Amendment
This is a piece of documentation that is issued subsequent to an opportunity becoming active on MERX Private Tenders. Any supplier who has ordered a bid package prior to the change will automatically receive the amendment or notification, with the exception of those suppliers who have indicated that they wish to receive no further amendments. Also known as an "addenda".

Associated Components
Associated Components are documents or attachments that are provided with a notice to provide supporting information. They can be electronic documents, attachments, questions and answers, physical items/samples, or blue prints.

Attachment
A piece of documentation that is issued subsequent to or in addition to a document, and is of 'non-standard' format.

Authorization number
The number assigned by MERX to a purchase by credit card.

Automatic Delivery of Amendments (Value Added Service)
When you order an opportunity you have the option to have amendments automatically sent to you when they are issued by the buyer organization.

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Bid
A tender, proposal or quotation submitted in response to a solicitation from a participating buying organization. A bid covers the response to any of three principal methods of soliciting bids, i.e. Invitation to Tender, Request for Proposal and Request for Quotation.

Bid Document
Components provide supporting information for a notice. They can be documents, attachments, questions and answers, physical items/samples, or blue prints.

Buyer
A purchasing agent within a private sector organization.

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Categories
Sometimes confused with GSINs, a category is a classification method at a high level for goods, services and construction.

Client Agency
A client agent is a contract from another division or department from within the buyer's organization. The buyer creates opportunity notices on behalf of a client agent. The client agent information will be displayed on the notice after an order has been placed.

Closing Date
The date on which all submissions must be received. The notice is then moved to the historical database (former opportunities). The closing date is listed yyyy/mm/dd.

Closing Time
Indicates the exact time and time zone at which the bid submissions must be received.

Commodity Groups
Goods, services, construction are the primary commodity groups.

Confirmation Number
The number that MERX assigns to completed orders.

Cookies
Cookies are small packets of information that store and track your work preferences, patterns and Internet address (URLs). Cookies do not record or transmit your email address or any other personal information to MERX. In order for MERX to run smoothly you must accept cookies.

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Disclaimer
A message which appears at the top of all notices on MERX Private Tenders, indicating that the buying organization, and not MERX, is accountable for language and/or content.

Distribution Unit
Location where physical document components are distributed from as well as where they can be picked up, in instances where pick up is a valid delivery method.

Document
A text file that can be in electronic format or printed on paper which supports the notice. Documents are only available once they have been purchased.

Document Number
The number that MERX assigns to each component added to a notice.

Document Request List
A list of Suppliers who have ordered associated components for a specified notice.

Documentation
A generic term that includes document, attachment, and amendment. These items are not available publicly on MERX Private Tenders. They are purchased by suppliers and generally distributed by MERX.

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Electronic Bid Submission (E-bid Submission)
E-bid submission is a new value added service on MERX that allows suppliers to submit bids electronically and allows buyers to download those submissions. For suppliers, using your MERX User ID and an electronic bid submission Authorized Signer’s PIN, you can securely upload files that make up your bid. Buyers can retrieve the electronic bid files after the closing date and time have passed. Note: The buyer decides whether to allow electronic bid submission for a particular opportunity.

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GSIN
Goods and Services Identification Number is a commodity coding system. This coding system allows for more accurate search results when searching for opportunity or award notices.

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Handling Charge
The amount charged for shipping and handling components that have been ordered by suppliers. Please see the MERX Private Tenders price list for more details.

Help Button
The help button is located at the top right of each MERX Private Tenders page once logged in. The help information related to that specific MERX page will be displayed on the screen. You can also access the help table of contents, help page index and supplier guide or buyer guide under the help menu.

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Items
Found during the ordering process, this column lists each component of the opportunity being ordered. Clicking on the component item link will display the items details page. This page lists each document, the number of pages and available formats.

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MERX Distribution Unit
A distribution centre contracted by MERX that distributes ordered components from MERX Private Tenders. The MERX distribution unit is located in Ottawa, Ontario.

MERX Organization Number
The number that MERX generates and assigns to all registering organizations.

Method of Delivery
The delivery method selected by the supplier to receive ordered components: e-mail, fax, courier, mail, download or pick-up

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Non-standard format
Non-standard format describes hardcopy documents or amendments which are not "8.5 x 11" or "8.5 x 14". They can include "11 x 17" paper, blueprints, CD/DVD, binder, book, videotape, sample, etc.

