Bid Express
Bid Express is the secure internet bidding website that contractors use to submit their bids to INDOT.
The Bid Express service is an on‐line information service for bidding provided by Info Tech, Inc. The Bid Express service is available on the Internet at www.bidx.com. It is a two‐way service, publishing bid‐related information from agencies to the bidding community, and allowing on‐line, secure bid submission from the bidding community to the agency. The Bid Express service also enables electronic bid bond verification.
Subscribe to Bid Express
Each contractor bidding to INDOT is required to subscribe to the Bid Express® service, obtain a Digital ID, and download the AASHTOWare Project Bids ® Bid component software. Detailed instructions to setup a Bid Express® account for submitting bids over the internet are available HERE. Additional assistance and documentation are available on the Bid Express website under Training Center.
Using the Electronic Bidding System
Bidders must download from Bid Express the EBSX (electronic bid file) file for each contract they are going to bid. An EBSX file may be downloaded individually, or the EBSX files for an entire letting downloaded in one .ZIP file. The .ebsx files must be extracted from the ZIP file. Later in the letting advertisement period individual amendment files may need to be downloaded and loaded into an .ebsx file. (Contract proposals are organized in the downloaded files by their assigned letting call numbers.) A bidder will open the original .ebsx file for the call no. they are bidding. While the file is open in Project Bid, they will click on ‘File’, the click on ‘Load Amendments’. A dialog window appears displaying appropriate available downloaded amendments, such as: 25Jan2.002x, etc. The bidder can then click on the listed amendment for the call no. currently opened and then click on the ‘Open’ button. The items that are changed, added, or deleted will show up in a box that you can print out and/or save to the file (no items will show if revision was not for Schedule of Pay Items). The original .ebsx file then will be updated with the changes. You can repeat the above steps when another addendum file is issued.
Customer Support
Customer Support for the Bid Express service is available by phone or email Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, excluding legal holidays.
A Chat Service is also available to subscribers from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday–Friday, excluding legal holidays. To chat with a live agent, you will need to click the chat icon located throughout the site.
Contact Bid Express customer support:
By phone or Fax:
Toll free phone: (888) 352–BIDX (2439)
Phone: (352) 381–4888
Fax: (888) 971–4191
By email:
Support: customer.support@bidx.com
Suggestions/ideas/general input: feedback@bidx.com
Letting Info
Contract Letting Forms
The Construction Letting Email Inbox was created to allow contractors to submit electronic or scanned copies of contract letting documents they cannot submit through Bid Express®. These documents include the bidder's Employee Drug Testing Policy, the Performance Bond with power of attorney letter and the surety agent's State of Indiana insurance license.
INDOT requires a properly executed performance bond and employee drug testing policy be submitted with most bids, pursuant to 105 IAC 11‐3‐8 and IC 4‐13‐18. Failure to comply will result in rejection of bids. Refer to Recurring Special Provision (100‐C‐214) in the Contract Information Book (CIB) for instructions on submitting emails. A listing of the emails messages received is posted to the Letting Information page, where contractors can confirm the email messages were recieved by the deparment.
For answers to questions about submitting performance bonds and drug testing policies contact Trudy Wagoner at (317) 232‐5099.
Construction Links
Prequalification Links
Economic Opportunity Links
Letting Information and Procedures
Mr. Behrooz Vakily
Bid Review Manager
Department of Transportation
Government Center North
100 North Senate Avenue
N758–Contracts
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Location of Opening
All submitted proposal bids will be downloaded from Bid Express immediately after the stated letting date & time. Due to the time required to download and import them into the processing database, the reading and immediate public release of the proposal bids will begin at 11:30 AM on the INDOT webpage. With advanced notice, INDOT will accommodate anyone wishing to attend in-person the reading of the proposal bids. To request in-person attendance of proposal bid readings please contact Contract Administration at indotbidders@indot.in.gov at least 24 hours prior to the letting.
Contract documents will be available for downloading via the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) Extranet at no cost. The internet address of the INDOT Extranet is: http://erms.indot.in.gov/viewdocs/.
Bids will be considered as provided for in the Prequalification and Bidding Regulations on file. Copies are available in N758–Contracts, Government Center North.
Implementation of Electronic Bidding
All contracts within this notice are designated for electronic bidding via Bid Express. Only electronic bids submitted via Bid Express will be accepted on contracts designated for electronic bidding. It is the bidder's responsibility to check the Bid Express website for all amendment files prior to the deadline for bid submittal. This includes amendment files that may be generated due to administrative changes to the bidding form, which may not be communicated in a revision letter.
Mandatory Bidder Registration
Contractors desiring to submit electronic bids via Bid Express must register with INDOT as a valid bidder by submitting the Bidders and Planholders Registration Form found on the current letting page. Failure to register will cause failure of the Bid Express bid submission process. NOTICE: A bidder may request valid bidder status by submitting the bidder registration form until 9:00 AM Eastern STD on the bid opening date.
Bonds
An executed bid bond and an executed performance bond shall be included with the bid, except on contracts for roadside mowing, vegetation control, demolition, landscaping, fencing, seeding and sodding, bridge painting, and guardrail installations of $100,000 or less, the bidder may elect not to furnish a performance bond. NOTICE: Effective March 1, 2008, paper bid bonds will no longer be accepted. Only electronic bid bonds submitted through the designated electronic medium, either Surety 2000 or “Tinubu" (Formerly "SuretyWave"), will be accepted with the bid. Bid Express does not support submittal of the performance bond. The performance bond must be submitted to the construction letting email address. Performance bonds must be on the form provided by the department and available online at: http://www.in.gov/dot/div/contracts/letting/general/performancebond.pdf.
