Software Requirements Specification (SRS) e- tendering 1.
Introduction
eTendering eTendering in its simplest form, is described as the electronic publishing, communicating, accessing, receiving and submitting of all tender-related information and documentation via the Internet, thereby replacing the traditional processes, and achieving a more efficient and effective business process for all parties involved. Definition of e-tendering
1.1
Tendering is a method by which organizations acquire products and services and includes the fo llowing core activities: The advertisement of the requirement for goods or services, The preparation of tender documents (fixed format is also provided, which is optional to be used), The registration of suppliers to receive tender documents, The opening of responses responses to the tender, The evaluation of responses to the tender (partially automatic evaluation) The award of the contract.
An electronic tendering (e-tendering) solution facilitates the co mplete tendering process from the advertising of the requirement through to the placing of the contract. This includes the exchange of all relevant documents in electronic format.
1.2 1.2
Defi Defini niti tion ons, s, Acro Acrony nyms ms and and Abbre bbrevi viat atio ion n
Term Buyer Supplier, Bidder Quotation
2.
Definition the person who issues tender the person who submits quotations Response to the tender
General Description
2.1
Product Perspective
This website may be a standalone website if is used only up to submission of quotations phase. But if the later phases are also to be incorporated then it must be integrated with other websites for example for credit card details it must contact credit card handling website (credit cards are used as a means of epayment). Thus the two perspectives may be as follows. 1) Inde Indepe pend nden entt 2) Inte ntegrat grate ed 2.2
Importance of of pr product
The traditional approach to tendering is often characterized as time consuming and expensive. This is because: • Advertisements for the required goods or services are placed in newspapers newspapers and journals,
incurring publication costs, • Tender Tender documents are issued in hard copy format, incurring printing, copying and postage costs, • Tender Tender responses are returned in hard copy, so that bidders incur printing, copying and postage costs etc. e-tendering can deliver savings and benefits to an organization by enhancing efficiency and control in the process of purchases of goods or services. Savings and benef its can be categorized into cashable and non-cashable.
Cashable benefits Cashable benefits result in a reduction in expenditure. In terms of e-tendering, cashable benefits are largely process efficiencies (time saved that results in headcount savings and hence reduced expenditure) and reductions in overhead costs incurred during the tendering process as stated above. These savings are achieved through automation of the tender process.
The main elements o f overhead cost savings savin gs are printing, copying, paper, postage and stationery, stationery, which will mostly be avoided b ecause tender documents and tender responses will be issued/received electronically. This is also environmentally friendly since it reduces the use of paper. e-Tendering e-Tendering can also release additional off ice space as contract documentat ion (required to be kept for at least the length of the contract period) can be stored online.
Non-cashable benefits This website will provide a range of non-cashable benefits: • it will lead to better management and/or co-ordination of the tender process. • it will enable a consistent tender process. Having one system shared across the organizations ensures that anyone invol ved in the tender process will work within a consistent and unambiguous framework. • The time spent analyzing numerica l information (such as costs) is reduced. reduced. It will also have functionality that can immediately send out an email notification to suppliers who fail to provide all expected information. • this site will have the ability to create an evaluation report on each tender, including an outline of the methodology used in evaluating the tenders etc. • It is important for the tendering process in the public sector to be fair and for that fairness to be documented. This site will provide a secure history fro m advertising the tender to awarding a contract. This history encourages openness and integrity in all contractual decisions. •With a traditional tendering process, responses responses arriving late due to courier delay or Incorrect addressing would have been disqualified from the tendering process. This website will ensure this does not occur because suppliers receive an immediate confirmation by email that their tender has been received, thereby avoiding potential disputes and ill feeling. • less time taken to process responses responses for evaluation; means that less person time spent administering but also responses can be evaluated faster, so end-to-end tendering time is reduced.
2.3
Product Features
This website will give potential suppliers 24 hour a day access to view a ll tender opportunities including contract renewal dates, tender deadlines, status of tenders etc. Suppliers will be able to submit tender documents electronically on this site, thereby using the time that would have otherwise have had to be allowed for postal delivery to complete the response. As this is Internet based solution, suppliers will be able to easily view and engage in tendering opportunities without being constrained by location. this website will maintain an approved list of suppliers that have responded to prev ious tenders and categorizes them by set criteria, such as location and goods or servi ces offered. This website will offer organizations to submit tenders online in electronic for mat thus saving their time of post delivery. the evaluation o f responses to the tender will also be done on this site. Finally award of tender will be gi ven to the selected party.
