QUESTCDN - INSTRUCTIONS FOR POSTING BID DOCUMENTS GENERAL INFORMATION Quest Construction Data Network (QuestCDN) is the official public advertisement site to obtain Bidding Documents for all Minnesota State Construction Projects. This is a web based site that will deliver construction bid advertisements and bidding documents to interested parties electronically using the internet. Architects/Engineers who are under contract with the Minnesota State for designing and preparing project documents are required to furnish plans and specifications in the required pdf format and upload the project documents to this web site. Please carefully read the instructions below for preparation of documents for uploading to QuestCDN. INSTRUCTIONS TO ARCHITECTS/ENGINEERS Placing an Advertisement: To place a Project advertisement, go to the QuestCDN website at: www.questcdn.com. Log in or if you are not a member, contact QuestCDN at info@questcdn.com or 952-233-1632 and ask them to set up an account to enable you to advertise a project on behalf of Minnesota State. Once your account is activated and/or you are logged in to the home page, select Projects from the tool bar in the upper left. Then select Add New Project from the tool bar. This will open up the on-line advertisement form that needs to be filled in. Fields with * are required information. In the project category, click on the down arrow and scroll up and select Building & Grounds/Educational Facilities for new construction and renovation projects, Roofing for roof replacement projects or the appropriate major category for the type of project being advertised. (Note: Select only one category per project.) Provide the name of project as listed in e-builder. (Attached at the end of this document is a list of College/University Acronyms for reference): (Example: RWCH-17 Welding Grinding Room HVAC Renovation). Set the download fee $ to $10. Fill in location, bid closing date and the name of the person receiving the bids and the mailing address. The estimated value and project completion date are not required fields, but may be used if it makes sense for the project. Fill in information on date, time, location (building & room number) and campus address. Under project description, insert a brief description of the project in 50 words or less of text. Under additional descriptions, insert the following: BA.10 Page 1 of 7 11/9/17
Interested parties may view electronic files of construction bidding documents at no cost on the website: http://www.minnstate.edu/system/finance/facilities/design-construction/announcements/index.html, then click on Advertisement for Bids (E-Plan Room). Bidding Documents can be downloaded for a nonrefundable charge of $10.00. Plan Holders are parties who have downloaded the plans and specifications from the Minnesota State QuestCDN private interface site. Only Plan Holders will be notified via email if an addenda is issued. Paper copies are not available for projects listed on this site. Plan Holders that download the plans and specifications may print them themselves or have them printed elsewhere at their own expense. Contact QuestCDN.com at 952-233-1632 or info@questcdn.com for assistance in viewing or with downloading this digital project information. Under owner name, click on the down arrow and scroll and click on Minnesota State. DO NOT select the box that says check to copy Quest private interface owner information. Instead fill in the appropriate fields for the College/University name, campus address, the College/University Project Manager s name and contact information. DO NOT list the system office Program Manager. Soliciting Agent is the name of the Architectural/Engineering Firm (your firm) and the contact information. The plan document information is used to tell bidders where bidding documents are available, including paper, if applicable, and/or can be used to let bidders know when documents will be available, if not available at the time of posting. Under Project Type, select open and then click on the save to place the posting on-line immediately. If you want to prepare the advertisement in advance and post at a later time, select hidden, insert a password, then select save. On the day of posting, log-in, go to the projects page, select the project, then select Modify Project and select open and then save. Uploading Project Documents: Once the project documents are ready to be assembled, use Adobe Acrobat to create one document in pdf format that includes all the specifications and plans for the project (everything that is normally included in a paper plan set). If you have files that are not digital files to incorporate into your assembly, you will need to make arrangements to scan them into a pdf format. The plans and specifications must be on one pdf file. Do not secure the pdf file as QuestCDN will secure the pdf during the upload process. If you cannot combine them together into one file, then the separate files must be put together into one zip file for submission. The main purpose for the zip functionality is to allow for the uploading and distribution of multiple files of various file types, while simultaneously guaranteeing that anyone downloading gets all of the documents required for bidding. This means that the plans and specifications can be provided in pdf format and additional documentation that bidders might need for some other purpose can be provided in other formats [examples: Excel (.xls) or MS Word (.docx)]. The main plans and specifications must be in pdf format and in one file. In order to select the correct file for viewing purposes, the file name must start with vu for example vu12345.pdf or vuxyzproject.pdf. By doing this, bidders will be able to view the main documents before downloading, but will also be able to download the complete zip file with all of its contents. The only part that will be available for free viewing will be the single pdf file, but all of the zip file will be downloadable for a fee. BA.10 Page 2 of 7 11/9/17