Joint Venture Electronic Bidding
105 IAC 11‐3‐5 of the Rules for Prequalification of Contractors and Bidding, sets out the requirements for joint ventures. Below is a summary of how joint ventures are handled in an electronic bidding situation.
- All joint venture partners will acknowledge all revisions by emailing the acknowledgments to the construction letting email box. The sponsor of the joint venture will enter the revision dates on the electronic proposal form.
- Each company will have their employee drug testing policy on file with the pre‐qualification engineer, or email them to the construction letting email inbox. The date of the sponsor's employee drug testing policy will be the date used in the electronic bid.
- Each company shall, at the time of bid, have submitted their individual contractual obligations to the construction letting email box. The sponsor will place the combined contractual obligations of the joint venture on the electronic bid form.
- Each company shall, at the time of bid, have submitted their own CM 32‐34 form to the construction letting inemail box. The sponsor will complete the form on the electronic bid form.
- The non‐collusion form submitted with the electronic bid will be valid for all joint venture companies.
- The bid bond will be sent in as other electronic bid bonds. Surety 2000 and “Tinubu" (Formerly "SuretyWave") should be able to handle the bond with two surety companies.
- The performance bond will be handled as in the past, with both parties signing the bond which is then emailed to the construction letting email box.
- A Digital ID must be acquired for the joint venture from Bid Express, using the vendor ID of the joint venture. If a vendor ID does not exist for the joint venture, contact the Prequalification Engineer as soon as possible, because it takes up to five days to aquire a Digital ID. An INDOT vendor ID for a joint venture is given in the following form: 99‐9991234.
Title VI Assurances
In accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C 2000d to 2000d‐4 and Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Department of Transportation, Sub Title A, Office of the Secretary, Part 21, Nondiscrimination in Federally assisted programs of the Department of Transportation, the Indiana Department of Transportation assures minority business enterprises will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, sex, age, national origin, disability/handicap or income status in consideration for an award.
Letting Information
Bidders & Planholders Registration Form: The form used to register as a bidder and/or planholder for a contract. Contractors desiring to submit electronic bids via Bid Express must register with INDOT as a valid bidder. Failure to register as a valid bidder will cause failure of the Bid Express bid submission process (Prequalification & Bidding Process Info). Posted within 24 hours of Notice to Contractors, and updated as needed.
Notice to Contractors (NTC): Written bulletin inviting bids for work to be performed, listing the type of work, location, qualification requirements, and the cost of the bidding documents. Usually posted 4 weeks prior to the Letting Date.
Print Order Information: Provides a page count for Contract Information Book (CIB), Plans and Cross Sections, along with a link to an optional printing vendor. Posted within 24 hours of Notice to Contractors, and updated as needed.
Schedule of Pay Items (SOPI): A part of the proposal book which shows pay items, quantities, and pay units for the contract. Posted with Notice to Contractors.
Supplemental Notice: Contains additions or revisions to the Notice to Contractors. Posted as needed up to 2 weeks prior to Letting Date.
Letting Results
Affirmative Action Certification (AAC): After a contract has been awarded, this document certifies which Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) the contractor will use on the project in order to meet the DBE goal required by the contract. Posted within 3 days of Official Bid Results.
Apparent Bid Results: A report for each proposal opened and read at the bid opening. The report shows the names of all bidders and their bid amount, the engineer's estimate. Posted within 24 hours of Letting Date.
Official Bid Results: A report for each proposal opened and read at the bid opening. The report shows the names of all bidders and their bid amount, the engineer's estimate, and the official action by the Commissioner on the bids received. Posted approximately 2 weeks after Letting Date.
Unit Tab Results: A report listing the unit price, extension amount, and bid total for all bidders on contracts awarded. Posted within 1 week of Official Bid Results. Click here for Unit Tab Results Definitions.
Additional Information
Bidders & Planholders List: A listing of contractors and vendors who have completed and submitted the Bidders & Planholders Registration Form. Posted 2 weeks prior to Letting Date and updated as needed.
Construction Letting Email Inbox: This email inbox application was created for contractors to submit electronic or scanned copies of contract documents they cannot submit through Bid Express. These documents include the Drug Testing Plan, and the Performance Bond with power of attorney letter and insurance license. INDOT requires a properly executed performance bond and drug testing policy be submitted with most bids, pursuant to 105 IAC 11‐3‐8 and IC 4‐13‐18. Failure to comply will result in rejection of bids. Refer to Recurring Special Provision (100‐C‐214) in the Contract Information Book (CIB) for submitting emails. A listing of emails received is then posted to the Letting Page, so contractors can confirm their email was received. Email Inbox content typically posted 1 week prior to Letting Date and updated as needed.
Rescheduled & Withdrawn Contracts: This section provides links to show which contracts have been rescheduled to or from a letting, along with their new Letting Date, as well as which contracts have been withdrawn from a letting. Updated as needed.
Wage Determination: Minimum wage rates and fringe benefits required by the General Decision (Davis Bacon Act), which may be found here. Refer to Special Provisions in Contract Information Book (CIB) to determine which General Decision Number applies to a specific contract. Appropriate general decision(s) posted 10 days prior to Letting Date.
Bid Express & AASHTOWare Project Bids Bid Component Information
Bid Express is the secure internet bidding website that contractors use to submit their bids to INDOT. After contractors register with Bid Express and secure approval to bid to INDOT, they use the AASHTOWare Project Bids Bid Component software (available for download at Bid Express website) to prepare and submit their bids. Find out more at INDOT's Bid Express Home Page.
*Schedules are estimated and subject to change without notice. For official information about Prequalification and Bidding, click here.
