SharePoint · Oil and gas

A SharePoint bid management site with per bidder folders and permissions

A SharePoint bid management site where the internal team creates projects and bid packages, issues bids to registered bidders with a due date, and keeps technical and commercial bids in separate folders with strict access.

Client: An oil and gas company that runs project bids with external consultants and bidders
Industry: Oil and gas
Platform: SharePoint

01The challenge

Bids were shared by email and shared drives. Bidders could see more than they should, due dates were enforced by hand, and the team spent time creating folders for every package.

02The solution

Admins first set up masters for area code, contract, discipline, project and folder, where the RFQ flag controls the automatic creation of bidder folders. The internal team creates a project from a project number, with the description filled in automatically and no duplicates, and then creates bid packages with mandatory fields; folders are created automatically. Predefined folders are RFQ, TBE and CBE for the internal team, and Technical Bid, Technical Queries and Commercial Bid for bidders; TBE and CBE are not accessible to bidders. Issue Bid sets a due date and assigned bidders, who receive invite emails. After the due date the bid is inaccessible; the due date can be renewed (bidders are emailed) and a bidder can be removed before the due date. External bidders register with a Microsoft account under password rules, see only their own folders, and upload only to the last folder. Project and bid search is built in. The internal team creates projects and bid packages and downloads and uploads in most folders. A consultant can view the project and package, downloads and uploads in RFQ, TBE and Queries, has no access to CBE and Commercial Bid, and cannot download the Technical Bid. A bidder is view-only, downloads the RFQ only, uploads to Technical Bid, Commercial Bid and Queries, and has no access to TBE or CBE. The admin can download all files.

How a bid runs

MastersArea code, contract, discipline, project and folder. The RFQ flag controls automatic bidder folders.
Create a projectFrom a project number, with the description filled in and no duplicates.
Create a bid packageMandatory fields, with folders created automatically.
Predefined foldersRFQ, TBE and CBE for the internal team. Technical Bid, Technical Queries and Commercial Bid for bidders. TBE and CBE stay hidden from bidders.
Issue the bidSet a due date and assign bidders. Invite emails go out.
Control the due dateThe bid closes after the due date. Renew the date (bidders are emailed) or remove a bidder before it.
Bidder accessRegister with a Microsoft account under password rules, see only their own folders, and upload only to the last folder.
Search and downloadProject and bid search. The admin can download all files.

Screens from the system

Sample data only. These screens show the layout and flow, not real records.

Screen 1 of 4Built for this client

Bid projects

Project folders with live search. Users see only what is assigned to them.

What we built

MastersArea code, contract, discipline, project and folder lists.
Project and package creationNumber-based, duplicate-free, with mandatory fields.
Folder structureInternal and bidder folders created automatically.
Bid issue and due datesInvites, renewals and removal before the due date.
Bidder registrationMicrosoft account sign-up with password rules and isolated views.
Permission matrixInternal team, consultant and bidder roles, each with set view, download and upload rights per folder.
SearchFind projects and bids quickly.
Admin groupSite permission group handling and download of all files.