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<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<head>
<title>BIDS: Business Information Database System</title>
<link href="img/bidsIcon.png" rel="shortcut icon"/>
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="css/olStyle.css"/>
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../lib/ext-3.4.0/resources/css/ext-all.css"/>
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<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="css/Ext.ux.form.CheckboxCombo.min.css"/>
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" id="xtheme-wireframe" href="../lib/ext-3.4.0/resources/css/xtheme-wireframe.css"/>
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="css/bids.css"/>
<script>
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ga('create', gaID, host);
ga('send', 'pageview');
</script>
<script src="http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.10.2/jquery.min.js"></script>
<style>
body {
background: #eee;
}
.table-of-contents {
float: right;
width: 30%;
background: #eee;
font-size: 10;
padding: 0px 10px 20px 10px;
margin: 20px -10px 20px 20px;
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padding: 0;
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margin: 0 0 0.25em 0;
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text-decoration: none;
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.table-of-contents a:hover,
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text-decoration: underline;
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h3:target {
animation: highlight 1s ease;
}
@keyframes highlight {
from { background: yellow; }
to { background: white; }
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</style>
</head>
<body>
<div id="wrap">
<div id="header">
<div class="row" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px -100px;">
<a class="logo" data-bind="click: showHome" href="#">
<img id="bidsLogo" alt="BIDS: Business Information Database System, United States Department of State" src="img/bidsLogo.png">
</a>
<ul class="nav">
<li>
<a href="mailto:BIDS-Mailbox@state.gov">Contact Us</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="#">Help</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="faqs.html">FAQs</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="data.html">Data</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="map.html">Map</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="index.html">Home</a>
</li>
</u>
</div>
</div>
<div id="main">
<article>
<h1>BIDS: A User's Manual</h1>
<h2>The Business Information Database System</h2>
<br>
<div class="helpcontent">
<h3 style="padding-top: 30px" id="intro">Introduction</span>
</h3>
<p>
<span>Many U.S. businesses -- and in particular, small and medium sized enterprises -- report that a major obstacle to
exporting is a lack of actionable market intelligence. In line with the President's National Export Initiative and with
Executive Order 13630 of December 6, 2012, the State Department's Economic Bureau and IRM's Office of eDiplomacy have
developed BIDS -- the Business Information Database System -- as an open, internet-based platform to aggregate information on
tender opportunities and trade leads, and make that information available to U.S. business.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>BIDS is populated by data entered at posts and collected from the Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs). At present,
the focus of BIDS is on major, strategic projects funded by MDBs or governments. It's not intended to be a comprehensive
catalog of the universe of projects; the focus is on projects where U.S. firms can be competitive.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>BIDS is an open platform, meaning anyone will be able to access its data. This was a conscious decision made for a
number of reasons, not least of which was to lighten the burden of data entry on Embassies. </span>
<span>Any information posted on BIDS is visible to anyone, including our foreign competitors.</span>
<span> The intent is that U.S. companies will follow up with posts directly for more details on projects that are of
interest, providing the opportunity to connect firms to resources and information that may give them the edge in securing the
deal.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>BIDS is not a standalone project. It is part of the broader Department of State and U.S. government effort to promote
U.S. exports. BIDS data is available through a State Department website, and U will also be available through the Department
of Commerce (and its network of U.S. Export Assistance Centers across the U.S.), and used by the U.S. Small Business
Administration (and its network of Small Business Development Centers across the U.S.), and other agencies such as the U.S.
Trade and Development Agency and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation. Data from BIDS will also be directly available
to organizations such as the American Water Works Association which will be able to package it and push it out to their
members. </span>
</p>
<p>
<span>BIDS has been developed with a great deal of input from posts, from other agencies, and from the private sector. It is
and will remain a work in progress. Contributions to BIDS -- from adding new leads, to commenting and updating existing
leads, to giving constructive feedback on the system -- will are instrumental in supporting U.S. business.</span>
</p>
<h3 style="padding-top: 30px" id="how-it-works">
HOW DOES BIDS WORK?
