What is a Global file?

The Global file for your center contains exclusion statements for bid opportunities where specifications and drawings are not available (NotSpecs) and for sole source bids (NotSole), since these types of opportunities are generally not well suited for smaller businesses. If a profile references your center’s Global file, whatever is in the Global file affects everything in the profile up to the unrestrict statement, if present.

In your center’s profiles, the reference to the Global file displays in the following format: source ~####/Global, where #### is your center’s mailbox number. The word "source" is used because the act of incorporating the Global file into one of your client profiles is called sourcing.

If a client does not want their profile to incorporate the NotSpecs and NotSole exclusions, the Global file statement must be deleted from that profile. If they only want to eliminate one of the global exclusions—either the NotSpecs or NotSole exclusion—you will need to e-mail OutreachSystems to request that the exclusion be removed from their profile. A representative will make the necessary modifications to the profile.

There is a third exclusion statement that you can choose to add to your Global file. It is not there by default, but if you ask Softshare to include it, the NotSame exclusion will filter out bid opportunities that call out a specific product and request that the product is bid without exception. As with bids that do not provide specifications or call out a sole source provider, no exception bids are generally not well suited for smaller businesses.

For more information on search profiles, download the Bid Match Guide PDF, which provides a comprehensive discussion of the entire Bid Match program.

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