When RFx modification is initiated:

• The RFx status changes to In Modification.
• The status of rounds changes to On Hold (except rounds in Closed', Evaluation Started, Evaluation Closed statuses).
• Buyers can:
  • Modify Line Items:
    • Add line items for rounds in any status, except Closed or Evaluation related statuses.
    • Edit line item attribute values for rounds in Draft or Waiting for Approval statuses, and for any round that might be created in future post RFx modification approval.
    • Remove the line items through shortlisting. User can mark them as not selected for rounds in Draft and Waiting for Approval statuses, and for any round that might be created in future post RFx modification approval.
  • Modify Supplier and Supplier Contacts:
    • Add new suppliers for rounds in any status, except Closed and Evaluation related statuses.
    • Add new supplier contacts to existing supplier for rounds in any status, except Closed and Evaluation related statuses.
    • Remove supplier through shortlisting. User can mark them as not selected for rounds in Draft and Waiting for Approval statuses, and for any round that might be created in future post RFx modification approval.
  • Modify Questionnaires
    • Add new questionnaires for rounds in any status, except Closed and Evaluation related statuses.
    • Add new questions to existing questionnaire for rounds in any status except Closed and Evaluation related statuses.
  • Modify External Attachments: 
    • Buyer can add, edit and remove external attachments.
    • When new attachments are added or existing attachments are modified, then the supplier will get the access once RFx modification is approved and at least one round is in Open status. However, suppliers will still have access to other attachments that have not been modified.
  • Update Selective RFx Attributes: 
    • Buyers can selectively edit attributes, except those that have been configured by the administrator as non-editable.
    • The attribute changes are displayed in the audit history. Note that, modifying selective attributes is a specific solution when RFx is In Modification status and is not a standard framework across the sourcing application.
  • Enable or Disable Configuration Flags (Allow Line Item changes in RFx/ Allow Supplier Attachment changes in RFx/ Allow New Question/ Allow New Supplier During RFx Phase):
    •  
• Allow Line Item changes in RFx: If this flag is enabled, then buyers can add/edit line items through UI or Excel when RFx is in modification. If flag is disabled, then add/ edit will not be allowed when RFx is in modification.
• Allow New Supplier During RFx Phase/ Allow Supplier Attachment changes in RFx/ Allow New Question: If any of the flags is enabled, then buyers can make changes to supplier/ supplier attachment/ questions respectively when RFx is in modification. If the flag is disabled, then respective changes will not be allowed when RFx is in modification. 

The supplier cannot take actions such as Submit, Recall Bid, and Decline RFx on bids. 

For RFx modification approval, the administrator can configure rules to set the Approver. Approver can approve or reject the changes:

• If the buyer recalls the modification approval or approver rejects the changes, then RFx moves to the In Modification status.
•  If the changes are approved, then the round and RFx status recalculation is done. For example, when RFx is in Bidding Open status, and round is in Open status, and buyer initiates modification, then the round will move to On Hold and RFx will move to In Modification status. When the buyer makes the required changes, and the changes are approved, then status recalculation is done based on round end date.
•  If the round end date has passed, then round status will move to Closed and corresponding RFx status will move to Bidding Closed. 
•  If the round end date has not passed, then round status will move to Open, and corresponding RFx status will move to Bidding Open. In this case, the supplier will then be able to access bid and can perform actions such as Submit, Decline RFx and Recall Bid

When no Approver has been added, the RFx is auto-approved.

Note: The feature number # 560526 refers to the Modify RFx epic. The scope of the epic for this release includes features # 560560, 560575, 560576, 560578, 566708, 618441 and 620356 which are covered in these release notes.

RFx Evaluation Workflow 

567274–Ability to evaluate and score suppliers based on bid submissions

Previously, buyers were not able to evaluate various suppliers in a round/RFx. They need a provision to evaluate suppliers on their bid submissions in response to the RFx as well as other capabilities (technical, commercial, tactical criteria). They can then provide objective scores and assign weightage that will help them not only in the awarding process, but also in selecting suppliers for future rounds.