</h3>
<h4>
<span>Where do I find BIDS?</span>
</h4>
<p>
<span>The BIDS Website is at</span>
<span>
<a href="http://bids.state.gov">http://bids.state.gov</a>
</span>
<span>. The website works both in Internet Explorer (versions 8 and above) and in Google Chrome. BIDS will also be available
through the "Econ@State" Portal (</span>
<span>
<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/tradeleadsdemosite/">econ.state.gov</a>
</span>
<span>) on the State Department's Intranet.</span></p>
<h4>
<span>What does BIDS look like?</span>
</h4>
<img src="img/BIDS_Screenshot.png" alt="BIDS page screen shot with explanatory text boxes near each key element" height=450 width=700>
<p>
<span>This is the BIDS Webpage. It consists of four main elements:</span>
</p>
<ul>
<li>
<span> - The Map</span>
</li>
<li>
<span> - The Search/Filter Panel</span>
</li>
<li>
<span> - The Menu Bar, and</span>
</li>
<li>
<span> - The Business Lead List.</span>
</li>
</ul>
<h4>
<span>The Map</span>
</h4>
<p>
<span>The map is interactive; you can click or use the scroll wheel on your mouse to zoom in and out, and click and drag to
move the map. You can also zoom in or out using the (+/-) buttons on the top left corner of the map.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>Dots on the map indicate projects. Hovering over a dot will cause a box will appear either referring to a specific
project, or indicating the number of projects connected to that location. Clicking on the individual project brings up the
details of the project; if more than one project is represented in a dot, clicking on the dot will open a list of the
projects, where you can click on an individual project for more information.</span>
</p>
<h4>
<span>The Search/Filter Table</span>
</h4>
<p>
<span>The Search/Filter Table allows users to select parameters to find specific projects. (The specific data fields are
described in detail in the "</span>
<span style="font-weight:bold">
<a href="#add-lead">Adding A Trade Lead</a>
</span>
<span>" section below.) Most of the search/filter functions are selected by drop-down tables; click on the parameter
and select the appropriate criteria. Then click the "Search" button below the tables and the map will show only the
projects matching the selected criteria. You may select as many criteria as you wish.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>You can also search by keywords. The keyword search will search across all alphanumeric data fields (project
description, etc.), not just those in the "keywords" field.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>Clicking the "Reset" button clears the criteria you have selected and resets the map to the original
view.</span>
</p>
<h4>
<span>The Menu Bar</span>
</h4>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Home</span>
<span>resets the map, clears any criteria in the search filters and returns you to the BIDS Landing page.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Map</span>
<span>will bring you back to the Map from any other page on the site you may be visiting.</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Add A Lead</span>
<span>appears in both the menu bar and at the bottom of the Search/Filter panel. Currently</span>
<span>this function is only available when accessing BIDS from a computer connected to the Department of State
internal network.</span>
<span>Add A Lead opens a new window where you may add a new trade lead (see "</span>
<span>Adding A Trade Lead</span>
<span>" below). </span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Data</span>
<span>will take you to a page where you may preview and download the full BIDS dataset as a 'Comma Separated Values'
(.CSV) file to use in Microsoft Excel or another program. In the Data view, you may sort data by each data field (Country,
Status, Sector).</span>
</p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">FAQs</span>
<span>opens a list of Frequently Asked Questions, and also allows you to submit a question about BIDS. A list of government
and non-government resources that relate to infrastructure development and business support can also be found here — these are
primarily links to websites such as those of the multilateral development banks or U.S. government agencies.</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Help</span>
<span>will lead you to this</span>
<span style="font-style:italic">Standard Operating Procedures</span>
<span>document.</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Contact Us</span>
<span>: click here and your default mailbox program will create an e-mail to the BIDS developers for your questions or
comments.</span>
</p>
<h4>
<span>The Business Leads List</span>
</h4>
<p>
<span>The Business Leads List is a narrow strip across the bottom of the BIDS window. When you click on the Business Leads
List, the List will scroll up. It presents in tabular format the same data that you are looking at on the map. Use the
scroll bar at the bottom and the right of the list to see all the data fields.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>The list represents filtered data; that is, if you have selected any criteria in the Search/Filter Table, the same
criteria are used to populate the Map and the Business Leads List. Resetting the Search/Filter Table will reset the Business
Leads List as it does the Map.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>Two buttons appear at the upper left corner of the Business Leads List. The first is the "Edit Entry"
button. Click on an entry in the list will highlight that entry; then click on the "Edit Entry" button. A new
window opens where you can edit the entry to make corrections or update information (see "</span>
<span>Editing A Trade Lead</span>
<span>" below).</span>
<span>
<u>The edit entry button is only available when you are accessing BIDS from a computer connected to the internal State Department network</u>.
</span>
<span>Only authorized users are permitted to edit entries.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>The second button is the "Export to CSV;" this will download a 'Comma-Separated Values' file of the
filtered data in the Business Leads List that you may save to your system and open using Microsoft Excel or another software
program.</span>
</p>
<h3 style="padding-top: 30px" id="questions">QUESTIONS ABOUT BIDS?</h3>
<h4>
<span>What if I have a problem or a comment about BIDS?</span>
</h4>
<p>
<span>Questions or comments about BIDS can be sent to</span>
<span>
<a href="mailto:BIDS-Mailbox@state.gov">BIDS-Mailbox@state.gov</a>
</span>
<span>; to report specific technical problems with BIDS, click on "Report a Bug" at the bottom of the BIDS
map. Also check the FAQs on the website.</span></p>
<h4>
<span>Who reviews entries into BIDS?</span>
</h4>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Posts should develop their own internal clearance and approval systems</span>
<span>for adding information to BIDS. We expect that Economic related offices (FCS, USAID, etc.) at posts will review
proposed entries; at some posts the Economic Counselor or the Deputy Chief of Mission may want to approve submissions. In
Washington, EB/CBA and EB/IFD/ODF will be reviewing submissions largely for consistency and format. To ensure information is
delivered in a timely manner, it's important the review cycle be quick. EB expects to be able to clear most entries within
one business day.</span></p>
<h4>
<span>How do I know what I should enter?</span>
</h4>
<p>
<span>BIDS is not an encyclopedia of all possible foreign government tenders. Projects submitted for BIDS should be</span>
<span style="font-weight:bold">selected strategically,</span>
<span> based on answers to a few simple questions such as:</span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<span>Is this project of particular interest to post or to the United States?</span>
</li>
<li>
<span>Is this a sector where U.S. businesses have successfully competed?</span>
</li>
<li>
<span>Is this a sector that could benefit from U.S. technology or expertise?</span>
</li>
<li>
<span>Is the host government interested in attracting more U.S. firms?</span>
</li>
</ul>
<p>
<span>If the answer to any of these or similar questions is 'yes', then the project may be a good candidate for BIDS. We are looking for quality information,</span>
<span style="font-weight:bold">not quantity.</span>
</p>
<h3 style="padding-top: 30px" id="how-to-use">HOW TO USE BIDS</h3>
<p>
<span>Officers overseas will find two primary uses for BIDS. </span>
</p>
<p>
<span>The first is to enter trade leads in country as a way to alert U.S. business to potential new export opportunities.
