Department of Finance & Administration
Mark Emkes, Commissioner

Supplier and Vendor
Frequently Asked Questions

Who will be using Edison?
When does Edison begin?
How will the “phased-in” approach to implementation of Edison impact my business?
How are suppliers identified in Edison?
How will Edison benefit suppliers?
have to be registered?
How will changes or corrections of registration information be accomplished?
How will Vendors be supported in coming up to speed on the new system?
Does a vendor/bidder have to be registered in Edison before they can review solicitations?
How will security be set up for the Vendors?
Do all State contractors have to be registered in Edison regardless of the type of contract?
Will registration in the eSupplier module take place before or after a vendor is registered as a bidder/vendor?
Will there be an opportunity to capture diversity information with Edison?
What will be done about those suppliers who do not have the means to do business electronically?
Purchase orders are presently handled in a paper environment. With Edison, how will orders be received by the vendor?
Solicitation documents (ITBs and RFPs) are currently mailed, how will this process change?
Are there any benefits to a vendor being registered in Edison even if the vendor does not have an active state contract?
Will Edison allow for a single point of entry to update my business information?
Does a vendor have to be registered in Edison any particular way before the vendor/contractor can review or respond to solicitations?
Can a vendor or bidder register in Edison by mail?
What technical infrastructure do bidders need in order to participate in Edison?
If a vendor is registered in Edison, will that vendor be given specific notice of all solicitations of interest?

Who will be using Edison?
All State agencies will participate.

When does Edison begin?
The procurement function of Edison will be implemented in a “phased in” approach beginning January 1, 2009 and continuing through April of 2009. Therefore, some agencies will be using Edison for procurement processes such as solicitations and awards, beginning in December, while others will continue to use legacy systems until March.

Vendors will have access to Edison beginning in December; however, only part of the bids and solicitations from the State will be available in Edison at that time. Please contact the agency you do business with for more information about their timeframe and process during the interim period.

How will the “phased-in” approach to implementation of Edison impact my business?
Agencies in the second wave will still use the legacy system for procurements. This means that vendors could receive two different types of notice for solicitations, however they will be different solicitations and awards.

How are suppliers identified in Edison?
· Bidders – Organizations seeking opportunity to do business with the State. Bidders will register at the Edison portal for the categories in which they are interested in bidding.
· Vendors – Organizations that have been awarded business with the State.
· Suppliers – Vendors that have registered for additional access and specialized functionality with Edison.

How will Edison benefit suppliers?

Bidders – will have the ability to self register and update their business information. In addition, they receive electronic notification of upcoming solicitations in the commodity categories for which they have registered.

Vendors – will receive electronic or fax purchase orders with no delay for mail or other delivery methods. Lowered costs of doing business as a result of electronic response to solicitations; overall more automated business transactions will occur.

Supplier – E-Supplier Connection, which is a two-way web-based information and communication tool which will provide critical data such as Purchase Order status, Purchase Order Acknowledgements, Advance Shipment Notice, Schedules, Payments and Receipts, Invoices and additional functionality.

Do all vendors have to be registered?
A Vendor is an entity that has been awarded a contract or purchase order. They must exist in the system’s vendor file in order to be paid. An organization wanting to do business with the State must exist in either the vendor or bidder file.

How will changes or corrections of registration information be accomplished?
Self-registration will exist for basic bidder/eSupplier information. Certain levels of online self service, such as updating your business address, will be permitted in Edison. However, the more detailed data, such as ACH and IRS information will require entry or updating by the Department of Finance and Administration.

How will Vendors be supported in coming up to speed on the new system?
All the information needed by the vendor, including online training and tutorials, will be available via the Internet.

Additionally, there will be a series of Vendor Summits held in Nashville and if needed, at regional locations to introduce Edison to the business community. These Summits will provide a live presentation of the materials provided on the Web site, information about the Edison e-procurement system, and a question and answer segment. Additionally, there will be on-site workstations set up for vendors to view and update their vendor registration information if needed.

Does a vendor/bidder have to be registered in Edison before they can review solicitations?
Competitive solicitations are open to all businesses. All solicitations will be posted to the Edison portal. Bidders register by NIGP code and receive solicitation notices based on their registration. If the agency has a pre-qualification requirement, that process has not changed.

If a business who is not currently registered in Edison wishes to respond, they can either register on the Edison Web site, or contact the agency for further information.

Individual agencies will still be responsible for the businesses processes where pre-certification is required, such as the Department of Transportation and the Governor’s Office of Diversity Business Enterprise.

How will security be set up for the Vendors?
Suppliers will receive a password and ID, just as all users of the system. Access will be granted via the internet, and suppliers will be granted access only to the system elements they have authority to view. Within their own organization, suppliers will need to set up users and security.

Do all State contractors have to be registered in Edison regardless of the type of contract?
Yes, they are all required to be registered.

Will registration in the eSupplier module take place before or after a vendor is registered as a bidder/vendor?
First, an organization wishing to sell to the State must register as a bidder. A bidder becomes a vendor once an award is made. A vendor may then register as an eSupplier.

Will there be an opportunity to capture diversity information with Edison?
Yes, Edison will provide an expanded platform for capturing diversity information, identifying diversity companies and producing reports for diversity. Diversity supplier information will be easily identifiable and readily available.

What will be done about those suppliers who do not have the means to do business electronically?
The system is flexible enough to include full partnership by all interested parties and through various approaches. Public kiosks will be available in the General Services Purchasing Division office for vendor viewing and downloading/printing of solicitation documents. Various public locations such as public libraries and community colleges offer free Internet access to citizens. Additionally, there are providers who offer free email account access.

The State encourages all vendors to move forward in their business process towards the ability to perform electronic transactions.

Purchase orders are presently handled in a paper environment. With Edison, how will orders be received by the vendor?
Vendors will receive POs via an email. If a vendor does not have an email account, or chose to receive a paper copy, the vendor can receive PO’s via fax or mail. However, using fax or mail will delay the process.

Solicitation documents (ITBs and RFPs) are currently mailed, how will this process change?
With the implementation of Edison, registered bidders/vendors/eSuppliers will receive an email notification when a solicitation document is posted for advertising. Bidders will update the commodities on which they are interested in bidding through Edison. Additionally, bidders may submit their response to solicitations electronically.

Are there any benefits to a vendor being registered in Edison even if the vendor does not have an active state contract?
Yes, a benefit would include the opportunity to receive solicitation documents for the registered commodities in order to electronically view and respond to potential business opportunities.

Will Edison allow for a single point of entry to update my business information?
Yes, vendor information updated by self service will be accessible at the Edison portal. Certain secure information, such as ACH will continue to require hard copy submittals and input by the Department of Finance & Administration.

Does a vendor have to be registered in Edison any particular way before the vendor/contractor can review or respond to solicitations?
Yes. It is, critical that the bidder sign up for the correct NIGP codes so that the appropriate solicitation documents are forwarded by email to the specified address.

Can a vendor or bidder register in Edison by mail?
Yes, but the preferred method is to do self registration from the Edison portal.

What technical infrastructure do bidders need in order to participate in Edison?
To participate as a bidder or eSupplier, the most basic requirements are an internet connection, internet service provider and a web browser. A high-speed connection (Cable, DSL) and Microsoft Internet Explorer are recommended.

If a vendor is registered in Edison, will that vendor be given specific notice of all solicitations of interest?
Email notices will be sent to registered bidders and vendors based on the vendor’s registered NIGP codes. Additionally, all solicitations will be posted on the State’s web site.