With this release, buyers and administrators can conduct a review, and evaluators can score the supplier bids as well as provide feedback on the supplier submissions, contractual documents, etc. This is then consolidated and reviewed by the users which helps the event owner make an awarding decision based on the analysis.

Buyers can now:

• Create evaluation types: a mandatory text field. It includes a numeric Weightage field that can have a value between 0 to 100.
• Define evaluation criteria: a mandatory text field. The evaluation criteria data type and response type is added in the masterdata where criteria are created. It includes a Score field that can have a value between 0 and 100.
• Enable or disable evaluation in round: includes a flag Enable Evaluation in Round that is available when creating a RFx and a round. One the RFx or round is approved, this setting cannot be changed even when the RFx is in modification.
• Add evaluation type and evaluation criteria to the round allows user to select any number of evaluation criteria in each evaluation type. Changes can be made anytime till the evaluation starts.
• Add users or a team as evaluators: allows creation of user groups of ICM users. A user can be part of multiple groups, and at least one user must be present in each group.
• View different statuses during evaluation process: includes statuses such as Evaluation Started andEvaluation Closed.
• Close the Evaluation: evaluation type and evaluation criteria per supplier are closed, and gives a consolidated view to buyers/administrators for analyzing ratings given by evaluators.

Assigned evaluators will now: 

• Receive notification about the evaluation that needs to be performed.
• View evaluation type and evaluation criteria assigned to them.
• Perform an evaluation and submit the ratings.

The Start Evaluation button will be available only after the round is closed.

Multi-Currency Support

• Configure the corporate currency in the currency master:
  • Add currencies to the currency masterdata that contains a list of currencies that can be used in an RFx event.
  • Manage currencies from the currency master by adding new currency and currency symbol.
  • Set a single currency as a corporate currency for the organization to be used in Sourcing reporting.
  • Restrict the option to delete the currency and only allow making it inactive. Note that every currency added to the currency master must have a validity period that allows using currencies in different entities.
• Configure the exchange rate of different currencies:
  • Add, remove or edit the exchange rates in the currency masterdata. The specified currency exchange rate must have a defined validity period.
  • Set currency exchange rates for supported currencies. Note that duplication of exchange rates for same currency and same validation is not allowed.
• Select the primary and allowed currency for the RFx:
  • Select one currency as the RFx primary currency which is selected from the list of currencies available in the currency master including the expired currencies. Buyers can also select multiple currencies to be allowed in the RFx. It is mandatory to select a primary and allowed currency for the RFx that will be used in bid analysis excel sheet to convert bid currency to RFx primary currency.
  • Select the primary and allowed currency that can be used by the supplier to bid for the RFx.
  • Restrict editing the currency attributes used in RFx other than the one that is set as RFx primary currency. When RFx primary currency is updated, ICM uses the currency for all other currency attributes automatically, until the RFx is in Draft state.The activities performed by the buyer relevant to the currency selected for an RFx are logged in the RFx History. 
• Select currencies from list of allowed currencies:
  • Allowed currencies for RFx can be used as the bid currency.
  • All currency attributes for a line item are restricted to the RFx currency.
  • The modified allowed currencies for RFx are displayed to suppliers as bid currencies for all items.
• Configure the exchange rate of different currencies for the RFx:
  • Specify the exchange rates that can be used in the RFx.
  • Specify if the applicable exchange rate is based on round start and end date and user selected date.
  • View the applicable exchange rate for the RFx and the history of the exchange rate specified for the selected RFx. Note that the applicable RFx exchange rate is available to both the buyers and suppliers.
  • Download the bid analysis excel at any time that includes all bids from all suppliers for all rounds along with the bid currency and RFx primary currency. The bid analysis file contains details such as line items, bids, and so on. You can download the bid analysis at RFx, Round, Bid level in the Sourcing lifecycle.
• Use conversion rates in bid analysis Excel:
  • Buyers can now:
    • Download the bid analysis Excel file that allows to view all the bids received from multiple suppliers.
    • Download the flexible bid analysis Excel file for each round after it is closed that allows viewing bids received and converted to RFx primary currency. This file contains information for specific rounds only.
  • Buyers can take the following actions when the bid is created: 
    • Select the bid currency that allows submitting surrogate bid on behalf of the supplier.
    • View the changes made to the bid that are logged in RFx History.
  • Suppliers can take the following actions when bidding in multiple currencies:
    • View the supported currencies for RFx that allows viewing the applicable exchange rates.
    • Select the currency from the list of quote currency that allows submitting the bid in the selected currency.
    • Submit the bids for items in selected currencies.
    • Upload or download the bidding template that allows adding bid information in excel sheet and upload to ICM.
    • Update the bid currency using ICM and Microsoft Excel 
  • Buyers can take the following actions when updating the awarding object for the RFx using multiple currencies:
    • Download the awarding decision template that will allow awarding the desired suppliers and upload the awarding decision.
    • Include the bid currency in the awarding decision that allows including the bid currency and other bid information in the contract.

