 Team Georgia Marketplace State Agencies |
 General Questions |
 | So, what is Team Georgia Marketplace™? | | Team Georgia Marketplace™ is the state’s electronic procurement application that:
• Provides online processes to make purchasing easier.
• Collects and centralizes purchasing information.
• Provides data to evaluate our buying habits and then to improve them.
• Provides for the central management of statewide contracts.
• Opens up state business to more suppliers by doing business online.
• Integrates processes with the state financial information.
For more information, visit the Team Georgia Marketplace™ home page at: | | http://doas.ga.gov/TGM/Pages/Home.aspx | | |
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| When will Team Georgia Marketplace™ be introduced to my agency? | |
We continue to roll out Team Georgia Marketplace™ to state agencies and plan to complete rolling out the system to agencies in FY2012 and technical colleges in FY2013. | | | | |
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| I have a P-Card. What will change for me? | | You will need to take the online P-Card training module when your agency is preparing to deploy Team Georgia Marketplace™. You will learn that rather than pulling information together manually to reconcile your monthly statement, the data will be available online through the P-Card application. You will be able to reconcile completely online.
Also, as a cardholder you may need to approve requests from other users in your agency who want you to place an order for them with your card. Yes, this may sound strange (see next question), but requestors in your agency can ask your permission to buy something by placing the purchase on your card. They will have to be administratively linked to your card in Team Georgia Marketplace™ and you should be informed by your agency leadership about this before you launch Team Georgia Marketplace™. Nevertheless, you need to know that you will be sent electronic requests from these users to place the purchase on your card, though they will never see your card. They will see the last five digits of your card number. You will be able to review the purchase, then approve or deny it, or even send it back with questions or additional instructions to the requestor. The details of this process will largely be determined by your agency leadership when you prepare to deploy Team Georgia Marketplace™.
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| Will I be able to buy items using somebody else’s P-Card? | | You will be able to send an electronic request to the cardholder asking them to place a purchase on their card for you, similar to the verbal, paper, or e-mail process you use today. The cardholder will see the purchase and be able to approve or deny the request but you, the requestor, will never see the card; only the last five digits of the card number. This feature provides the agency with the efficiency of using the P-Card while also maintaining security and accountability. | | | | |
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| I create all our RFPs and RFQs. What will Team Georgia Marketplace™ do for me? | | The Team Georgia Marketplace™ application, Strategic Sourcing, will provide you with an automated set of process tools to create a sourcing event, manage the event online, award the event and create a purchase order. The integrated information available online will allow you to analyze supplier responses to bids prior to awarding a contract. | | | | |
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| I manage our vendor contracts. What will be different for me? | |
| As a contract administrator, you will need to become familiar with the features of the Supplier Contract Management application within Team Georgia Marketplace™. This application standardizes contract processes using automated templates and an online clause library. Using these standards will allow you to reduce your time-to-contract while also driving contract compliance. The electronic contract templates are easily modified and can be monitored for activity. The Supplier Contract Management application also allow you to electronically control versions of each contract, tie it to the creation of a purchase order and streamline your contract management tasks. | | | | | |
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| What is one of the biggest challenges that new users face? | |
| Based on our conversations with users so far, the most common challenge they experience is simply getting used to doing their work using a paperless tool. So many of us are used to having a document in our hands to complete a task, it seems strange not to have it, at least at first. However, the experienced users say once you get comfortable with the applications, you begin to wonder why these kinds of tools were not available sooner. This is to say that users who perform tasks using Team Georgia Marketplace™ tools on a regular basis get used to it faster than those who do not use it frequently. For instance, if a user only requests office supplies four or five times a year, they would need to refer to their training materials periodically to remember how to complete the requisition tasks. Someone who requests items almost daily will become proficient within a matter of days. | | | | | |
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| Will I be able to do business with the same vendors of which I’ve been working? | | Absolutely! As of July 2011, there are over 24,000 suppliers registered in Team Georgia Marketplace™, so it is likely that many of your vendors are already registered. However, you should ensure your suppliers and vendors are among those registered. You can check the list of registered vendors on the Team Georgia Marketplace™ Web page by visiting http://doas.ga.gov/TGM/Pages/TGMSuppliers.aspx. If some of your current suppliers are not registered or if you have new suppliers who need to get registered, this Web page will provide you and your suppliers with instructions on how to get set up in Team Georgia Marketplace™. Additionally, DOAS can provide training to your suppliers for bid conferences and other events, upon your request. | | | | |