</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>The second involves using BIDS to search for MDB or other projects in country that have been entered automatically into
BIDS. Officers can add value to those entries by contacting key ministries or U.S. companies to develop more information and
updating the BIDS dataset.</span>
</p>
<h4 style="padding-top: 30px" id="add-lead">
<span>Adding a Trade Lead:</span>
</h4>
<p>
<span>Only authorized users who access BIDS from a computer connected to the State Department OpenNet system are able to
enter trade leads. </span>
<span style="font-style:italic">In some cases the system may be slow to recognize your connection. If you erroneously get a message
saying you are not connected to OpenNet, please give the system a few seconds to recognize you and then try again.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>Clicking on either the "Add A Lead" button on the top right of the page or at the bottom of the left panel
first opens a pop-up window; clicking "OK" confirms the user understands that only unclassified information may be added to
the system and that the user has obtained any necessary clearances or approvals at post to enter the data. Then a second
pop-up window opens where you can enter information about business opportunities. The data fields are described below.
</span>
<span>
<u>Underlined fields are required,</u>
</span>
<span> others are optional. </span>
</p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Project Title:</span>
<span>Please use the official title of the project. Where there is no official title, please use a brief
description, e.g.: Ring Road Project.</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Specific Location:</span>
<span>Please indicate the city or a specific landmark such as a university, natural feature, or province. If the
project is nationwide or is not easily connected with a single location, like an electrification project in several different
provinces, please indicate the geographic area. Check to make sure that your project will map properly by going to Google" and
attempting to map it there.</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Country:</span>
<span>Please indicate the country where the project will be located.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Primary Sector:</span>
<span>Check one box indicating the appropriate sector for the project. The sectors included here are based on the two digit
North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes maintained by the U.S. Census Bureau. More information on NAICS is
provided in the Appendix; complete descriptions of the sectors and subsectors can be found on the Census Bureau website. In
some cases, a project may bridge two or more sectors; please pick the predominant sector. Please use the "Keywords"
field to add additional information that may help users find your project.</span></p>
<p>
<spa style="font-weight:bold"n>Project Value:</span>
<span>Please enter the U.S. dollar value (or estimate) of the project. Enter whole dollar values (i.e.
$1,200,000); do</span>
<span>not</span>
<span>use abbreviations (such as $1.2m)</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Status:</span>
<span>There are three options:</span>
<span>
<a href="#pipeline">Pipeline, </a>
</span>
<span>
<a href="#in-procurement">In Procurement, <a/>
</span>
<span>or</span>
<span>
<a href="#fulfilled">Fulfilled,
</a>
</span>
</p>
<ul>
<li>
<span id="pipeline" style="font-weight:bold">Pipeline:</span>
<span>a project that is in development. Perhaps the government has announced its intention to build a new
port or to upgrade a power plant -- this would be a project in 'the Pipeline.' </span>
<span style="font-style:italic">Information on Pipeline projects is of the greatest utility to U.S. exporters; this is when they may
have the best chance to shape the design of a project to enhance their chances of success.</span>
<span></span>
</li>
<li>
<span id="in-procurement" style="font-weight:bold">In Procurement:</span>
<span>formal tenders have been let and potential competitors are submitting bids. </span>
<span>Information on projects</span>
<span>
<u>In Procurement</u>
</span>
<span>is generally of less value to U.S. firms. </span></li>
<li>
<span id="fulfilled" style="font-weight:bold">Fulfilled:</span>
<span>a contract has been awarded or the project has been cancelled. See "</span>
<span style="font-weight:bold">
<a href="#edit-lead">Editing a Trade Lead</a>
</span>
<span>"for more details.</span>
</li>
</ul>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Project Number:</span>
<span>Many projects have some type of identifying number. P</span>
<span>lease indicate the reference number from the government, bank, etc., associated with the project. If
there are two separate funding sources and therefore two different project numbers, please indicate them here.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Primary Funding Source:</span>
<span>Choose from one of</span>
<span>
<u>Development Banks</u>
</span>
<span>(i.e. a multilateral development bank such as the World Bank or the Asian Development Bank);</span>
<span>
<u>Government</u>
</span>
<span>(at any level — national, provincial, local);</span>
<span>
<u>Private</u>
</span>
<span>(this will be rare);</span>
<span>
<u>Self Financed</u>
</span>
<span>(for example, a State-Owned Enterprise funding a new power station from its own resources); or</span>
<span>
<u>Other</u>.
