Jerry Paglia LL.B.
Senior Counsel, Legal Services
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The Region has been using the eSolutions
Procurement platform (“eSolutions”) since 2012
Until recently we have used eSolutions to
Post Bid
Opportunities
Notify Vendors of
Bid Opportunities
Allow Bidders to
register for a Bid
and download
documents
Notify Bidders of
Addenda
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The Region has been using the eSolutions
Procurement platform (“eSolutions”) since 2012
We have just released our first tender in which
Post Bid
Opportunities
Notify Vendors of
Bid Opportunities
Allow Bidders to
register for a Bid
and download
documents
Notify Bidders of
Addenda
Bidders submit
their bid
electronically
An electronic bid
document is prepared
in eSolutions setting
out all of the required
information/
documentation that
Bidders are to submit
Can be Mandatory or
Non-Mandatory
Pricing
Tables
Specification
Tables
Signature
Addenda
Electronic
Bid
Document
Terms and
Conditions
Subcontractors
References
Bonding
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Bidders prepare their submissions on-line
Bidders are navigated through a series of tabs
identifying the various components of the bid
As the bidder completes its bid, eSolutions
identifies which components of the bid have
been completed and which ones still require
information/documentation to be entered
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Bidders enter their unit prices and eSolutions
does the math
Bidders are not permitted to enter nonnumerical characters in their unit prices
Bidders must enter prices for all Mandatory
items in order to submit their bid
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Bidders can revise their unit prices at any
time prior to the closing date and time
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Bidders can upload digital bonds into their
bids
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Bidders must acknowledge all addenda prior
to submitting their bids
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Bidders must accept our Terms and
Conditions prior to submitting their bids
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Reduces the number of bid irregularities and
non-compliant bids
Provides more flexibility
Minimizes human error
Reduces environmental/ecological footprint
Saves time and money
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Bidders will not be able to submit bids that:
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Are late
Are illegible
Do not provide prices for mandatory items
Contain mathematical errors
Fail to acknowledge receipt of addenda
Are altered/restricted in an unacceptable way
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Unofficial tender results are available on-line
immediately after bid closing, eliminating the
need for public openings
This provides more flexibility for bid closing
dates and times
Bidders can submit bids 24 hours/day,
7 days/week, 365 days/year
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eSolutions prevents
Bidders from submitting
bids that are not
complete
Automates as much of
the process as possible
(e.g. mathematical calculations, checks for
required submissions, etc.)
Allows for downloading of submitted tenders
for evaluation purposes without the need for
manually re-entering data
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Entire process is
paperless
Eliminates need to
drive to Regional
offices to pick up
tender documents
and submit bids
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Public openings are no longer required
Submitted tenders can be downloaded for
evaluation purposes at the click of a button
Bid submission data is automatically
calculated and tabulated without any need for
manual data entry by staff
Fewer bid irregularites/non-complaint bids =
fewer Bid Review Committees
Entire process is paperless, reducing postal,
printing, courier and storage costs
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Bonds - eBonds are still evolving
Deposits – no substitute for cash
System can be complicated for
“technologically-challenged” people
No ability to control or mitigate such things
web-traffic jams, power outages, or bad wi-fi