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| Will Team Georgia Marketplace™ help me get a better deal on goods and services? | | Yes, in most cases. The integrated data, online search capabilities, online catalogs and other automated features should allow you to find the best deal possible online. The more we use Team Georgia Marketplace™ tools, the more data we can collect and bring to suppliers to show our level of spend with them. Ultimately, we can then negotiate a better price for items or services we use most often. The State Purchasing Division (SPD) has been busy leveraging the purchasing power of the State of Georgia as they have been negotiating contracts with many vendors, thus creating significant savings on many of the items bought by state agencies and universities. As of January 20, 2009, all State of Georgia Team Georgia Marketplace™ requestors have been able to access all current statewide contracts electronically. The applications allow state employees to see and leverage all contracts created by SPD. In many instances, those contracts will have item catalogs that will be available to all state employees as well. These item catalogs will make searching for goods and services fast and easy as well as help stretch budget dollars further. | | | | |
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| Is this going to eliminate the use of paper to track purchases? | | Eventually, or at least that is a desired goal. The Team Georgia Marketplace™ applications will allow the state to create paperless procurement processes; however, more study must be done to determine how to reach this goal effectively. The Team Georgia Marketplace™ group in DOAS is working with various agencies across the state to investigate this question. Updates will be provided as information becomes available. | | | | |
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| How do I get access to Team Georgia Marketplace™? | | Once you have successfully completed Team Georgia Marketplace™ training, your name will be added to the PeopleSoft security (access) list for your agency. On your agency go live date, you can log into PeopleSoft and view your available applications. If you do not see the appropriate applications, DOAS is able to help you revise your security access for the first two weeks your agency is “live.” After two weeks, security adjustments will be handled via the standard SAO security form process. | | | | |
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| I just need to buy office supplies for our shop. What will I need to do? | |
Take the e-procurement module training when your agency is preparing to deploy Team Georgia Marketplace™. Then, begin using the e-procurement application on the day your agency goes live. Essentially, you will do much of the same tasks you do today except you will use the PeopleSoft e-procurement application to make your request rather than sending an email to an administrative support person, or filling out a requisition form. You will learn how to interface with the online catalogs so that you can search for your item(s) and select the right item(s) at the right price. It will be like purchasing a book through Amazon.com.
If you also approve requisitions, you will need to take an additional half day of eProcurement training so that you can learn the approval process. You will see the Team Georgia Marketplace™ default is two approvers before the request is turned into a purchase order. Your agency will need to determine who fills the role of approver for each requestor. You will also be able to add approvers to the process, if needed. Additional approvers will be called “ad hoc” approvers, who are involved in the approval of specific requests, but not all requests.
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| Team Georgia Marketplace System Requirements, Troubleshooting |
| My computer seems to run slow. Why is that? | | The first time you use Team Georgia Marketplace™, screens your computer will need to “cache” or store some of the graphics that make up that particular screen. This happens with any Web page you use so that the next time you use it, it will load much faster.
The data being accessed and processed by Team Georgia Marketplace™ is huge. As more users access the applications and more data is crunched, the more the system is taxed, which may cause processing to slow down. As more data is archived, the processing time for Team Georgia Marketplace™ is expected to decrease and overall performance is expected to increase with time. | | | | |
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| Will I need to upgrade my PC to use Team Georgia Marketplace™ applications? | | Perhaps. The Team Georgia Marketplace™ functions within PeopleSoft run optimally using the Microsoft Office 2003 platform or a later Office version and using Internet Explorer 7.0 or higher as your browser. If you have an older version of Office or an older version of Internet Explorer (6.0 or earlier), the Team Georgia Marketplace™ group recommends you contact your internal technology group (or your agency’s GTA Service Delivery Consultant if you are a GETS agency) to upgrade your operating system in order to use the modules as designed. Additionally, if you have technical problems, DOAS and SAO will be unable to help you if you are not using the recommended software and hardware. | | | | |
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| Once I’m online and using Team Georgia Marketplace™ applications, who do I call for help? | |
| The State Purchasing Division’s Procurement Help Desk provides assistance for questions related to State Purchasing policies, procedures and the DOAS website. You can contact the Help Desk during regular business hours at 404-657-6000 or via email at procurementhelp@doas.ga.gov. | | | | | |
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| Team Georgia Marketplace Training |
| So, will there be Team Georgia Marketplace™ training? When? How do I sign up? | |
Team Georgia Marketplace™ training will occur during the period or "wave" your agency prepares to Go Live, which typically is for a period of four to six weeks prior to the go live date. Your training schedule will also depend on your role. Here are some general training guidelines about who needs to attend a given training module for each Team Georgia Marketplace™ application.
