Vol.1, Issue 1

Online Bidding Speeds Government Contracts Many government agencies are under pressure to do more with less, but the cost cutting and downsizing has not been entirely harmful. Streamlining processes and improving communications, most notably the increased use of e-commerce, has led general contractors, sub-contractors, and suppliers to huge gains. Today, more government departments are offering electronic contract bidding. Contractors nationwide are able to search for, view, and print public bid sets needed to review and establish an appropriate offer, with a standard Web browser. Digital access and distribution of contract information cuts months off the bidding process. Contractors now save weeks by viewing the pre-bid advertising books online as soon as they're available. Plans are scanned into a digital storage system, then uploaded to the server. The contractor can search for new plans by project number, county, project type, route section, and more. Instead of ordering hardcopy plans, smaller contractors, sub-contractors, and suppliers view what they need online, print what is necessary and decide whether to prepare bids. And, by granting online access, contractors have more time to provide critical input on projects, and that might help the agency avoid problems and delays down the road.