FAQs

Use this space to collect FAQ's until we can find a good way to get them on the website.

Q -- What if I don't know the value of a project?

A -- Project value is a required field, and a numeric value must be provided (i.e. $15,000,000, not "$15 million" or "between $10 and $15 million". However in some cases no value is provided by the project designer. Posts should work with the organizations proposing the project to identify an estimated value, or to look at similar projects in the region. You can also reach out to potential bidders and firms in the sector for their rough estimates. Provide your best guess as to the project value based on this input, and then in the Post Comments section you may note that the project value is only an estimate.

Q -- What do I need to do to become an authorized user of BIDS? Is it possible to assign authorization to the LE staff working in our section?

A -- BIDS is an open database, and anyone with access to the internet can visit the BIDS website and view the data in BIDS. To enter or edit data in BIDS, one must be logged into the State Department's OpenNet system using a "@state.gov" e-mail address. So your LE staff is already able to enter and edit data in BIDS.

Q -- At any level (Federal, State, County, City, etc.), can individuals (as opposed to incorporated businesses) bid for government contracts? For example, if I am an excellent transcriber, can I (as a private citizen) bid on a government transcription job or do I need to be incorporated?

A -- Thanks for your inquiry. Are you asking about bidding on contracts with the U.S. government? If so, I'd refer you to BusinessUSA.gov – it is an excellent compilation of U.S. government resources on how to find opportunities and the resources available to help you grow.

For foreign government contracts, the process will vary from country to country. An excellent starting place to learn about exporting your services is the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service, and its network of U.S. Export Assistance Centers throughout the United States. To find the closest office to you, visit www.export.gov and look for the list of domestic offices.