There are some prerequisite requirements for attending some of these courses. Visit the Team Georgia Marketplace™ Web page (http://doas.ga.gov/TGM/Pages/TGMBuyers.aspx) to access a document that will outline all training requirements. Look for the subtitle “Training/Pre-Requisites for State Agencies.” | | | | |
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| Team Georgia Marketplace Window Shopper |
| What is Window Shopper? | | Window Shopper is a search feature that has been available to a variety of users across the state since September 2009. It is designed to help users who are not on Team Georgia Marketplace™ to be able to search the same electronic catalogs featured in Team Georgia Marketplace™ to complete a manual requisition. Window Shopper will let you save data or copy and paste data into a requisition or purchase order. For more information, visit the Window Shopper page on the Team Georgia Marketplace™ website at: http://doas.ga.gov/TGM/Pages/WindowShopper.aspx. | | | | |
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| How do I access Window Shopper? | |
You will need a user ID and password to view the catalogs and statewide contract information in Window Shopper. To obtain a user ID and password, select “Create Account” on the Window Shopper log in page using the link below. An ID and password will be sent to you via email. | | https://solutions.sciquest.com/apps/Router/Login?OrgName=Georgia | | |
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| Team Georgia Marketplace Suppliers |
| Managing Your Company's Information |
| What is the importance of the NIGP Codes and can I change my NIGP Codes after I register? | |
The NIGP Code is a type of Standard Industry Code (SIC). It is highly recommended that bidders and suppliers carefully select the NIGP commodity codes that most accurately reflect the goods and services provided by their company. Your company’s contacts will be sent bid invitations for those events matching the specified NIGP codes on the company profile. You may change your NIGP Codes by logging in and going to the area where you maintain your contact information. If you don’t find an exact match to the goods that your company supplies, choose the closest NIGP Code. If you are a Bidder, log into Team Georgia MarketplaceTM and click on “My Bidder Profile.” If you are a Supplier, log into Team Georgia Marketplace™ and look under “Maintain Supplier Information.” | | | | |
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| Once I’ve registered, what can I update in Team Georgia Marketplace™? | | If you are a bidder: You may log into Team Georgia Marketplace™ and update contacts, addresses, NIGP Codes, and change your business identity status, i.e. minority or small business status. If you are a supplier, you may log into Team Georgia Marketplace™ to update contacts, addresses, and NIGP Codes.
If you are a supplier, when you registered in Team Georgia Marketplace™, your registration was linked by your Tax Identification Number and the postal code for information already in our financial system. Additionally, you may have provided status information about your company when a contract was created. If you wish to look at your company status for any of the information listed below, you’ll need to contact the Help Desk at 404-657-6000.
Women-Owned Business Status
Georgia Based Business
Minority Owned Business
Small Business
Veteran Owned Business
Small Disadvantaged Business Program
DOAS State Purchasing encourages you to check and update your information on a regular basis as each company is responsible for maintaining their information. | | | | |
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| Is a woman-owned business considered a minority business? | |
Woman-owned businesses are not considered minority businesses in the State of Georgia. Georgia bases minority standing on ethnicity, not gender. The State of Georgia recognizes five minority groups: Asian American, Native American, African American, Hispanic/Latino and Pacific Islander. | | | | |
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| How does the State of Georgia define a small business? | | In Georgia, a business is considered small if it is independently owned and operated and has fewer than 100 employees or less than $1 million in gross receipts per year. | | | | |
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| Registration |
| What is the difference between sourcing bidder and supplier registration? | |
A sourcing bidder is a company that provides goods or services, but has never had a purchase order, received a remittance, or been awarded a contract by the State of Georgia. Your company may fit into this category even if it is active in our current Vendor Registration System. When bidders register, they input their information into Team Georgia Marketplace™ and the system generates a password that is sent to their email address.