Note: The feature number # 567584 refers to the Multi-Currency Support epic. The scope of this epic for this release includes features # 567585, 567586, 567587, 567588, 567589, 567590, 567591 and 567593 which are covered in these release notes.

Sourcing Application Enhancements

571048–Supplier contact management UI improvements

Previously, when selecting a supplier contact, only the first name of the supplier contact was displayed.

With this release:

• The Supplier Contacts window user interface has been improved.
• The name of existing Supplier Contact Name column has been modified to Supplier Contact Full Name. For example, Tom Sibley instead of Tom.
• Buyers can remove a supplier contact from the Supplier Contact page. This updates the count of selected supplier contacts.
• The selected supplier contact’s full name is displayed on the new selected supplier contacts interface.
• The suppliers and supplier contacts saved earlier are now pre-selected when adding more suppliers and supplier contacts.

The supplier contact full name column will be displayed by default on the supplier contact selection page, supplier contact details page and grid view of the supplier contact association.

This makes it is easier for buyers and administrators to identify and select the correct supplier if there are multiple suppliers with the same first name.

Note: This is applicable for RFx, RFI, Rounds and Bulk Agreements.

• The file names will be the same as the left navigation pane when downloading or uploading them to ICM.
• The files will be downloaded as per the defined folder structure and folder naming conventions which helps users to easily identify files under individual folders of the RFx and avoid any discrepancies.
• If the files names are duplicated, then they are handled by appending a numeric value to the file name. 

Note: This is applicable to both RFx and RFI. 

568737– Ability to link existing supplier contracts for prerequisite, mandatory and associated contracts

Previously, linking existing supplier contracts with the RFx was not possible. This created duplication of contracts and the user had to go through the complete contract lifecycle again.

With this release, an enhancement has been made to allow linking existing RFx supplier contracts for all prerequisite, mandatory and associated contracts.

Buyers can now:

• Link existing supplier contracts (prerequisite, mandatory or associated contracts) allowing buyers to leverage existing contracts with suppliers.
• View the contracts of the supplier when creating the bulk agreement that allows assigning any supplier contact as a signatory for the agreement.
• View the signatory of the prerequisite contracts that allows the suppliers to connect with the signatory if the contracts are not executed.
• Send the agreements for approval in bulk that helps avoiding sending the agreements for approval individually.
• Select the new signature type Click to Sign allowing suppliers to participate in the sourcing event by previewing, accepting or declining the contractual terms set by the buyer.

573435/573436– Ability to add bulk line items to RFx to address large volume of sourcing data

The bulk associations capability has enabled ICM to handle a large number of associations to the tune of thousands, by presenting itself as a lightweight association as well as tremendously improving performance. The Sourcing event can include many line items for an RFx ranging from 500 to 50,000 maximum. In Sourcing, line items are considered as associations.

The bulk association configuration has now been simplified by providing aEnable Bulk Processing flag at contract type definition level which triggers a set of defaults that has been intentionally restricted. The end user experience for the bulk association has not changed from the way that the conventional association is handled from the UI, rather the underlying data structure has been further enhanced to make it go the distance.

