What is e-procurement?
e-Procurement is the process of purchasing goods and services over the internet. Worldwide, governments and public agencies are moving towards e-procurement as they are driven by the need to reduce costs, become more efficient and improve the transparency of purchasing.What is e-bidding?
e-Bidding, which is a specific component of e-procurement, is the process of posting bids and receiving responses over the Internet. The types of bids include Requests for Information (RFI), Request for Proposals (RFP), Request for Quotes (RFQ), Sealed Bids, and Reverse Auctions.What’s the need for an e-bidding system for water utilities and their vendors?
There are over 300,000 water and sewer systems worldwide (50,000+ in the United States), mostly owned by governments, which are publishing bids daily. Like most governmental entities, water utilities are required to put their contracts out for public bidding. The purpose is to get the best solution for the lowest cost; however, the current paper-based process is inefficient. H2Bid has removed that inefficiency. Studies have proven that e-bidding can create direct savings of 10% to 20%. Through our online exchange model, H2bid enables utilities to take advantage of these cost saving opportunities.How does H2bid make the bidding process more efficient?
Most local governments do not have the resources in house to build their own Internet e-procurement solution. H2bid meets this need by providing a state-of-the-art e-bidding solution for water utilities AT NO DIRECT COST to the Utility. H2bid receives a small service fee from the winning vendors.. Additionally, the time to create bids, review bids, award, etc. is greatly reduced – lessening the burden on the purchasing personnel.How quickly can H2bid’s service be deployed?
There is no software to buy or install enabling immediate implementation. H2bid’s e-bidding service is cloud-based, turnkey, and is specifically designed for the water industry.What types of bids can be created?
H2bid’s Internet bidding service can be used for Requests for Information (RFI), Requests for Proposals (RFP), Requests for Quotes (RFQ), Sealed Bids, or Reverse Auctions. The service can be customized for any additional types of bids. H2bid’s e-bidding software allows you to engage in every step of the bidding process, including:- Publish bid notices
- Access to your utility’s bid documents and thousands from other utilities
- Post specifications and other attachments to bids
- Allow vendors to submit responses online to an electronic lock box
- Allow vendors to compete online in a reverse auction
- Open and evaluate bids with a customized dashboard view
- Request best and final offers
- Withdraw, amend, and award bids
What is a reverse auction?
A reverse auction is a type of auction in which the roles of buyers and sellers are reversed. In an ordinary auction (also known as a forward auction), buyers compete to obtain a good or service, and the price typically increases over time. In a reverse auction, sellers compete to obtain business, and prices typically decrease over time.What is the benefit for the vendors?
H2bid enables vendors to locate and track open bid opportunities at all of the world’s utilities. We also create new opportunities for small vendors that are typically limited to bidding within their geographic region. Vendors also appreciate the transparency of the bidding process that naturally occurs with our service. There is no charge to the vendors for registering with H2bid, and once registered automatically receive bid notifications directly tied to the goods and services they provide. Vendors that are looking for subcontract opportunities should also register with H2find.com, a community for water utility contractors and subcontractors.What can H2Bid.com be used for?
H2bid can handle all of a water utilities’ public bidding needs for construction projects, water utility products, consulting contracts, pipes, chemicals, etc. Specific examples include:- Pumps - Turbines - Valves/Check valves
- Piping - Cooling towers - Chemicals
- Meters/Flow meters - Level controllers – Tanks
- Anaerobic and aerobic media - Membrane bioreactors - Sludge dryers
- Aerators - Control panels - Wastewater treatment plants
- Wastewater disposal chambers - Storm water retention systems - Sewer cleaning trucks