BC BID FEES QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

							                  BC Bid ® FEES – QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q:       Why are you charging for these services and how much will I have to pay?
A.
            Making BC Bid self-funding is part of government’s plan for responsible,
             accountable management of tax dollars.
            The BC Bid subscription fee will be $100 per year, and the e-bidding feature will be
             $150 per year.
            People can continue to browse opportunities free of charge and submit bids through
             conventional means, such as hand-delivery, courier or fax.

Q:       What do I receive when I pay my $100 BC Bid subscription fee?
A:
        Create a profile of goods and services that best matches your business focus.
        Search by your personalized profile.
        Receive e-mail notification of opportunities and amended opportunities that match your profile.
         (Optional: If you don’t want to receive e-mails, you can continue to search by your profile – at
         your convenience, for free).
        Receive daily e-mails announcing new or amended opportunities.
        Express your interest in an opportunity, and receive notices of amendments for that opportunity.
        Use a personalized area where profiles and documents can be managed.

Q:       What do I receive when I pay $150 for BC Bid’s e-bidding service?
A:
        Submit bids online for opportunities that are “e-biddable.”
        Save your draft bids electronically, amend your submitted bid or withdraw it before closing time.
        View all your previous e-bids.

Q:       When is this effective?
A:
         To continue receiving these services, you must pay by April 1, 2004.

Q:       I already have a subscription. Do I have to re-register?
A:
        You will not have to re-register. You will be able to pay for your subscription and receive
         continuous service. Term is one year from date of payment. Initially, however, if you pay
         between late March 2004 and April 14, 2004, your subscription expires midnight April 14, 2005.

Q:       I am already authenticated for e-bidding. Will I need to pay the $150 e-bid fee immediately?
A:
        If you are authenticated for e-bidding, you may pay the e-bidding fee at any time prior to
         submitting an e-bid.

Q:       What if I wish to cancel or transfer my subscription for e-notification and/or e-bidding?
A:
        Fees are non-refundable, but subscriptions may be transferred.

Q:       How do I pay online? Is it secure?
A:
        Payment may be made online beginning late March 2004. VISA® and MasterCard® are accepted.
         Your transaction is conducted in a secure environment through government’s provincial treasury
         payment portal.
Q:       How do I pay if I don’t have a credit card?
A:
        Please contact the BC Bid Help Desk via e-mail PCADMIN@gems2.gov.bc.ca.


Q:       Can I access BC Bid without paying?
A:
        Yes, BC Bid will continue to offer no-charge access to its website for those who wish to
         browse and download most tender documents. In addition, there is never a charge to
         submit a bid through conventional means (hand-delivered, courier, fax) or review bid
         results.

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