</span>
<span>Additional details of the primary funding source, and any other funding sources, may be entered in the "Post
Comments" box. </span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Information Source:</span>
<span>Select from the drop down list. If you are entering a project at an overseas post, select "Post Identified
Project." Projects added to BIDS from MDB sites will be identified with the sponsoring bank. Offices in Washington can
also enter projects and would select "Washington Identified Project."</span>
</p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Project Description and Bidding Requirements:</span>
<span>Include key details of the project description that will help BIDS users understand the project more fully. Include
any special or specific bidding requirements that the government may have as well as bid deadline, if one has been
established. </span>
</p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Keywords:</span>
<span>Please enter any combination of key words that describe the project, e.g., Power, Dam, Hydroelectricity,
Renewable, Water, and Environment. Also enter terms that may better define the sector.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Project Announced:</span>
<span> When was this project publicly announced? Alternatively, the date entered here may be the date post learned about
the project prior to a formal announcement.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Expected Tender Date:</span>
<span>Indicate when the project sponsor expects to release a tender for the project. This may need to be updated as new
information becomes available. If the project sponsor has announced a bid deadline, that date should be included in the
"Project Description and Bidding Requirements" section above.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Borrowing Entity:</span>
<span>Please indicate the foreign government agency borrowing money for the project. If none, say
"none".</span>
</p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Implementing Entity:</span>
<span>Indicate what government ministry or other entity will be responsible for issuing the project documents
an overseeing the project.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Project Website:</span>
<span>If there is a website link to more information about the project, enter the web address here.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Post Business Tab:</span>
<span>In 2012, Posts were instructed to create "Business Tabs" on their public websites; providing the
website information here will connect businesses directly to post information on business conditions in the country.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Submitting Officer:</span>
<span>Please enter the name of the officer submitting the lead, or the name of the person at post who would be the most
appropriate point of contact for follow-up questions from Washington or the private sector.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Submitting Officer Contact:</span>
<span>Please enter the e-mail address of the person named in the "Submitting Officer" box. This should be
an</span>
<span style="font-weight:bold">"@state.gov</span>
<span>" address.</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Implementing Entity POC(s) and Contact Information:</span>
<span>Please include principal and secondary contacts, names, address, email addresses and phone
numbers.</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Post Comments:</span>
<span>Include information that will help the bidders understand the dynamics of the bid. Also, if there will be a Direct
Line call, please indicate date, time, number to register and requirements. </span>
<span style="font-weight:bold">N.B. BIDS is not designed or authorized to house any classified or sensitive information. You should
assume any information you enter here will be available to the general public.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>The 'Reset' button will clear any information you've entered including any drop-down box selections.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>Once you have entered all the required data and checked to be sure it's all correct, click on "Save" at the bottom of the
pop up window. The "Save" button will be grayed out if any required information is missing. When you click save, a
pop-up box will confirm that your data has been put in queue for final review and posting to the BIDS website (see</span>
<span style="font-weight:bold">
<a href="#review-process">The BIDS Clearance and Review Process</a>
</span>
<span>). You will also receive an e-mail with the details of your entry; this confirms the entry is ready for final clearance
and posting.</span></p>
<h4 style="padding-top: 30px" id="edit-lead" style="font-weight:bold">
<span>Editing a Trade Lead</span>
</h4>
<p>
<span>In some cases, a post may learn additional details about a project after the project has been entered into BIDS. This
may be about a project the post entered locally, or about a project funded by a multilateral development bank. Some changes
may be straightforward, such as changes in the project scope, bidding deadlines, or new bidding requirements. Maybe you need
to update the point of contact at post. Or perhaps an official of the implementing agency told the post's commercial
counselor that the country is particularly interested in U.S. bidders on the project. Any and all of this information may be
of great use to U.S. firms in deciding whether to pursue a particular project.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>Editing BIDS data is what keeps it fresh, up-to-date, and of utility to U.S. business. To keep data fresh, BIDS will
automatically archive any entries that have not been updated in the previous 90 days (or that have reached the Expected
Tender Date). BIDS will generate an-email to post ten days before the archive date. If the tender is still active, updating
the information about the trade lead will reset the 90 day clock. If post does nothing, then the lead is automatically
archived. Post may also archive a project if it learns information (such as cancellation of a project or the award of a
tender) using the 'Edit a Lead.' Archived leads are removed from the public BIDS system of active projects, but they
do remain permanently in the BIDS database.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>Edit a lead can also be used to copy data on two or more similar but distinct projects. Once the first project has
been entered into BIDS, post can use "Edit a Lead" to open the entry and edit it to reflect details of the second
project. Then click "Save as New Lead" at the bottom of the editing window.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>Most edits are minor — revisions to dates, correcting a website address, etc., and can be made immediately. Substantive
edits to the</span>
<span>
<u>Project Description</u>
</span>
<span>and/or</span>
<span>
<u>Post Comments,</u>
</span>
<span> however, are considered major edits, and do require Washington clearance. </span>
<span style="font-style:italic">[N.B.: we will monitor the edits made with an eye to eliminating this review requirement.] </span></p>
<p>
<span>Whenever a lead is edited, BIDS will generate an e-mail to the Post POC as listed in the trade lead notifying him or
her of the edit.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">To edit a trade lead:</span>
</p>
<ol>
<li>
<span>Select the country, sector and/or any other fields in the Search/Filter panel to find the lead you wish to
edit.</span>
</li>
<li>
