Bid Express Vendor FAQs

The Bid Express service requires no special software to purchase or install. It is a web-based bidding service accessible to all users via modern internet browsers.

Yes! The Bid Express service only produces paper when you decide to print something. All proposals, bonds and other related documents are stored within the system in electronic format, enabling you to truly go paperless if desired. This not only saves trees, but it also reduces money spent on consumables (paper, toner, etc...).

Prices are computed automatically - you need to only enter your item price. You are also alerted to missing forms and/or addenda prior to submission. These alerts prevent errors and incomplete bids.

Yes. Infotech has been operating Internet bidding services since 1997. The Bid Express servers are connected to battery backup, and the battery systems are connected to a generator backup. All of the servers are paired, with each server monitoring the other and automatically taking over should there be a problem. Infotech has installed servers in a separate geographical location, using a separate Internet provider, for even greater redundancy.

Vendors can view solicitations and documents for free. You only pay a fee when you choose to submit a bid. This fee is typically less than an overnight delivery service. Alternatively, you can choose to subscribe monthly and pay one fee to access all solicitations posted to the Bid Express service.

Never - support for the Bid Express service is free to all users. Both live support and email support are available.

A Digital ID is a small encrypted file that is unique to a single person. When a bid is ready for submission, the Digital ID is attached to the bid file and then submitted to the agency. This acts in the place of a wet ink signature and provides the agency with a legal means to accept and verify electronic bids. A Digital ID is free and it is required to submit a bid.

Traditionally, bid bonds are paper forms that require wet ink signatures. With electronic bid bond verification, all of that work is taken care of ahead of time. As a vendor, you will acquire a unique code from a bid bonding agency (via S2000, Inc. or Tinubu Surety (formerly SurePath)) and include the code with your proposal. With this code, surety companies can provide verification that your company has a valid bid bond.

Electronic bid bond verification has been used for years on more than 100,000 proposals, including small and multi-million dollar bids, via the Bid Express service.

The Bid Express service incorporates high encryption to prevent outside parties from viewing bid data. Prior to the bid opening, submitted bids are held in a digital lockbox that is inaccessible to the agency until the bid opening time. Vendors can only access their own bids and the Bid Express service never has access to any bids at any time.

Once the bid submission deadline is reached, the bids that are securely held in the digital lockbox will be made available to the owner-agency for processing. Within minutes, you will be able to see apparent bid results.

The Bid Express service reduces the time it takes to prepare a bid, which in turn saves vendors money. The service alerts you to deadlines, errors and omissions which minimizes the chances of you submitting an incomplete or inaccurate bid. As a vendor, you also have access to all of the solicitations on the Bid Express service and you only pay when you decide to submit a bid.