Bruce Thorner

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National Institutes of Health Information
Technology Acquisition and Assessment Center
How To Use The Request For Quote (RFQ) System

• Bruce Thorner
• ASSYST Contractor
• May 13, 2005

ECS III Forum
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Benefits Of Using ECS III

• Supporting Presidents Management Agenda for eGov
• Potential To Increase Sales Volume
• More Opportunities To Bid On Business
• Expedited Ordering Process
• Easy To Use
• Ability For Contractors To Respond Quickly

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Overview

• RFQ Process For Lots 1 - 5
• Starting May 16, 2005
• New LOT 6 Process
• New FOC Process Starting May 16, 2005
• How A Contractor Responds To An RFQ
• Questions

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Enhancements To The RFQ Process

• All ECS III orders must now be placed using the
  RFQ process.
• Lot 6 orders must be approved by the NITAAC CO
  prior to being placed.
• RFQs with an exception to fair opportunity to be
  considered must be approved by the NITAAC CO
  prior to being submitted.
• Automated RFQ process starting July 1, 2005.

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ECS III Request For Quote Process Flow
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The RFQ Process For Lots 1-5 Has Not Changed

• Customer goes to the ECS III on-line system by
  first navigating to the NITAAC website at
  http//nitaac.nih.gov and then clicking on the
  ECS III link at the top of the page. System is
  then accessed by clicking on the ECS III Quoting
  System link on the left side of the screen.
• Customer creates and sends a detailed RFQ
  (Request for Quote) to the ECS III Contractors
  through the RFQ online quote system.
• Contractors prepare responses to the RFQ using
  the ECS III system, and they are automatically
  sent back to the Customer for review.
• Customer is notified via email of waiting
  responses, logs on to web site, reviews online
  quotes, makes the Best Value Decision, and prints
  quotes for documentation.
• Customer converts the winning quote to an order
  in the ECS III system.
• Customer provides requisition with RFQ number,
  NITAAC Delivery Order Authorization Number and
  printed quotes to own Contract Shop to place
  order.
• Contract Shop faxes a copy of the Order to the
  Winning Contractor.
• The winning Contractor fulfills the order.

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Customer Creates An RFQ Select The Lot(s) and
(optionally) Attach List Of Requirements
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Customers Can View Vendors In Each Lot And Hot
Link To The Vendors Web Sites
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Customer Enters The Rest Of The Information To
Complete The RFQ
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Customer Can Review Responses To All Active RFQs
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Customer Reviews RFQ Response Summaries
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Customer Converts The Best Value Decision To An
Order
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Enhancements Being Made For Lot 6 Orders
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Create An RFQ With Lot 6 Selection
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New Lot 6 Procedure

• Customer must download the ECS III Pre-Award
  Checklist form from the ECS III website and use
  to
• document the requirements,
• indicate the Request for Quote (RFQ)
  closing/deadline date and,
• as applicable
• provide an explanation of how the Lot 6
  requirement will be used to support Lot 1-5 items
  and,
• document the justification for an exception to
  FOC.
• Customer E-mails the completed ECS III Pre-Award
  Checklist form to ECSIII_at_od.nih.gov or FAX to
  [phone]. Be sure to include any
  additional Requirement Attachments and/or
  Security Attachments in the e-mail/FAX if they
  are applicable.
• NITAAC will distribute the RFQ to the appropriate
  Contractors.
• The Contractors will reply to the Customer with
  quotes via e-mail.
• Once you have made your Best Value Determination
  and selected a Contractor, send this information
  to ECSIII_at_od.nih.gov or FAX to [phone].
• The NITAAC CO will review the Lot 6 order for
  approval. Please be prepared to answer any
  questions the NITAAC CO may have regarding the
  order.
• Once the order is approved, the NITAAC CO will
  notify the Customer and selected Contractor via
  e-mail of the NITAAC Delivery Order Authorization
  Number.

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By The End Of June, 2005 Enhancements Will Be
Made For Lot 6 Orders That Will Automate The
Manual Process
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Enhancements Being Made For Exceptions To Fair
Opportunity To Be Considered (Sole Sourcing)
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Customer Creates An RFQ With FOC Selection (Page
1)
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Customer Creates An RFQ With FOC Selection (Page
1)(Exception to FOC box has been checked)
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Customer Instructions For Submitting RFQ With An
Exception To FOC
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Customer Creates An RFQ With FOC Selection (Page
2)
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FOC Reminder To Fill Out Form And Submit To
NITAAC Before RFQ Can Be Released To The Vendors
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Review Of FOC Procedure

• Customer creates RFQ and submits it as usual,
  remembering to check the Exception to FOC box,
  select applicable FOC exception and Contractor.
• RFQ will be placed in a holding queue awaiting
  review by the NITAAC CO
• Customer downloads the ECS III Pre-Award
  Checklist form from the ECS III website and uses
  it to provide an explanation of how fair
  opportunity to be considered is not possible.
• Customer E-mails the completed ECS III Pre-Award
  Checklist form to ECSIII_at_od.nih.gov or FAX to
  [phone]. Be sure to include any
  additional Requirement Attachments and/or
  Security Attachments in the e-mail/FAX if they
  are applicable.
• The NITAAC CO will review the Customers request.
  Please be prepared to answer any questions the
  NITAAC CO may have regarding the order.
• Once the order is approved, the NITAAC CO will
  notify the Customer via e-mail and the RFQ will
  be released to the selected Contractor.
• The Contractor will respond to the RFQ using the
  ECS III system.
• When the Customer receives notification that the
  Contractor has responded with a quote, the
  Customer converts the winning quote to an order
  in the ECS III system.
• Customer provides requisition with RFQ number,
  NITAAC Delivery Order Authorization Number and
  printed quotes to own Contract Shop to place
  order.
• Contract Shop faxes a copy of the Order to the
  Winning Contractor.
• The Contractor fulfills the order.

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Contractor ModuleHow To Respond To An RFQ
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When You Log In To Your Vendor Account You Will
Immediately See All Active RFQs You Have Received
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Enter The Line Item Information For All Items
Included In The QuoteYou Do Not Need To Enter
The Totals. They Will Be Calculated Next
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At The Bottom Of The Screen First Click
Calculate Total And Then After Screen Is
Redrawn With Totals Click Submit Response
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Summary

• The Enhancements To The ECS III Ordering System
  Will Provide All Contractors The Potential To
  Increase Sales Volume.
• All ECS III orders must be placed using the RFQ
  process.
• Lot 6 orders must be approved by the NITAAC CO
  prior to being placed.
• RFQs with an exception to fair opportunity to be
  considered must be approved by the NITAAC CO
  prior to being submitted.
• Enhanced process will go into effect starting May
  16, 2005.