Creating and Uploading a Submission

• Accessing the Opportunity
• Navigating the Opportunity
  • Project Details and Important Events
  • Requested Information
  • Messages
• Uploading Your Submission
  • Step 1: Provide Submission Information
  • Step 2: Submit and Finalize
  • Submission Receipt

Accessing the Opportunity

Log into your Bonfire Vendor account to access the opportunity and begin preparing your submission.

Select View Opportunity for the project you are looking to bid on. Public projects will appear under Open Public Opportunities. If you received a direct email invite from an organization, those opportunities will appear under My Opportunities.

Navigating the Opportunity

Now that you have access to the opportunity, review the Project Details to get the full scope of the project. The Project Details outlines important information such as deadlines, downloadable documents, and mandatory information needed to complete your submission.

Project Details and Important Events

Here you will see key information such as the project's Open Date, the Questions Due Date (if the organization is accepting questions via Bonfire's Opportunity Q&A feature), and the project Closing Date.

Deadlines and additional events (if applicable) will also appear under Important Events.

Supporting Documentation

Downloadable documents provided by the Buyer are available under Supporting Documentation. This section can include pertinent information for the corresponding bid, such as bid specifications, appendices, and addenda. To download a document, click Download in the far right column. To download all available documents at once, click Download All Files.

Requested Information

This section outlines the documents you will need to upload as part of your bid package, the corresponding file type, and the number of files you are permitted to submit. If the project requires a BidTable or Questionnaire, you can download the templates under this section. BidTables and Questionnaires will have a Download button under the Actions column.

Messages

The Messages section includes communication tools that allow Buyers and Vendors to communicate directly in Bonfire. The Public Notices tab acts as a bulletin board where Buyers can issue changes or new information about the project. If there are numerous public notices, you can use the Search bar to filter results by keyword.

If the project has enabled the Vendor Discussions or Public Q&A features, this is where you can directly message the Project Owner up until the Questions Due Date. To begin a new conversation, click Start a New Vendor Discussion.

Uploading Your Submission

To begin uploading your submission, navigate to the Submissions section at the bottom of the page. Click Prepare Your Submission to begin the upload process.

This will direct you to the Complete Your Submission page. You will see the current time, the closing time, and a numeric value for days remaining. You will also see your contact information below, which you can update at any time by clicking Edit Contact Info.

Step 1: Provide Submission Information

Upload your files for the corresponding Requested Document by clicking Upload File. Ensure that you have the correct file type and template (if applicable).

When uploading a BidTable or Questionnaire, ensure that your file matches the most up-to-date template provided by the Buyer. You can download BidTable and Questionnaire templates at this stage by clicking the download icon.

If a Requested Information slot is denoted by Data Type, fill in the information according to the corresponding Data Type (for example: Numeric, Text, True/False, and/or Yes/No).

Once you have uploaded all your documents and entered your information successfully, you will receive green validation circles to the left of each Requested Information item. If you still receive red validation circles, review the corresponding error messages and update your information accordingly.

Step 2: Submit and Finalize

Select the checkbox confirming "I understand that I cannot change any of the submission details or documents once the project closes," then click Submit & Finalize My Submission.

Submission Receipt

Upon completion, you will be directed to your Submission Receipt. This provides a comprehensive breakdown of all the information from your submission. A Submission Receipt will also be sent to your email. This is where you can download a copy of all your submission files. If you did not receive the email, click Send Email at the bottom of the page to have it re-sent.

By scrolling down, you will see additional options on this page:

• Return to Portal Listing — View more bid opportunities.
• Provide Feedback — Share feedback with Bonfire Support regarding your submission experience.
• Revise your submission to go back and make changes.

If you need to revise your submission, you will need to re-submit and finalize your submission for it to be considered. Past submissions that have been un-submitted will not be reviewed by the Buyer.