Learn What Happens After You Bid

Familiarize Yourself with the Bid Process

• Attend the bid opening session; contact the City Clerk for more information.
• Locate the Bid Tabulation online.

• Don’t panic if the decision seems delayed. It can take longer than anticipated for the City to review a bid.
• Be careful about how and when you ask questions during this period. Make sure any inquiries are directed to the bid contact, as identified in IONwave, only.

• Use the waiting period to plan for a successful project. If the contract requires you to hire additional staff, rent equipment or order materials, take this time to plan your strategy for meeting those deadlines.

• Once you have received notice of an award, reach out to the bid contact and plan a meeting to address any immediate first steps.
• Your bid proposal may have included a project plan that detailed the first steps to follow upon award. If you have committed to preliminary events like a kickoff meeting, make sure your required documents and materials are ready to go.
• Stick to your project schedule and utilize a budget tool to help you stay on track.

• Don’t be discouraged if you lose a contract. The bid process is a great learning experience, and your business is now a known entity to agencies and potential partners.
• Requesting a formal debrief from the procurement team is a great way to receive feedback on your submission. The APEX Accelerator is another good resource to increase your odds of success on future bids.