Frequently Asked Questions ( FAQ )

Frequently Asked Questions ( FAQ ) What is "e-procurement" on NALCO e-procurement Site? Do I have to compulsorily submit my/our tender through the Internet? What are the pre-requisites to submit tenders on-line? How do I submit my RFX Response? What if I need help while submitting my electronic tender? What if I don't submit my tender through the Internet before the submission dead line of the tender? What are the benefits in receiving / submitting tenders online? How many Bids can I create? Can I delete tender documents? What should be the Size of Documents to be attached while bidding? What languages can I use? What should be the Format of Documents to be attached while bidding? How Secure is it? What is a Firewall? What is downloading and uploading? What are the technical settings required to access NALCO e-procurement site? What Internet settings do I have to maintain for Bidding? What is the Password Policy? Important points to remember What is a Digital Signature Certificate? What is a Digital Signature? Who is a Certifying Authority? Who issues the Digital Signature Certificate? How can I get a valid Digital Certificate? What is the validity period of a Digital Signature Certificate? What is the legal status of a Digital Signature? Is a company required to obtain a Digital Signature Certificate in its own name for e- Tendering? Can I participate in e-tendering if I do not possess a DSC? NOTE Contact Persons Glossary

A. General Section What is "e-procurement" on NALCO e-procurement Site? For e-procurement NALCO hosts RFX(Bid Invitation) in Nalco e-procurement site. Registered vendors are to log on to www.nalcoindia.com and click Tenders tab and click E-Procurement in SRM7. Do I have to compulsorily submit my / our tender through the Internet? Yes. For NALCO tenders which are hosted on NALCO e-procurement site, the RFX Response have to be submitted on-line only. No hard copy offers against e-procurement tender will be entertained. What are the pre-requisites to submit tenders on-line? 1. Vendor should be registered with Nalco and should possess Nalco vendor code. 2. Vendor should have internet connectivity. 3. Vendors should full fill other pre-requisites mentioned in the e-tender. 4. Vendors should have a valid User-id to access NALCO e-procurement site. 5. Vendors should have DSC of licensed certifying Authorities. How do I submit my RFX Response? Please refer to Bidder s Manual. What if I need help while submitting my electronic tender? Please send e-mail to the officials issuing RFX. What if I don't submit my tender through the Internet before the submission dead line of tender? Bidders are to submit their Bid Response within the stipulated submission dead line. After the submission dead line system will not accept the RFX Response. What are the benefits in receiving / submitting tenders online? Electronic or On-line tendering is just carrying out the same traditional tendering process in an electronic form, using the Internet. But the RFX and RFX Response are created in e-mode. The time taken and cost for dispatching hard copies of RFX and RFX Response is saved. How many Bids can I create?

Against one electronic Tender, only 1 Bid can be submitted. Can I delete tender documents? Suppliers can remove their tender responses until the date and time of tender closing. What should be the Size of Documents to be attached while bidding? Preferably small sized documents shall be attached (Max.2MB) General Information not relevant to the Tender / Bid viz. entire product catalogue; Price List etc. shall not be attached unless it is requested in the Tender Documents. What languages can I use? The language of documents submitted by you should be in English. What should be the Format of Documents to be attached while bidding? You may attach the Tender Documents such as specifications, accepted copies of our Documents like General Condition of Contract (GCC), Special Condition of Contract (SCC), Instruction to Bidders (ITB).Scope of Work (SOW), Annexure etc. in the form of Word, Excel or PDF format. Please ensure those documents attached are free from virus. Scanned Copy, wherever, required may also be attached. B. Technical Section How Secure is it? The security features incorporated in the application ensures that all activities are logged and no unauthorized person has access to data. Process Validation: The Solution has been so architected that a user (NALCO Officers) cannot view the RFX Response of any vendor till the date & time specified for the opening of the RFX Response. Unauthorized Access: The entire solution is behind a firewall and Unauthorized access is not allowed.128 bit SSL Certificate of Entrust provided by M/s GNFC is used for communication between the browser and the web server. This ensures that all communication between browser and web server is encrypted and cannot be hacked. Session Logout: Portal Session would auto logout in 30 Minutes of idle time. What is a Firewall?

