>Important\u00a0Note: If you uploaded any RFP addenda to your 470, and they included any new services, entities, or a significant change in services, you must extend your deadline so vendors have a full 28-days to submit bid responses with the new information.\u00a0 Unfortunately, the EPC Allowable Contract Date does not automatically update when an addendum is uploaded, simply because the system has no way of knowing if the information in the addendum has made significant changes to the RFP.\u00a0 This must be a manual calculation.\u00a0 But please don\u2019t forget to do this as many applicants have been denied for making RFP changes and not extending the due date.\u00a0 If you are unsure if your changes are significant, please ask me.<\/p>\n