Bulk association is enhanced to be able to address the large volume of data that Sourcing apps require. These enhancements include:

• The associations not having a workflow.
• Simplifying the association team by maintaining single team at proxy level for all instances, instead of each instance having its own team.
• Restricting document assembly, for individual instances, but the instances can be assembled in the parent agreement as a table or saved search.
• Reducing the attributes to be indexed in the parent, so as to cater a greater number of instances driven by the configuration key.

Note: Please refer to the Technical Design Document for more details.  

566709– Addition of validations for shortlisted suppliers

Previously, validations for prerequisite and mandatory contracts appeared for all suppliers even if they were not shortlisted in the RFx.

Now, buyers will be able to view the validations for the prerequisite and mandatory contracts for the shortlisted suppliers only. For a shortlisted supplier, if all the prerequisite contracts are inactive, or if any one of the contracts is active but not in Approved or later state, then the validations will be displayed. For example, if there is one shortlisted supplier with two prerequisite contracts NDA 1 (in Draft state) and NDA 2 (in Waiting for Approval state), then validations will be displayed.

The validations will not be displayed for shortlisted suppliers when at least one active prerequisite contract exists, and all such contracts are in Approved or later state. For example, if there is one shortlisted supplier with two prerequisite contracts NDA 1 (in Approved state) and NDA 2 (in Expired state), no validations will be displayed since one of the two prerequisite contracts (NDA 1) is in Approved or later state.

404532– Editing round start and end dates in different states

Previously, when the round was scheduled or open, buyers could not change the round start and end dates. However, in Sourcing, timelines often change for various criteria, internal or external.

With this release, buyers can now edit the round start and end date when the round is in Draft, Waiting for Approval, On Hold, Open or Approved statuses.

You can make changes only to the round end date when the round is in Open state. The changes made to the round start and end date are captured in the History on round Details page.

This does not impact an ongoing round and suppliers can continue to bid. If configured, all the team members (buyers or suppliers) who are on the round receive a notification when the change is made.

627740– Flexibility to use non-seeded masterdata for supplier and supplier contacts 

Previously, to add supplier contacts, the buyer could select them from a list of supplier and supplier contacts in the Supplier window. This list of contacts belonged to a particular seeded masterdata contract type. Many customers have their own masterdata contract type for maintaining supplier and supplier contacts.

With this release, buyers can use any supplier and supplier contact masterdata contract type to add suppliers, whereas seeded attributes such as ICMAppSrcGlobalSupplierCode and ICMAppSrcSupplierContactEmailID are mandatory and should be a part of the custom contract types.

Note: This is applicable to RFx and RFI. 

Sourcing Reports 

576084– Inclusion of the RFx Change History Report for a consolidated view of all actions of an entity

Previously, the Sourcing application provided the change history of rounds, bids and awarding separately for rounds and bids within the RFx.

With this release, the Change History Report has been introduced, which provides a consolidated view of all actions for entity. This will help the procurement team to view the entire history of rounds, bids and awarding within a RFx, at a glance for auditing purposes. This report is accessible only to buyers (not suppliers), from within a RFx transaction, hence only authorized users with access to a RFx can view this report. All the latest updated information captured at the point of time when the report is generated will be displayed in it.  

The Change History Report can be generated by applying the following filters - Entity Type, User Name, User Role and Supplier Name. By default, the report is filtered on Entity Type as RFx/RFI. Based on the requirement, users can change filters. The report provides details with columns such as Date & Time, Event, Entity Type, Entity Name, User Name, User Email, User Role, Supplier Name, Notes, Attribute Name, Previous Value and New Value.

Note: 

• This applies to RFx and RFI. 
• If the RFx is in Pre-Draft state the No Data Found message is displayed.

573599– Enhancements to Sourcing Reports

The RFx Summary Report and RFx Details Report provide a consolidated view of data for RFx with various categorizations, thus providing the visibility to top management on sourcing activities and helping them to take more informed decisions.

