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Bid Express® Knowledge Center

Create, change, or copy a template

In this article:

Templates are a convenient way for owner-agencies to create solicitations or RFPs that contain information needed for multiple solicitations. If you need the same information from a vendor for each contract, or if your scoring system for a request for proposal remain the same for each RFP, you can add the information to the template.

Be careful if you're creating a new template. It's a good idea to contact customer support before getting started.

See your existing templates by clicking the Template button on the Our Solicitations tab.

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Create template

Any template created from a solicitation or request takes on its restrictions instead of the agency-set restrictions.

  • To create a new template from the Our Solicitations tab, click the Templates button between the Solicitations and Archives buttons. Click Create Solicitation Template.

  • To create a template from a solicitation or RFP that has already been created but before the deadline has passed, open the solicitation and select Create Template from the More button.

  • To create a solicitation after the deadline has passed or from an archived solicitation, open the solicitation and click Create Template.

  • To edit the template, click the Templates button from the Our Solicitations tab and select the template.

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  1. Enter a template number in the Number field and a description in the Description field. 

  2. Add or change any solicitation options.

  3. Click Save.

  4. Add any item lists, envelopes, required documents, or other components to the template.
  5. Save the template when you're finished.

The Bid Express service saves the template on the Solicitation Template page. See your templates by clicking the Template button on the Our Solicitations tab.

Location information isn't usually added at the template level, but it is an option. Learn more in the Location designations section of this article.

Change template

Changing a template does not change a solicitation or RFP where the template is already in use. Make sure you have a template selected, and not a solicitation.

  1. Click the Templates button from the Our Solicitations tab and select the template.

  2. Click Edit for any component that needs updated or add a component from the slider. Click Save after you change a component.

  3. If you are deleting a component, click More for the component and select Delete. Click OK in the delete confirmation window.

  4. Click the Our Solicitations tab when you're done.

Copy template

You can use a template to create another template.

  1. From the Our Solicitations tab, click the arrow next to the Create Solicitation button and choose the source template.

  2. Click More and select Create Template.