A firewall is a set of related programs, located at a network gateway server that protects the resources of a private network from users from other networks. Basically, a firewall, working closely with a router program, filters all network packets to determine whether to forward them towards their destination. What is downloading & uploading? Downloading means to capture a particular file from a remote server using the Internet or any kind of Network. Uploading means to host a particular file into a remote server using the internet. What are the technical Setting required to access NALCO e-procurement site? Technical Settings Web Browser Supported/ recommended: Microsoft IE Ver. 6.0 or higher or Mozilla Firefox Java: To view some of the components, you must have Java 6.0 or higher installed in your system. If required, you can download Java from http://java.com/en/ What Internet settings do I have to maintain for Bidding? Web Browser Configuration Browser Compression To enable compression when using Microsoft Internet Explorer as the client browser, activate the HTTP 1.1 setting. Browser Caching To enable browser caching for MS Internet Explorer (IE): 1. From the Tools menu of Internet Explorer: Choose Internet Options -> General -> In Section Browsing History -> Settings -> In Section: Temporary Internet files 2. Under "Check for newer versions of stored pages", select either "Automatically" or "Every time you start Internet Explorer". For MS Internet Explorer (IE): 1. From the Tools menu of Internet Explorer: Choose Internet Options -> Security and choose either the Internet icon (For Supplier) or Local Intranet (For NALCO employees) depending on your configuration. 2. Choose Custom Level. 3. In the Security Settings dialog box, make sure the Enable radio button is selected for the following options: - Scripting -> Active scripting

- Scripting -> Scripting of Java applets -ActiveX controls and plug-ins-> Allow scriplets -ActiveX controls and plug-ins-> automatic prompting for ActiveX controls -ActiveX controls and plug-ins-> Binary and script behaviours -ActiveX controls and plug-ins-> Download signed ActiveX controls -ActiveX controls and plug-ins-> Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins -ActiveX controls and plug-ins-> Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting And make sure the Disable radio button is selected for the following option: - Miscellaneous -> Use Pop-up Blocker 4. Return to the Internet Options dialog box by choosing OK and choose tab page Advanced. 5. Make sure that "Show friendly HTTP error messages" is not selected for option "Browsing". 6. Choose OK to save your settings and close the Internet Options dialog box. 7. Enable Session Cookies: Tools ->Internet Options -> Privacy (Tab) -> Advance (Button) -> Select (Check) Override Automatic cookie handling -> Select (Check) always allow Session cookie -> OK -> OK i) Proxy: If you are unable to access NALCO e-procurement site or Bid Documents, check if you are using proxy to connect to internet or if your PC is behind any firewall. Contact your system administrator to enable connectivity. Please note that Port No 50600 should be enabled on your proxy/firewall for HTTPS connectivity. Dial-up internet connectivity without Proxy settings is another option. ii) Pop-ups: Pop-ups should be enabled on NALCO e-procurement URL and Bid Documents URLs. iii) Recommended Screen Resolution: 1024 by 768 pixels. iv) Internet Speeds: If you are experiencing slow connectivity to NALCO e-procurement, then contact your system administrator/isp provider for desirable speeds. v) Text Size: For the purpose of Clarity and Visibility we recommend using text size setting as medium and above (Path on internet explorer: Click on view button ->Text size -> Medium) What is the Password Policy? Password Length: Minimum 8 Characters with at least a. One letter (Like A-Z / a-z) b. One digit (0-9) c. One special character (like! / @ / # / $ / % etc) Password History: 2 previous passwords. For any password change the last 2 passwords cannot be repeated Password Change: At least one character to be changed from present password.