With this release:

• The RFx Summary Report now displays: 
  • Sorting capability on RFx Information and Supplier Information columns.
  • The name of column Submitted 'Status is changed to Bidding 'Status and the name Submission Date is now changed to Bidding Status Update Date.
• The RFx Details Report now displays:
  • The RFx status displayed asBidding Closed, Bidding Scheduled, Bidding Open in conjunction with the revamped RFx workflow. 
  • The Bidding Details (within RFx Details Report) displays:
    • Supplier View: Supplier ID, Supplier Name, Round Name, Shortlisted status. 
    • Round View: Round Name, Supplier ID, Supplier Name, Shortlisted status.
    • Line item View: Line Item Name, Round Name.
  • The Supplier Information section (in RFx Summary, RFx Details Report) displays contracts such as NDA, MSA, and so on. The contract names will now also display the classification such as prerequisite, mandatory or associate for ease of use. For example, if Warranty Agreement is added as a prerequisite contract, then it will be displayed as Warranty Agreement (Prerequisite).
• TheBidding Details Report now includes:
  • Quote Currency column next to Quantity, that displays currency specified by supplier for each line item while bidding for a round.
    • For Sealed Bid, Bidding Details will be visible only when the round is inOpen, On Hold, Closed, Evaluation Started orEvaluation Closed status. The round details are not displayed otherwise. For non-submitted bids, submission status will be Not Submitted and Closed.
    • For bids with statusesDraft or Submitted, NA or a blank screen will be displayed for SupplierQuote Currency, Base Price and TotalPrice.
    • For bids with statusesNot Submitted and Closed, Submitted and Closed, the actual value will be displayed for Supplier Quote Currency, Base Price andTotal Price.
    • When the round is in On Hold status, bid object may or may not exist. If bid object exists, then entry will be displayed in bidding details. Otherwise, no entry will be displayed.
    • When round will be in Closed, Evaluation Started, Evaluation Closed status and when bidding status will be Declined, then actual value will be displayed for Supplier Quote Currency, Base Price and Total Price.
    • When round will be in On Hold or Open status, and bidding will be in Declined status, then NA or a blank screen will be displayed for Supplier Quote Currency, Base Price and Total Price.
    • For OpenRFx, Bidding Details will be visible when the round is in Open, On Hold, Closed, Evaluation Started or Evaluation Closed status. The round details are not displayed otherwise.
    • When the bid is Surrogate, then the actual values will be displayed for Supplier Quote Currency, Base Price and Total Price. Also, to highlight that the bid is surrogated, the Bidding Status column will be marked with * symbol. For example, Submitted *
    • For the bid in Draft status, NA or a blank screen will be displayed for Supplier Quote Currency, Base Price andTotal Price.
    • When the bid will be in Not Submitted and Closed, Declined, Submitted, Submitted and Closed status, then actual values will be displayed for Supplier Quote Currency, Base Price andTotal Price.
    • When the round will be On Hold status, bid object may or may not exist. If bid object exists, then entry will be displayed in bidding details. Otherwise, no entry will be displayed.  

627740 – Ability to use any masterdata for supplier and supplier contacts

Previously, to add supplier contacts, the buyer could select them from a list of supplier and supplier contacts in the Supplier window. This list of contacts belonged to a particular masterdata contract type. The customers had their own masterdata contract type for maintaining supplier and supplier contacts.

Now, buyers can use any supplier and supplier contact masterdata contract type to add suppliers.

Note: This is applicable to RFx and RFI.

567274 – Ability to evaluate suppliers for RFx

Users require a provision to evaluate the RFx for various suppliers on their capabilities. Also, they want to provide the scores for better information that will help them in the awarding process. 

Now, buyers and administrators can conduct a review, and evaluators can score the suppliers as well as provide feedback upon the supplier submissions.

Buyers can now:

• Create evaluation types.
• Define evaluation criteria. 
• Enable or disable evaluation in round. 
• Add evaluation type and evaluation criteria to the round.
• Add users or a team as evaluators.
• View different statuses during evaluation process such as Evaluation Started andEvaluation Closed.
• Close the Evaluation, and view/ analyze ratings given by evaluators.

Assigned evaluators will now:

• Receive notification about the evaluation that needs to be performed.
• View evaluation type and evaluation criteria assigned to them.
• Perform an evaluation and submit the ratings.

The Start Evaluation button will be available only after the round is closed.