Notice
An electronic advertisement that: solicits goods or services; indicates that a solicitation is being updated/changed; or announces a contract award.

Notification of Amendments
Notification of amendments is an automatic service whereby you will be notified of any amendments issued by a buyer organization for opportunities you have ordered on MERX Private Tenders. This option is chosen for each opportunity when on the order screen.

Notification of Cancellation
Notification of cancellation is an automated service whereby you will be notified of the cancellation of any opportunities you have ordered on MERX Private Tenders.

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Opportunity Matching
This feature allows registered users of the MERX Private Tenders service to set up and maintain a search profile that will automatically find notices that match the types of goods and services that the supplier provides. These matches can then be sent on a daily basis to the supplier by fax or email (for more information see benefits of subscribing.

Opportunity Matching Profile
Criteria selected and saved by a supplier that represents the type(s) of goods or services that their organization supplies. The profile can be made up of GSIN groups, keywords and/or phrases. Notices which match the criteria found in the profile are then automatically sent to the supplier on a daily basis via fax or email. (For more information see benefits of subscribing).

Opportunity Ordered List
Found as a link off of the Supplier Menu, this page displays a summary of the orders placed by a supplier. Once an order has been approved, when available, associated files can be downloaded from this list.

Opportunity Notice
A summary or description of the goods or services a buyer wishes to obtain. Limited information is available publicly on MERX Private Tenders.

Order Basket
This page displays all of the opportunity orders that a supplier has requested but has not yet sent to MERX Private Tenders. A shopping cart icon appears at the top of each MERX Private Tenders page, indicating that there are opportunity orders in the order basket. The order basket allows suppliers to remove opportunity orders, select Amendment options, enter the quantity required for each component of an order, and select the delivery method.

Order Maintenance
This link located on the MERX Private Tenders supplier menu allows suppliers, to access two order maintenance functions: Opportunity Ordered List - a list of the opportunity notices that you have ordered and Document Request List – allows suppliers to search for an opportunity in order to access a list of subscribers who have ordered bid documents.

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Parent Organization Profile
A page which displays an organization's information including: MERX organization number, company name and address. In some cases, the parent organization will be the creator of sub organizations.

PDF (Portable Document Format)
A file format created by Adobe Acrobat Writer, and is readable by Adobe Acrobat Reader. Files which can be downloaded or emailed from MERX, will always be in a PDF format due to the fact that they are non-editable. The latest version of The Acrobat Reader software can be downloaded from the Adobe Acrobat site, http://www.adobe.com free of charge.

Physical Component
A physical sample or physical item i.e.: CD's, DVDs, videotapes, etc. which provides supporting information for a notice.

Pickup Location
A MERX Private Tenders page that displays the location where the ordered components can be picked up. The only location is at our distribution unit in Ottawa, Ontario.

Preview Associated Documents
Subscribers can preview documents of open private tenders of the buying organizations to which they have a pre-paid subscription.

Private Opportunities
Refers to private sector opportunity notices.

Publish Date
The date on which the notice becomes active and subscribers are able to view the notice on MERX Private Tenders. The published date appears as yyyy/mm/dd.

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Reference Number
A unique number assigned by MERX Private Tenders to an opportunity. The purpose of this code is to avoid confusion when the same solicitation number is used more than once (by two different buyers).

Region of Delivery
The region where the goods or services being requested are to be delivered.

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Solicitation Number
An internal procurement code that the buyer assigns to an opportunity.

Source ID
Source Identification Code: a MERX Private Tenders code that identifies each buyer organization and buyer contact. A source code can be used when performing a simple search or to generate reports.

Standard Format
Standard format refers to documents or amendments which are "8.5 x 11" or "8.5 x 14".

Sub Organization List
A list of sub organizations created by the parent organization.

Supplier
A person, business or other entity who wishes to pursue procurement opportunities.

Supplier Contact
A contact that represents the registered organization. All communication pieces coming from MERX (bid packages, newsletters, etc.) will be addressed to this contact.

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User ID
A personalized code that is created by MERX at the time of registration. This ID allows suppliers or buyers access to the MERX system.

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View Items Electronically
Once an order is completed, this column is located on the 'Opportunity Ordered Summary' page. This column lists all of the component items that have been ordered. All components appearing as a hyperlink (blue) can be downloaded to a computer. Before viewing the file Adobe Acrobat Reader must be installed on the viewing workstation.

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