<span>At the bottom of the BIDS screen, click on the Business Leads Bar; the Bar will scroll up to display all
the leads matching your selected criteria.</span>
</li>
<li>
<span>Click on the lead you wish to edit (the lead will be highlighted).</span>
</li>
<li>
<span>Click on the "Edit Entry" icon at the top left of the Business Leads Bar</span>
</li>
<li>
<span>The "Add A Lead" window will open containing all the data for that specific lead.</span>
</li>
<li>
<span>You can now edit the data by correcting or updating information, or by adding new information. </span>
<span style="font-weight:bold">If any required data is missing, that data must be entered before you can save any edits.</span>
</li>
<li>
<span>If you have made substantive edits (i.e. beyond correcting spelling errors, etc.) to the</span>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Project Description</span>
<span>or to the</span>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Post Comments</span>
<span>, click on the check box indicating "This is a major edit".</span></li>
<li>
<span>To archive the lead, click the "Archive this Lead" box. </span>
</li>
<li>
<span>If you've edited the lead to copy details from a similar but distinct project, click on "Save as
New Lead".</span>
</li>
<li>
<span>Click on the "Save Edits" button to save your edits.</span>
</li>
</ol>
<p>
<span>If you click on the "Cancel" Button in the edit window, any changes you made to the data will be discarded and the
window will close.</span>
</p>
<h4>
<span>Search and Filter Functions</span>
</h4>
<p>
<span>The left hand panel of the BIDS screen houses the search filters. BIDS Data can be filtered according to Sector,
Project Size, Funding Source, and Project Status. You can also search for BIDS entries according to the date the project was
announced and by the expected tender date. Finally, the Search panel allows archived data to be retrieved and displayed on
the BIDS map (normally, only 'active' — that is, non-archived projects, are displayed). Below is a brief description
of each search filter, followed by details of how the search filter operates. </span>
</p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Search for:</span>
<span>Primarily intended for keyword searches, this tool will search across all alphanumeric fields (including project
title, specific location and country, project description, and keywords)</span>
</p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Select Sector:</span>
<span> Check the boxes in the drop-down menu to select one or more specific sectors</span>
</p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Select Funding Source:</span>
<span>Check the boxes in the drop-down menu to select one or more funding sources</span>
</p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Announce Date Begin:</span>
<span> Click here and a calendar will open; select a date to see only BIDS entries announced on or after that date</span>
</p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Announce Date End</span>
<span>: Click here and a calendar will open; select a date to see only BIDS entries announced before or on that date</span>
</p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Tender Date Begin:</span>
<span>Click here and a calendar will open; select a date to see only BIDS entries with tender dates matching or after that
date</span>
</p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Tender Date End:</span>
<span>Click here and a calendar will open; select a date to see only BIDS entries with tender dates before or matching
that date</span>
</p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Select Status:</span>
<span> Check the boxes in drop down menu to see projects in</span>
<span>
<u>Pipeline,</u>
</span>
<span> </span>
<span>
<u>In Procurement,</u>
</span>
<span> or</span>
<span>
<u>Fulfilled.</u>
</span>
</p>
<p>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Select Active:</span>
<span>Check the boxes is the drop-down menu to select</span>
<span>
<u>Active</u>
</span>
<span>or</span>
<span>
<u>Archived.</u>
</span>
<span>Note that active entries appear on the BIDS map by default; if you select</span>
<span>
<u>Archived</u>
</span>
<span>, only Archived projects will be displayed.</span>
</p>
<h5>
<span>How to use the Search Filters</span>
</h5>
<p>
<span>Search filters can be used individually or in any combination. Each time a filter is applied — that is, each time you
click "search" underneath the search filters -- BIDS will refresh to display, both on the map and in the Business
Lead List at the bottom of the screen only those projects matching the selected criteria. You can further refine this
filtered data by selecting additional criteria and then clicking "search" again.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>Example:</span>
<span> You want to see all projects being financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). In the Search filter panel, use the
drop down menu and check the box for Asian Development Bank. When you click "search" the BIDS map and the Business
Leads List will show all projects with the ADB listed as the funding source. If you want to narrow this list down to only
one or two specific sectors, check the desired boxes in the "Sector" drop-down box and then click "Search".</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>Each additional filter will further reduce the number of projects displayed; if your search generates no results, then
no projects matching your selected criteria exist in BIDS. Removing criteria will expand your search.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>To remove all filters from a search, click "Reset" at the bottom of the search panel. All active projects will again be displayed on the BIDS map. </span>
</p>
<h5>
<span>Using/Exporting Filtered Data</span>
</h5>
<p>
<span>Each dot on the BIDS map represents a project within BIDS; a larger dot indicates more than one project at a specific
location. The BIDS map automatically combines projects dots concentrated in an area when zoomed out; when you zoom in, the
dots will separate to reflect the location of specific projects.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>Example:</span>
<span>When looking at the global BIDS map, one large dot on the map indicates 8 projects in India. When you zoom in on India,
the dots separate to show individual projects in different regions and cities of India.</span></p>
<p>
<span>When your mouse pointer hovers over a dot, a pop-up box will appear. The box will display the Project Title, the
Sector, and the Funding Source (for a single project) or it may display a number of projects in the same location. If you
click on the dot or on a specific project, another pop-up box will display additional details to include the Project Title,
Country, Sector, Date Added, Funding Source, Project Size, Status, Description, Post Comments, and links to the Project
Website, Embassy Website, and a link to contact the Embassy. The "Contact Embassy" link will use your default mail
program to open an e-mail addressed to the Submitting Officer listed in the BIDS entry.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>Search filters affect the data shown on the map as well as in the Business Leads List at the bottom of the page; only
data matching your search criteria are shown on the map and in the Business Leads List.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>The Business Leads List includes a few more data points than the pop-up boxes on the map, including keywords. Data in
the Business Leads List can be downloaded as a 'comma separated values' (*.csv) file for use on your own computer.