2.4
User Characteristics there will be three types of actors of this site (a) Buyers: the persons who are responsible responsible for issuance of tenders (b) Suppliers: the persons who will submit their response for tender (c) Other users (unregistered): other people who only want to see the tenders but do
not want to respond.
3.
Basic Requirements. .
3.1
Allow buyer to post tender tender
3.2
Allow supplier supplier to respo respond nd to the available available tender tenders s
3.3 User interface interface with with a list of current current tenders tenders 3.4
Search facility based on various categories of tenders like organization, type of product etc.
3.5 This website will provide various tem plates for tender and quotation generation.
3.6
Controlled access to tenders using password passwords, s, user profiles and permissions permissions
3.7
Changes Changes to the quotations quotations
3.8
Repositor Repository y of previous tenders tenders
3.9
User interface with a list of response response to a particular tender
which routes documents to appropriate people or alerts indiv iduals of actions 3.10 Workflow functional ity, which in the system.
all the suppliers are notified that a tender of their interest is available if a supplier registers after a tender is submitted, then, a mail about the available tenders is also sent to him. Any notification is sent only once on an email id i.e. a track of sent mails is maintained in order to avoid repeatedly sending of mails and also not to annoy the supplier.
3.11All 3.11All the suppliers are registered and all buyers are having list of suppliers according to the service that latter provides (or products that they can supply). When a tender is available then a notification through mail is sent to suppliers (who can give those kind of services) that a tender is available and if they want they can respond to it by clicking on the link provided in the mail
3.12 Collaboration facilities enabling a number of people to work on creating a tender document or to evaluate tenders 3.13Partially automated evaluation of tenders and award notification
4
Functional Requirements
Buyer 1. Login 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4
Enter us username ame an and pa password If forg forgott otten en passw password ord,, ente enterr user usernam name e and and answ answer er securi security ty questi question on If answ answer er is is corr correct ect,, pass passw word will will be be sent sent to mail Id Id provide provided d at the time of registration If secur security ity ans answe werr is not matching matching with with user usernam name e then, then, the the pers person on is is not not a valid valid user user
2. Reg Regist istrati ration on 2.1 enter account details 2.2 A confirmation mail is sent to the buyer(more than one email id may be provided by the supplier) 2.3 username and password password will be sent through confirmation mail 2.4 confirm registration by clicking the link given in the confirmation mail 2.5 login by given username and password password 2.6 if desired change username and password password (no duplicate username is a llowed) 3. Pos Post ten tend ders 3.1 Login with with username username and passw password ord 3.2 Select appropriate category and subcategory of tender 3.3 Enter Enter all detail details s corres correspon pondin ding g to tend tender er e.g. e.g. it’s it’s locat location ion (i.e. (i.e. in whic which h it will will oper operate ate)) etc 3.4 3.4 Selec electt te tender nder that that is to be be upl uplo oade aded 3.5 3.5 View iew tende enderr befor efore e upl uploadin ading g it. it. 3.6 Upload tender 3.7 Enter Enter thre thresh shold old parame parameter ters s which which if not not fulfille fulfilled d by any quotati quotation on then then a mail mail is sent sent to the quotation owner saying that you are not fulf illing the threshold requirements. 3.8 Enter Enter pref preferen erence ce paramet parameters ers on which which final top entrie entries s will will be select selected. ed. 3.9 Enter Enter weig weighat hatge ge of each each preferen preference ce parame parameter ter so that that point pointa a got got by by tend tender er quotations will get calculated. 3.10 3.10 After After succe successf ssful ul upload upload,, a mail is is sent sent to the the buyer buyer sayi saying ng that that the the tender tender has has been been uploaded. 3.11 If fi finished lo logout 4. View responses responses to tenders tenders (quotations (quotations)) submitted submitted by supplier supplier 4.1 4.1 logi login n wi with userna ernam me an and pa password ord
4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.5 4.6 4.6 4.7
Select Select the tender tender whos whose e resp respons onse e you you want want to see see (there (there may be be variou various s tend tenders ers corresponding to one Buyer) Informat Information ion (imp (importa ortant nt point points) s) corr corresp espond onding ing all tend tender er resp respons onses es (quo (quotati tations ons)) will will get displayed If desi desired red,, cate categor gorize ize them accord according ing to evaluatio evaluation n para paramet meters ers entere entered d at time time of posting the tender Thes These e par param amet eter ers s can canno nott be be alter altered ed after after pos posti ting ng tend tender ers s Sele Select ct any any parti particu cula larr quot quotati ation ons s and and view view it compl complet etely ely If fifinished, lo logout