Set Bookmarks (use codes in Attachment A) in the completed pdf file. QuestCDN suggests that you modify the pdf document properties to display the page and bookmarks when opened. For further information and/or training on how to set up these functions, contact QuestCDN at the number listed below. After you have created your plan set as a pdf or zip file, it is ready for upload. Log in to QuestCDN.com and go to Projects and Modify Projects. Select the Project, then select Upload Plans. Use the drop-down pane to locate the project for which you are uploading the bidding documents. Be sure at this time that you have designated Minnesota State as the Owner and that the download fee is correct. Browse for and select the pdf file(s) you wish to upload, then select the save button. Let the system run until you get a verification message the upload has been successful. Note: The Architect/Engineer cannot distribute the bidding documents to any other parties except as authorized by Minnesota State. Addendum: Note: If you have an addendum that changes the bid opening date, time, room, etc., you must go back into the original ad and change these fields, as it is not done automatically by the addendum. Posting Project Results: After bids have been opened, the Architect/Engineer shall post the bid tab (typed) containing the name of the vendors and what city they are from and their base bid ONLY on the QuestCDN site. Do not provide information such as Addenda acknowledgement, bid bond, Affirmative Action Certificates, or deduct/add alternates. Organize the bid tab in order from lowest base bid to the highest base bid. Include C/U name, Project Name and bid date and time on the form. To post the results, go to Projects, then Modify Projects and then select the Project for which you are posting results. Select Add Plan Holder / Post Results, then select Post Results from the bottom of the list. Click the Browse button and upload a document from your computer (of any format) containing your bid results. Click Post Results button when finished. QUESTCDN TECHNICAL HELP: info@questcdn.com or 952.233.1632. Contact QuestCDN for assistance with placing ads, uploading or working with this digital project information. If there are questions from contractors about viewing or obtaining bidding documents, you may direct them to QuestCDN for assistance. BA.10 Page 3 of 7 11/9/17
College and University Acronyms used in Project Names Acronym Institution (location) ATCC ATC ARCC-C ARCC-CR BSU CLC-B CLC-S CEN DCTC FDLTCC HTC-BP HTC-EP HCC IHCC ICC LSC MRC-E MRC-V METRO-M METRO-S MCTC MSCSE-RW MSCSE-W MSTATE-DL MSTATE-FF MSTATE-M MSTATE-W MSUM MNSU MWCTC-C MWCTC-GF MWCTC-J MWCTC-P MWCTC-W NCC NHCC NCTC-EGF NCTC-TRF NTC Alexandria Technical College (Alexandria) Anoka Technical College (Anoka) Anoka Ramsey Community College (Cambridge) Anoka Ramsey Community College (Coon Rapids) Bemidji State University (Bemidji) Central Lakes College (Brainerd) Central Lakes College (Staples) Century College (White Bear Lake) Dakota County Technical College (Rosemount) Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College (Cloquet) Hennepin Technical College (Brooklyn Park) Hennepin Technical College (Eden Prairie) Hibbing Community College (Hibbing) Inver Hills Community College (Inver Grove Heights) Itasca Community College (Grand Rapids) Lake Superior College (Duluth) Mesabi Range College (Eveleth) Mesabi Range College (Virginia) Metropolitan State University (Minneapolis) Metropolitan State University (Saint Paul) Minneapolis Community and Technical College (Minneapolis) Minnesota State College-Southeast Technical (Red Wing) Minnesota State College-Southeast Technical (Winona) Minnesota State Community and Technical College (Detroit Lakes) Minnesota State Community and Technical College (Fergus Falls) Minnesota State Community and Technical College (Moorhead) Minnesota State Community and Technical College (Wadena) Minnesota State University Moorhead (Moorhead) Minnesota State University, Mankato (Mankato) Minnesota West Community and Technical College (Canby) Minnesota West Community and Technical College (Granite Falls) Minnesota West Community and Technical College (Jackson) Minnesota West Community and Technical College (Pipestone) Minnesota West Community and Technical College (Worthington) Normandale Community College (Bloomington) North Hennepin Community College (Brooklyn Park) Northland Community and Technical College (East Grand Forks) Northland Community and Technical College (Thief River Falls) Northwest Technical College (Bemidji) BA.10 Page 4 of 7 11/9/17
PTCC RRCC RWC-H RWC-W RVCC-AL RCCC-A RVCC-O RCTC SPC SCC-F SCC-NM SMSU SCSU SCTCC VCC WSU Pine Technical and Community College (Pine City) Rainy River Community College (International Falls) Ridgewater College (Hutchinson) Ridgewater College (Willmar) Riverland Community College (Albert Lea) Riverland Community College (Austin) Riverland Community College (Owatonna) Rochester Community and Technical College (Rochester) Saint Paul College (St. Paul) South Central College (Faribault) South Central College (North Mankato) Southwest Minnesota State University (Marshall) St Cloud State University (St. Cloud) St Cloud Technical and Community College (St. Cloud) Vermilion Community College (Ely) Winona State University (Winona) BA.10 Page 5 of 7 11/9/17
ATTACHMENT A Minnesota State Bookmarks Bookmarks Information: Bookmarks are internal links that let a person navigate inside the pdf file once they have opened it. The view option is mostly intended for prospective bidders to take a look inside before they download the complete document (and pay the download fee). Once the document is open in the viewer, they can use the bookmarks to get to any other information they would like to see. BOOKMARKS DIVISION 01 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS DIVISION 02 EXISTING CONDITIONS DIVISION 03 CONCRETE DIVISION 04 MASONRY DIVISION 05 METALS DIVISION 06 WOOD, PLASTICS, AND COMPOSITES DIVISION 07 THERMAL AND MOISTURE PROTECTION DIVISION 08 OPENINGS DIVISION 09 FINISHES DIVISION 10 SPECIALTIES DIVISION 11 EQUIPMENT DIVISION 12 FURNISHINGS DIVISION 13 SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION DIVISION 14 CONVEYING EQUIPMENT DIVISION 21 FIRE SUPPRESSION DIVISION 22 PLUMBING DIVISION 23 HEATING, VENTILATING, AND AIR-CONDITIONING DIVISION 25 INTEGRATED AUTOMATION DIVISION 26 ELECTRICAL DIVISION 27 COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION 28 ELECTRONIC SAFETY AND SECURITY DIVISION 31 EARTHWORK DIVISION 32 EXTERIOR IMPROVEMENTS DIVISION 33 UTILITIES DIVISION 34 TRANSPORTATION BA.10 Page 6 of 7 11/9/17
Construction Sheets (Drawings): TITLE PAGE SHEET INDEX CIVIL/SITE DEMOLITION LANDSCAPING ARCHITECTURAL STRUCTURAL/FOUNDATION PLUMBING FIRE PROTECTION INTERIORS MECHANICAL TEMPERATURE CONTROLS ELECTRICAL BA.10 Page 7 of 7 8/4/16