Once you have filtered the data to fit your needs, open the Business Leads List by clicking at the bottom of the screen.
Click on the "Export to CSV" button at the top left hand corner of the list. The file should download
automatically.</span>
</p>
<p>
</p>
<h3 style="padding-top: 30px" id="review-process">The BIDS Clearance and Review Process</h3>
<p>
<span>One key to the utility of BIDS is speed; U.S. businesses don't need the information we have two weeks from now, they need
it</span>
<span style="font-weight:bold">now. </span>
<span>As such, BIDS is designed to disseminate information quickly. However, to ensure consistency from scores of posts, EB
staff will review entries and major edits to guarantee the quality and relevance of BIDS entries.</span></p>
<p>
<span>Entries regarding MDB projects are first reviewed by EB/IFD/ODF staff before being posted to BIDS. Any major edits to
those entries made at post will be returned to EB/IFD/ODF for review before being posted.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>Post entries will be reviewed by EB/CBA staff before being posted to the BIDS system; major post edits will be
similarly reviewed.</span>
</p>
<h3 style="padding-top: 30px" id="info-sharing">How BIDS Information Is Shared</h3>
<p>
<span>BIDS exists on an open platform, meaning that the data is available to anyone able to reach the BIDS.state.gov website.
But BIDS is also built to support Application Protocol Interfaces (APIs). This means that other users can build websites
that will automatically pull data from BIDS and display it on their websites. (As an example, consider Yahoo pulling news
stories from the Associated Press (AP.com) to post on its homepage.) For more information on how to incorporate BIDS data
into your website, please contact us at BIDS-Mailbox@state.gov.</span>
</p>
<h3 style="padding-top: 30px" id="bids-future">The future of BIDS</h3>
<p>
<span>We see BIDS as only one small part of a much broader interagency toolkit that can support U.S. business. Within the
Department, BIDS is part of our larger Economic Statecraft toolkit, and should be integrated with Business Tabs, Direct Line,
and other programs. We've been working with the Department of Commerce to ensure it will be able to incorporate BIDS
information into its systems as well as with OPIC, USTDA, ExIm, BusinessUSA.gov, and others. </span>
</p>
<p>
<span>We see a future where a U.S. business leader can come into her office, turn on her computer, and get alerts on new
projects that are of particular interest to her firm. Imagine a businessperson logging into a website, calling up a U.S.
Government webpage that not only provides details on a major infrastructure opportunity, but also has a link to the relevant
Country Commercial Guide, contact information for the appropriate USTDA or Ex-Im Bank representative for the project, and
even a notice about a Direct Line call about the project next week. </span>
</p>
<h3 style="padding-top: 30px" id="glossary">Glossary</h3>
<p>
<span>Active: A BIDS entry is considered 'active' if it has not been archived (see below).</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>Archived: BIDS entries will be archived:</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>a) if a post edits the entry to indicate it is archived; or</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>b) 60 days after the project status is set to fulfilled; or</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>c) if an entry has not been edited or updated in the previous 90 days. </span>
</p>
<p>
<span>Fulfilled: Fulfilled indicates that a project has been completed.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>In Procurement A project is "in procurement" once funding has been approved and tender documents for
contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers have been issued, and/or the projects is actively being implemented.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>Pipeline: A project is said to be in the 'pipeline' from the earliest point of identification through
project preparation, appraisal, and final approval. For a MDB project, 'pipeline' generally refers to any point in
the process before the bank's Board of Directors grants final approval. </span>
<span style="font-weight:bold">This is the period of time when BIDS is most important -- U.S. companies have their best chance at gaining a
contract when they are involved in the pipeline.</span>
</p>
<h3 style="padding-top: 30px" id="info-sharing">Appendix: Sector Definitions</h3>
<p>
<span>The industry sectors in BIDS are selected from the North American Industry Classification System(NAICS). The North
American Industry Classification System (NAICS, pronounced Nakes) was developed under the direction and guidance of the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as the standard for use by Federal statistical agencies in classifying business
establishments for the collection, tabulation, presentation, and analysis of statistical data describing the U.S. economy.
Use of the standard provides uniformity and comparability in the presentation of these statistical data. NAICS is based on a
production-oriented concept, meaning that it groups establishments into industries according to similarity in the processes
used to produce goods or services. NAICS replaced the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system in 1997.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>NAICS is a 2- through 6-digit hierarchical classification system, offering five levels of detail. Each digit in the code
is part of a series of progressively narrower categories, and the more digits in the code signify greater classification
detail. The first two digits designate the economic sector, the third digit designates the subsector, the fourth digit
designates the industry group, the fifth digit designates the NAICS industry, and the sixth digit designates the national
industry.BIDS currently only uses two digit codes; if necessary in the future we could disaggregate some data with three digit
codes if warranted. We've only included industry groups we think are most appropriate for potential U.S. exporters; if you
think there are other industry groups we should include, please contact us at</span>
<span>
<a href="mailto:BIDS-Mailbox@state.gov">BIDS-Mailbox@state.gov</a>
</span>
<span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>See the full list of NAICS codes and learn more by visiting</span>
<span>
<a href="http://www.census.gov/eos/www/naics/">http://www.census.gov/eos/www/naics/</a>
</span>
<span>.</span>
</p>
<h5>
<span>Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services (NAICS Sector 56)</span>
</h5>
<p>
<span>The Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services sector comprises establishments performing
routine support activities for the day-to-day operations of other organizations. These essential activities are often
undertaken in-house by establishments in many sectors of the economy. The establishments in this sector specialize in one or
more of these support activities and provide these services to clients in a variety of industries and, in some cases, to
households. Activities performed include: office administration, hiring and placing of personnel, document preparation and
similar clerical services, solicitation, collection, security and surveillance services, cleaning, and waste disposal
services. The administrative and management activities performed by establishments in this sector are typically on a
contract or fee basis. These activities may also be performed by establishments that are part of the company or enterprise.