5. Evalu Evaluat ate e tende tenderr resp respon onse ses s 5.1 5.1 View re respons ponse e to to a par parti ticu cula larr ten tend der 5.2 5.2 Arra Arrang nge e the them m acco accord rdin ing g to to eval evalua uati tion on para parame mete ters rs 5.3 Tenders enders will will be evalua evaluated ted as as to whet whether her all the the Thre Thresho shold ld para paramet meters ers are satisf satisfied. ied. Tenders that meet these parameters will proceed to next stage. Tenders that do not meet threshold parameters will not be considered further. 5.4 At the the next next stag stage, e, sele select ct the the tend tender er whic which h is best best with with respec respectt to maximum maximum number number of preference parameters 5.5 5.5 Weigh Weighta tage ge may may be prov provid ided ed to to prefe prefere renc nce e param paramet eter ers s depe depend ndin ing g on whic which h preference parameter is how much important. 5.6 Five tender tenders( s( or ten ten dpen dpenedi eding ng upon upon what what numbe numberr the the tende tenderr owner owner want want to to be get selected) are selected which have got maxi mum points depending upon preference parameters. 5.7 5.7 Sele Selecti ction onn n of of fin final al quot quotati ation on will will be done done manual manually ly.. 5.8 5.8 Decl Declar are e tha thatt a part partic icul ular ar tend tender er has has been been sele selecte cted d 5.9 A mail is sent sent to the the sele selecte cted d suppl supplier ier sayin saying g that that your your tend tender er res respon ponse se has has been been selected. 5.10 A mail is also sent to all other suppliers suppliers saying saying that that your your respon response se was was rejected rejected 5.11 5.11 At the the conclus conclusion ion of the the evaluatio evaluation n proces process, s, an evaluati evaluation on report report is prep prepare ared. d. This This report will include: 5.11.1 5.11.1 An outline outline of the the methodology methodology used used in evaluating evaluating the tenders tenders;; 5.11.2 5.11.2 An outli outline ne of the resp respons onses es receiv received; ed; 5.1 5.11.3 1.3 Reco Recomme mmenda ndati tion ons. s. 5.12 This report report will will be sent sent to all all suppli suppliers ers who have submitte submitted d their their quotatio quotations ns for this this particular tender 5.13 If fini finis shed, logout
6. Gr Grad ade e sup suppl plie ierrs 6.1 Eval Ev alu uate th the te tender re responses 6.2 Afterr assig Afte assignin ning g tende tenderr to a parti particul cular ar supp supplie lierr (i.e. (i.e. ifif he win wins s the the tend tender er biddi bidding) ng) the buyer may watch his performance and grade afterwards. 6.3 6. 3 This Th is gr grad ade e as assi sign gnme ment nt is co comp mpul ulso sory ry.. 6.4 This Thi s grade grade wi will ll be visi visible ble to to all, all, includ including ing us user ers, s, who who are are not not the the regis registe tered red one ones. s. 6.5 Overall Overa ll grad grade e of a parti particul cular ar sup suppli plier er will will dep depend end upo upon n grade grades s given given to him by by all all buyers. 6.6 If fifinished, logout 7.
Repo Report rt Gene Genera rati tion on 7.1 a repo report rt can be genera generated ted whenev whenever er the the tender tender owner owner wants wants to genera generate te it. it. 7.2 This report includes… 7.2.1 7.2.1 No of supp supplir lires es who who open opened ed the tender tender documen documentt 7.2.2 7.2.2 No of supp supplie liers rs who who dow downlo nloade aded d the the tender tender documen documentt 7.2.3 7.2.3 No of of suppli suppliers ers who who submit submitted ted their their quot quotati ation on for for tender tender 7.2.4 7.2.4 Micros Microsoft oft excel excel works workshee heett which which will will have have detail details s of all quota quotatio tions. ns. 7.3 This This repo report rt will will be be gene generat rated ed automati automaticall cally y when when the tender tender evaluatio evaluation n is is compl complete ete i.e. when the award the tender is given.
8. An online online forum forum for each each tender tender 8.1 enable buyers buyers and suppliers to ask ask questions 8.2 seek clarifications relating to the notices that are published. 8.3 The forum is confidential and the suppliers details are only seen seen by tender owner. owner.
8.4 Whenever Whene ver there is a posting of question from supplier supplier to the the forum ,the tender owner owner will be automatically notified via email. 8.5 Buyer can then then respond to the question question via email or through online forum . 8.6 The buyer can can decide about the time limit for which he want notifications of questions submitted in the forum. forum . After the declared date notificat ions will not be sent to the buyer, but the forum can still be viewed. 9. Electronic tender box 9.1 this facility is optional for the buyer. if they want this kind of facility then they can use it 9.2 The suppliers upload their responses (files) to electronic tender box. 9.3 when the closing date and time for the tender expires, buyers are sent electronic keys. 9.4 buyer can then unlock his tender box and download/view the responses online. 9.5 this facility makes the provision that the buyers cannot view the quotations before the tender expires.
