“FAQ”
BB-Bid Frequently Asked Questions · Click on the question below for answers…
- What is BB-Bid?
- Does BB-Bid provide access to The Blue Book’s vendor database?
- How do you add your private vendors into BB-Bid?
- How can you organize your preferred list of vendors?
- What kind of messages can you send via BB-Bid?
- Does BB-Bid support uploading and viewing of documents?
- How much does BB-Bid cost?
- Does BB-Bid charge “Transaction Fees”?
- How do you get started using BB-Bid?
- What kind of BB-Bid training and technical support does The Blue Book provide?
- If you still have questions, please call (888-303-2243) or e-mail: BBbid@thebluebook.com - the BB-Bid product support staff.
BB-Bid is The Blue Book’s web based bid management and procurement system that enables you to send multiple messages simultaneously via email, fax, and in-network. BB-Bid network vendors can view and respond to your “Invitations to Bid” or “Requests for Quote” from their private ‘In-Boxes’. Their responses and bid proposals are submitted through the network and are automatically updated for you, which eliminates time-consuming data entry work.
Does BB-Bid provide access to The Blue Book’s vendor database?
With direct access to The Blue Book’s 1,000,000 regionally categorized company listings, BB-Bid enables you to build and maintain a preferred list that can be combined with your own private vendors. As an added advantage, when The Blue Book updates contact and profile information on its vendors those updates, if you wish, can be applied to your preferred list as well.
How do you add your private vendors into BB-Bid?
You can manually add your private vendors under the “My Vendors” tab. Simply enter your vendor’s phone number and The Blue Book will search its database of over 1,000,000 regionally categorized listings. If it finds a match, the vendor’s information fields will be automatically populated with current Blue Book information. If a match is not made, you can easily enter the information. If you would like The Blue Book to electronically upload your private vendors, click here for details.
How can you organize your preferred list of vendors?
You can organize your preferred list of vendors by ‘Groups’ and ‘Categories’. BB-Bid has assigned each of its 600 classifications a corresponding C.S.I. number which will sequence your list by the industry’s standard.
Return to Questions
What kind of messages can you send via BB-Bid?
BB-Bid is to be used exclusively for project messaging. You can send and reply to the following message types using pre-defined templates.
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· Invitation to Bid |
· Request for Information |
· Notice of Award |
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· Request for Quotation |
· Notice of Pre-Bid Meeting |
· Notice to Proceed |
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· Request for Proposal |
· Notice of Addendum |
· Miscellaneous |
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· Request for Qualification |
· Reminder to Bid |
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BB-Bid cannot be used for promotional purposes. If it is communicated to The Blue Book that you are misusing the service, we reserve the right to terminate your usage.
Does BB-Bid support uploading and viewing of documents?
The BB-Bid On-line Plan Room enables users to have their printed or digital plans, specifications, and bid documents uploaded and hosted for in-network viewing and distribution. Also, users can fax printed documents, such as specifications and/or addendums, to BB-Bid so it can be digitized and uploaded for in-network viewing and attached to fax messages.
There is NO COST to use the BB-Bid application. BB-Bid has two types of messaging, they are Standard and Priority.
Standard Messaging (FREE – NO FAX CHARGES)
• A brief summary of your project is delivered to your invited vendors via email and fax.
• Your message will be included with other project summary leads that were directed to your vendors from other BB-Bid and BidScope users.
• Email recipients can immediately link to the complete details.
• Fax recipients must request the details from The Blue Book (the complete details will be faxed).
Priority Messaging (INCLUDES FAX CHARGES, 12 CENTS PER FAXED PAGE )
• Complete details are delivered immediately and individually to your invited vendors via fax and email.
• You have the option to override email delivery and fax all your vendors.
Does BB-Bid charge “Transaction Fees”?
Unlike most e-commerce sites, BB-Bid DOES NOT charge any transaction fees. Since 1913, The Blue Book’s mission has been to promote our advertisers’ products and services to qualified industry buyers. Once we bring the buyer and seller together, we let them conduct business on their own. BB-Bid is not trying to change the process; we are just making it easier and faster by leveraging today’s Internet technology.
How do you get started using BB-Bid?
To begin using BB-Bid, you need:
- PC with a 486 processor or higher.
- Internet connection – 28.8k or faster (56k, with ISDN, DSL, or T1 lines recommended).
- Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows NT 4.0 or higher.
- 4.0 minimum browser version (Internet Explorer 6.0 and Netscape 4.8 recommended).
- Minimum display resolution of 800 x 600.
What kind of BB-Bid training and technical support does The Blue Book Provide?
Upon logging on to BB-Bid, you can print either a ‘Buyer’ or ‘Seller’ ‘Quick Start Guide’ that will help you get started right away. There are also ‘Help’ links under each one of BB-Bid’s high level tabs that will guide you, step by step, through the application.
However, we encourage you to call our BB-Bid Product Support Specialists at (888) 303-2243 to receive your FREE TUTORIAL. They can demonstrate BB-Bid’s robust functionality and provide you with comprehensive training. The BB-Bid support staff can also address your technical problems Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:45 AM and 8:00 PM (ET).
Contractors
Register, Inc.
Jefferson Valley, NY 10535
(888) 303-2243 Fax: (914) 962-8412
www.thebluebook.com