However, establishments involved in administering, overseeing, and managing other establishments of the company or enterprise
are classified in Sector 55, Management of Companies and Enterprises. Establishments in Sector 55, Management of Companies
and Enterprises normally undertake the strategic and organizational planning and decision making role of the company or
enterprise. Government establishments engaged in administering, overseeing, and managing governmental programs are classified
in Sector 92, Public Administration.</span>
</p>
<h5>
<span>Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, and Hunting (NAICS Sector 11)</span>
</h5>
<p>
<span>The Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting sector comprises establishments primarily engaged in growing crops,
raising animals, harvesting timber, and harvesting fish and other animals from a farm, ranch, or their natural habitats. The
establishments in this sector are often described as farms, ranches, dairies, greenhouses, nurseries, orchards, or
hatcheries. A farm may consist of a single tract of land or a number of separate tracts which may be held under different
tenures. For example, one tract may be owned by the farm operator and another rented. It may be operated by the operator
alone or with the assistance of members of the household or hired employees, or it may be operated by a partnership,
corporation, or other type of organization. When a landowner has one or more tenants, renters, croppers, or managers, the
land operated by each is considered a farm. The sector distinguishes two basic activities: agricultural production and
agricultural support activities. Agricultural production includes establishments performing the complete farm or ranch
operation, such as farm owner-operators, tenant farm operators, and sharecroppers. Agricultural support activities include
establishments that perform one or more activities associated with farm operation, such as soil preparation, planting,
harvesting, and management, on a contract or fee basis. Excluded from the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting sector
are establishments primarily engaged in agricultural research and establishments primarily engaged in administering programs
for regulating and conserving land, mineral, wildlife, and forest use. These establishments are classified in Industry 54171,
Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences; and Industry 92412, Administration of Conservation
Programs, respectively.</span>
</p>
<h5>
<span>Construction (NAICS Sector 23)</span>
</h5>
<p>
<span>The Construction sector comprises establishments primarily engaged in the construction of buildings or engineering
projects (e.g., highways and utility systems). Establishments primarily engaged in the preparation of sites for new
construction and establishments primarily engaged in subdividing land for sale as building sites also are included in this
sector. Construction work done may include new work, additions, alterations, or maintenance and repairs. Activities of these
establishments generally are managed at a fixed place of business, but they usually perform construction activities at
multiple project sites. Production responsibilities for establishments in this sector are usually specified in (1) contracts
with the owners of construction projects (prime contracts) or (2) contracts with other construction establishments
(subcontracts). Establishments primarily engaged in contracts that include responsibility for all aspects of individual
construction projects are commonly known as general contractors, but also may be known as design-builders, construction
managers, turnkey contractors, or (in cases where two or more establishments jointly secure a general contract) joint-venture
contractors. Construction managers that provide oversight and scheduling only (i.e., agency) as well as construction managers
that are responsible for the entire project (i.e., at risk) are included as general contractor type establishments.
Establishments of the "general contractor type" frequently arrange construction of separate parts of their projects
through subcontracts with other construction establishments. Establishments primarily engaged in activities to produce a
specific component (e.g., masonry, painting, and electrical work) of a construction project are commonly known as specialty
trade contractors. Activities of specialty trade contractors are usually subcontracted from other construction
establishments, but especially in remodeling and repair construction, the work may be done directly for the owner of the
property. Establishments primarily engaged in activities to construct buildings to be sold on sites that they own are known
as for-sale builders, but also may be known as speculative builders or merchant builders. For-sale builders produce buildings
in a manner similar to general contractors, but their production processes also include site acquisition and securing of
financial backing. For-sale builders are most often associated with the construction of residential buildings. Like general
contractors, they may subcontract all or part of the actual construction work on their buildings. There are substantial
differences in the types of equipment, work force skills, and other inputs required by establishments in this sector. To
highlight these differences and variations in the underlying production functions, this sector is divided into three
subsectors. Subsector 236, Construction of Buildings, comprises establishments of the general contractor type and for-sale
builders involved in the construction of buildings. Subsector 237, Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction, comprises
establishments involved in the construction of engineering projects. Subsector 238, Specialty Trade Contractors, comprises
establishments engaged in specialty trade activities generally needed in the construction of all types of buildings. Force
account construction is construction work performed by an enterprise primarily engaged in some business other than
construction for its own account, using employees of the enterprise. This activity is not included in the construction sector
unless the construction work performed is the primary activity of a separate establishment of the enterprise. The
installation and the ongoing repair and maintenance of telecommunications and utility networks is excluded from construction
when the establishments performing the work are not independent contractors. Although a growing proportion of this work is
subcontracted to independent contractors in the Construction sector, the operating units of telecommunications and utility
companies performing this work are included with the telecommunications or utility activities.</span>
</p>
<h5>
<span>Educational Services (NAICS Sector 61)</span>
</h5>
<p>
<span>The Educational Services sector comprises establishments that provide instruction and training in a wide variety of
subjects. This instruction and training is provided by specialized establishments, such as schools, colleges, universities,
and training centers. These establishments may be privately owned and operated for profit or not for profit, or they may be
publicly owned and operated. They may also offer food and/or accommodation services to their students. Educational services
are usually delivered by teachers or instructors that explain, tell, demonstrate, supervise, and direct learning. Instruction
is imparted in diverse settings, such as educational institutions, the workplace, or the home, and through diverse means,
such as correspondence, television, the Internet, or other electronic and distance learning methods. The training provided by
these establishments may include the use of simulators and simulation methods. It can be adapted to the particular needs of
the students, for example sign language can replace verbal language for teaching students with hearing impairments. All
industries in the sector share this commonality of process, namely, labor inputs of instructors with the requisite subject
matter expertise and teaching ability.</span>
</p>
<h5>
<span>Finance and Insurance — NAICS Sector 52</span>
</h5>
<p>
<span>The Finance and Insurance sector comprises establishments primarily engaged in financial transactions (transactions
involving the creation, liquidation, or change in ownership of financial assets) and/or in facilitating financial
transactions. Three principal types of activities are identified: </span>
</p>
<p>
<span>1. Raising funds by taking deposits and/or issuing securities and, in the process, incurring liabilities.