A supplier is a company that has had a purchase order, received a remittance, or has been awarded a contract by the State of Georgia. A company in this category will have a PeopleSoft vendor number in our financials system. When a supplier registers in Team Georgia Marketplace™, the information (which is already in our financial system) links to their Tax Identification Number. Once registered, a supplier may modify and update the existing information. | | | | |
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| What is the difference between a vendor and supplier? | |
Technically, there’s no difference between a vendor and a supplier. We use both terms to define a company that supplies goods or services. In Team Georgia Marketplace™, the term supplier refers to a company that has already done business with the State of Georgia through either a purchase order or a contact.
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| Do I need a Tax Identification Number to register or may I use my Social Security number? | | If you have a Tax Identification Number, also called a FEIN number (Federal Employer Identification Number), you should use it when registering your company. If you are an individual doing business, you will use your Social Security Number to register. If you have applied for a Tax Identification Number and have not yet received it, you may also use your Social Security Number, and replace it when you receive your Tax Identification Number. | | | | |
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| Where can I register for Team Georgia Marketplace™? | | You can register from your own computer online. You can access Team Georgia Marketplace™ from the State Purchasing Division Web page. | | http://doas.ga.gov/TGM/Pages/TGMSuppliers.aspx | | |
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| How many extra contacts can be added when we register our company? | |
You may add unlimited contacts for a company. | | | | |
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| If I register in Team Georgia Marketplace™, will I receive e-mail bid solicitations? | |
Yes, your contact information and the NIGP codes for which you registered will be available to those agencies and buyers who use Team Georgia Marketplace™ for procurement processes. Other agencies will have access to your information in a connection from Team Georgia Marketplace™ to both the Georgia Procurement Registry (for proposals) and eSource (for Requests for Quotes, Requests for Proposals, and Requests for Information). Bid invitations will be sent to the contacts listed in your profile. There is no guarantee or assurance that registration in Team Georgia Marketplace™ will result in notification of any or all relevant procurements. In order to view all bid opportunities, it is the supplier’s responsibility to review the Georgia Procurement Registry on a routine basis. | | | | |
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| As a supplier, why am I being asked to create a password and then to immediately change it? | |
In order to have optimum security, we are following State of Georgia policy, which is to have users answer security questions. In order to do this, the software requires a change of password. | | | | |
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| Why did I get an error when I created my user ID? | |
It may be that you had a space in the name you used or not enough characters. Retry using five characters and no spaces.
If you are a sourcing bidder adding a contact, you will be creating a User ID for the new contact. The system will generate a password to the address that you enter for the contact; however, you must share the User ID with that person because it will not be sent to the address. If you are a supplier adding a contact, the contact will receive sourcing event information, but will not be able to get into the system. If a contact needs to have access to the system, the contact must register using the Tax Identification Number and zip code for the company. | | | | |
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| Team Georgia Marketplace System Requirements, Troubleshooting |
| How do I access the information and attachments for a bid event in Team Georgia Marketplace™? | | • Once you have logged into Team Georgia Marketplace™, select “Manage Events and Place Bids”
• Select “View Events and Place Bids”
• Select the “Sell Event” box and leave the other two selected
• Click “Search”
• Click on your sourcing Event ID
• Click “Bid on Event”
• Select “View/Add General Comments and Attachments” | | | | |
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| What operating systems or internet systems work with Team Georgia Marketplace? | |
 Some systems work better than others with PeopleSoft, the application in which Team Georgia Marketplace resides. To check the version of your browser, access the internet, then click HELP, and you should be able to find out your browser level. The operating system that you are using displays as you log in. | | | | |
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| Where do I find the documents for the bid event in Team Georgia Marketplace™? | | To access any comments and attachments that may be documented at the line level, you will need to click on the comment bubble at the end of line. | | | | |
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| Why can’t I get the document that is attached to the bid event to open in Team Georgia Marketplace™? | | If you cannot view the documents, turn off your popup blocker and hold down the control key and click on the view button. Continue to hold down the control key and let the view button go. Once the popup screen appears, you can open, save, or cancel your actions. | | | | |
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| Team Georgia Marketplace Training |
| Where can I get training on Team Georgia Marketplace™? | | We provide self-service online training in the form of training clips and quick reference guides under Team Georgia MarketplaceTM Supplier Services. The State Purchasing Division holds supplier webinars that walk suppliers through the process of bidding on an event. If you need assistance, you may call our Help Desk at 404-657-6000.
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