10. Access Help forum 10.1 online ‘help files’, ‘tutorials’ and ‘start-up guides’ 10.2 Help desk’ style of support available by phone and/or mail 10.3 An administrator is made available (by email) to assist registered suppliers with specific queries regarding the tender. tender.
11. News paper advertising 11.1 this facility is optional. 11.2 this is used to place a summary advertisement of the tender in any number of selected selected newspapers. 11.3 the newspaper newspaper will be of your choice. 11.4 This buyer has to submit some amount of money to get this facility. 12. 12.
Allows buyer to select his own suppliers (Closed Tenders ) 12.1 the closed tenders are the tenders which are meant for selected selected suppliers. 12.1 there will two ways of selecting suppliers . 12.2 the first way is to select manually, by using grading options. 12.3 the second way is based on suppliers prof ile held within the system. 12.4 In second way the system will match tender notice to all suppliers. 12.5 This matching will be based on their profile held within the system. 12.6 The matched list of suppliers suppliers will then be shown, to allow selection of the individual individua l suppliers. 12.7 The tender notice information will automatically be sent to selected suppliers 12.8 this notification will contain a username and password password which will be used to submit submit quotations. Supplier 1. Login 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4
Enter us username ame an and pa password If forg forgott otten en passw password ord,, ente enterr user usernam name e and and answ answer er securi security ty questi question on If answ answer er is is corr correct ect,, pass passw word will will be be sent sent to mail id id provide provided d at at the the time time of registration If secur security ity ans answe werr is not matching matching with with user usernam name e then, then, the the pers person on is is not not a valid valid user user
2. Reg Regist istrati ration on 2.1 Enter Enter acco account unt deta details ils and email email id (more (more than than one one email email id may be provide provided d by the the supplier) 2.2 2.2 A confi confirm rmati ation on mail mail is is sen sentt to to the the supp suppli lier er 2.3 2.3 User Usernam name e and and pass passw word ord thro throug ugh h confi confirm rmati ation on mail mail 2.4 Confir firm re registra tratio tion 2.5 2.5 Logi Login n by giv given en use usern rnam ame e and and pass passw word ord If desired change username and password (no duplicate username is a llowed) 2.6 3. View View publi public c tender tenders s submit submitted ted by by buyer buyer
3.1 3.2 3.3 3.3 3.4 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.6
Click on vie view public lic tenders Informat Information ion (import (important ant points points)) corr corresp espond onding ing all publi public c tende tenderr will will get displ displaye ayed d Thre Thresh shol old d par param amet eter ers s wil willl also also get get dis displ play ayed ed Selec electt any any tend tender er you you want ant to to view view View complete tender If desi desirred, ed, dow downloa nload d the tende ender r
4. View View privat private e tender tenders s submit submitted ted by by buyerr buyerr 4.1. Login with with username username and passw password ord 4.2. Click on view private tender tenders s 4.3. Information (important points) corresponding all private tender will get displayed 4.4. Threshol Threshold d parameters parameters will also get displaye displayed d 4.5. Select Select any tender tender you you want want to view 4.6. View View complete complete tender tender 4.7. If desired, desired, downl download oad the tender tender 5. Respon Respond d to tend tenders ers (enter (enter quotat quotation ions) s) 5.1. Login with with username username and passw password ord 5.2. Select the tender to which you you want want to respond respond 5.3. If tender is not closed closed then only the supplier supplier can submit submit the quotation quotation 5.4. Enter Enter bid/quotation bid/quotations s as a respons response e 5.5. Pay 10% of the budget budget to the the site (earnest (earnest money) money) 5.6. Payment will be made through credit card 5.7. Enter all details i.e. values of the parameters corresponding to your quotation 5.8. Select Select quotation quotation that is to to be uploaded uploaded 5.9. View View quotation quotation before before uploading uploading it. it. 5.10.Upload quotations 5.11.If required these quotations can be changed as many times before the tender is closed. 5.12.If the quotation is not f ulfilling the threshold requirements then a mail is sent to the supplier. 5.13.After successful upload, a mail is sent to the supplier saying that the quotation has been uploaded. 5.14.If finished, logout 6. Garde rde buy buyer 6.1 6.1 Logi ogin wi with user userna nam me an and pa passwor sword d 6.2 The supp supplie lierr can can grade grade only only the the buyer buyer,, who who has has sele selecte cted d his quotat quotation ion i.e. i.e. who who has has sele selecte cted d him for fo r supply. This This grade assignment depends upon var ious parameters, which may include treatment etc. 6.3 6.3 This This grad grade e assig ssignm nmen entt is comp compul ulso sory ry.. 6.4 If finished, logout 7. Addit Addition ional al documen documents ts which which can not not be downloa downloaded ded 7.1
7.2 7.2 7.3
If tender tenderer er have have documen documents ts that that cann cannot ot be attac attached hed to to tender tender notice notice such such as large large-sc -scale ale drawings, or unusual file for mats, suppliers can then request that these documents be sent to them when they view the notice online. This his is a fully fully auto automa mate ted d proc proced edur ure. e. The The system system will will gener generate ate an an email email to buyer buyer showi showing ng the the supplie suppliers rs name name and and addres address s details for buyer to forward the documents to v ia post or courier.