Establishments engaged in this activity use raised funds to acquire financial assets by making loans and/or purchasing
securities. Putting themselves at risk, they channel funds from lenders to borrowers and transform or repackage the funds
with respect to maturity, scale, and risk. This activity is known as financial intermediation.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>2. Pooling of risk by underwriting insurance and annuities. Establishments engaged in this activity collect fees,
insurance premiums, or annuity considerations; build up reserves; invest those reserves; and make contractual payments. Fees
are based on the expected incidence of the insured risk and the expected return on investment.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>3. Providing specialized services facilitating or supporting financial intermediation, insurance, and employee benefit
programs.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>In addition, monetary authorities charged with monetary control are included in this sector. The subsectors, industry
groups, and industries within the NAICS Finance and Insurance sector are defined on the basis of their unique production
processes. As with all industries, the production processes are distinguished by their use of specialized human resources and
specialized physical capital. In addition, the way in which these establishments acquire and allocate financial capital,
their source of funds, and the use of those funds provides a third basis for distinguishing characteristics of the production
process. For instance, the production process in raising funds through deposit-taking is different from the process of
raising funds in bond or money markets. The process of making loans to individuals also requires different production
processes than does the creation of investment pools or the underwriting of securities. Most of the Finance and Insurance
subsectors contain one or more industry groups of (1) intermediaries with similar patterns of raising and using funds and (2)
establishments engaged in activities that facilitate, or are otherwise related to, that type of financial or insurance
intermediation. Industries within this sector are defined in terms of activities for which a production process can be
specified, and many of these activities are not exclusive to a particular type of financial institution. To deal with the
varied activities taking place within existing financial institutions, the approach is to split these institutions into
components performing specialized services. This requires defining the units engaged in providing those services and
developing procedures that allow for their delineation. These units are the equivalents for finance and insurance of the
establishments defined for other industries. The output of many financial services, as well as the inputs and the processes
by which they are combined, cannot be observed at a single location and can only be defined at a higher level of the
organizational structure of the enterprise. Additionally, a number of independent activities that represent separate and
distinct production processes may take place at a single location belonging to a multilocation financial firm. Activities are
more likely to be homogeneous with respect to production characteristics than are locations, at least in financial services.
The classification defines activities broadly enough that it can be used both by those classifying by location and by those
employing a more top-down approach to the delineation of the establishment. Establishments engaged in activities that
facilitate, or are otherwise related to, the various types of intermediation have been included in individual subsectors,
rather than in a separate subsector dedicated to services alone because these services are performed by intermediaries, as
well as by specialist establishments, the extent to which the activity of the intermediaries can be separately identified is
not clear. The Finance and Insurance sector has been defined to encompass establishments primarily engaged in financial
transactions; that is, transactions involving the creation, liquidation, change in ownership of financial assets; or in
facilitating financial transactions. Financial industries are extensive users of electronic means for facilitating the
verification of financial balances, authorizing transactions, transferring funds to and from transactors' accounts,
notifying banks (or credit card issuers) of the individual transactions, and providing daily summaries. Since these
transaction processing activities are integral to the production of finance and insurance services, establishments that
principally provide a financial transaction processing service are classified to this sector, rather than to the data
processing industry in the Information sector. Legal entities that hold portfolios of assets on behalf of others are
significant and data on them are required for a variety of purposes. Thus for NAICS, these funds, trusts, and other financial
vehicles are the fifth subsector of the Finance and Insurance sector. These entities earn interest, dividends, and other
property income, but have little or no employment and no revenue from the sale of services. Separate establishments and
employees devoted to the management of funds are classified in Industry Group 5239, Other Financial Investment
Activities.</span>
</p>
<h5>
<span>Heath Care and Social Assistance (NAICS Sector 62)</span>
</h5>
<p>
<span>The Health Care and Social Assistance sector comprises establishments providing health care and social assistance for
individuals. The sector includes both health care and social assistance because it is sometimes difficult to distinguish
between the boundaries of these two activities. The industries in this sector are arranged on a continuum starting with those