8. Acc Access ess Hel Help p for forum um 8.1 Online ‘help files’, ‘tutorials’ and ‘start-up guides’ 8.2 Help desk’ style of support available by phone and/or mail 8.3 An administrator is made available (by email) to assist registered suppliers with specific queries regarding the tender. 9. Resp Respon onse se to to clos closed ed ten tende ders rs 9.1 this respon response se can be submitte submitted d only by supplie supplierr who have have got a username username and and passwor password d sent through a mail by the buyer. 9.2 The supplier supplier can then then login by this username username and and passw password ord and and submit submit quotation. quotation. 10. News paper advertising
10.1 this facility is optional. 10.2 this is used to place a advertisement of the services the supplier provides in any number of selected newspapers. newspapers. 10.3 the newspaper will be of your choice. 10.4 This supplier has to submit some amount of money to get this facility. 11.
Notification to Suppliers 11.1 all the suppliers are notified that a tender of their their interest is available 11.2 if a supplier registers after a tender is submitted, submitted, then, a mail about the available tenders is also sent to him. 11.3 Any notification is sent only once on an email id i.e. a track of sent mails is maintained in order to avoid repeatedly sending of mails and also not to annoy the supplier.
User (not registered) 1.
View rank given to buyer and supplier
2. View View public public tend tenders ers subm submitt itted ed by supp supplie lier r 2.1. Click on view public tenders tenders 2.2. Information (important points) corresponding all public tender will get displayed 2.3. Threshol Threshold d parameters parameters will also get displaye displayed d 2.4. Select Select any tender tender you you want want to view 2.5. View View complete complete tender tender
5. Non- functional requirements
5.1
The site is highly secure so, security problems do not occur. Potential security problems may be the following ones 5.1. 5. 1.1 1
•
•
Duri Du ring ng re regi gist stra rati tion on
Integrity violation: Malicious parties may change, alter, or delete the registration form submitted by the buyer. Confidentiality violation: The registration forms submitted by a buyer may contain companysensitive informat ion. A malicious party may gain access to this material.
5.1.2 During Invitation to tender •
•
Integrity violation: A malicious party may alter the tender specification document or advertising information. Thus suppliers may submit offers for the wrong project or fail to complete all requirements. Masquerading or impersonation: A malicious party may impersonate the principal and issue a false tender advertisement, causing suppliers to waste waste time and money developing tender submission documents.
5.1. 5. 1.3 3 •
•
Duri Du ring ng Ten Tende derr subm submis issi sion on
Integrity violation: A malicious party can change; alter a submitted tender document prepared by the supplier. Confidentiality violation: A malicious party can access sensitive information conta ined in the quotation documents. The malicious party could then prepare their own tender document undercutting other tender prices.
•
Impersonation: A malicious party can submit a false tender under the name of a legitimate supplier. The The legitimate supplier ma y not be able to deny ownership of this fa lse tender document. 5.1. 5. 1.4 4
•
Integrity violation: violation : A malicious party may gain access to the document during e valuation and alter the submitted tender document to favour a particular supplier
5.1. 5. 1.5 5 •
•
•
•
Duri Du ring ng Ten Tende derr eval evalua uati tion on
Duri Du ring ng aw awar ard d of of te tend nder er
Integrity violation: A malicious party may alter the award of tender message so that an incorrect supplier is notified that they have won the tender. Confidentiality violation: Sensitive information regarding the winning tender may be released. Impersonation: A malicious party may impersonate the principal to send a fake tender award to an unsuccessful supplier or to notify the successful supplier that they did not win the tender.
Non-verifiable evidence: If no integrity and confidentiality service is in place, people cannot tell which award message is genuine.