Important points to remember: 1. Always check that your e-mail address in your registration is accurate. You will not receive any notifications if this address is wrong. 2. Bidders are requested to make note of dynamic time being displayed on NALCO e-procurement portal to ensure that the RFX Responses are submitted on time. 3. Try to avoid responding at the last minute. Try to submit your RFX Response through e-procurement well in time. Digital Signature Certificate What is a Digital Signature Certificate? Digital Signature Certificates (DSC) are the digital equivalent (that is electronic format) of physical or paper certificates. A digital certificate can be presented electronically to prove your identity, to access information or services on the Internet or to sign certain documents digitally. What is a Digital Signature? Digital Signature is a digital code that can be attached to an electronically transmitted message that uniquely identifies the sender. Like a written signature, the purpose of a digital signature is to guarantee that the individual sending the message really is who he or she claims to be. The Digital Certificates used to create Digital Signatures are issued by a trusted certifying authority authorized by the Controller of Certifying Authorities of India. Who is a Certifying Authority? A trusted third-party organization or company that issues digital certificates used to create digital signatures and public-private key pairs. The role of the CA in this process is to guarantee that the individual granted the unique certificate is, in fact, who he or she claims to be. Usually, this means that the CA has an arrangement with a financial institution, such as a credit card company, which provides it with information to confirm an individual s claimed identity. CAs are a critical component in data security and electronic commerce because they guarantee that the two parties exchanging information are really who they claim to be. Who issues the Digital Signature Certificate? A licensed Certifying Authority (CA) issues the digital signature. Certifying Authority (CA) means a person who has been granted a license to issue a digital signature certificate under Section 24 of the Indian IT- Act 2000. 5. What are the different types of Digital Signature Certificates valid for e-tendering? The different types of Digital Signature Certificates are: Class 2: Here, the identity of a person is verified against a trusted, pre-verified database.

Class 3: This is the highest level where the person needs to present himself or herself in front of a Registration Authority (RA) and prove his/ her identity. 6. What type of Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) is to be obtained for efiling on the etendering Portal? DSC of Class 3 category issued by a licensed Certifying Authority (CA) needs to be obtained for efiling on the etendering Portal. How can I get a valid Digital Certificate? In order to bid for NALCO e-tenders all the vendors are required to obtain a legally valid digital certificate as per Indian IT Act 2000 from the licensed Certifying Authorities (CA) operating under the Root Certifying Authority of India (RCAI), Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA) of India. Steps for obtaining Digital Certificate - Visit the site of the licensed CA* using internet browser. - Apply online for a class 3 digital certificate for the designated individual with organization name. Ensure the Digital Certificate is legally valid in India. - For making payment and submission of documents required for issue of the Digital Certificate, follow the instructions on the CA's website. - Use the class 3 Digital Certificate thus obtained for online bidding on NALCO e-procurement site. *Links to some licensed CA's are provided below 1. www.ncodesolutions.com/ 2. www.safescrypt.com/ 3. www.tcs-ca.tcs.co.in/ 4. www.emudhra.com 5. www.nicca.nic.in 6. www.mtnltrustline.com What is the validity period of a Digital Signature Certificate? The Certifying Authorities are authorized to issue a Digital Signature Certificate with a validity of one or two years. The maximum period for which the DSC is issued is only two years. On the expiry of the term, the Digital Signature Certificate can be revalidated by paying the fees again. What is the legal status of a Digital Signature? Digital Signatures are legally admissible in a Court of Law, as provided under the provisions of IT. Is a company required to obtain a Digital Signature Certificate in its own name for etendering? Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) is not required by Companies but by individuals. For example the Director or the Authorized signatory signing on behalf of the Company requires a DSC. Can I participate in e-tendering if I do not possess a DSC?

No. It is mandatory to have a valid digital signature certificate for e-tendering. NOTE: If you need help while submitting your electronic tender, please contact our helpdesk at telephone no: 0674-2301181 or contact persons mentioned below during Business Hours i.e. 9.30 Hrs to 17.30 Hrs, IST. Emails to be addressed to eprocurement@nalcoindia.co.in Contact Persons: Location Name Mobile Phone No Smelter P.Babar 9437026420 cpp M.Behera 9437111103 Refinery Complex M.K.Moharana 9437172666 Refinery Complex A.K.Maity 9937007103 Mines P.K.Biswas 9437083779 Corporate Office T.K.Samantaray 9437022746 Corporate Office S.K.Pattnaik 9437176925 Glossary RFX Response. RFX Bidding System RFX Response: RFX Response is a response or Quotation from vendor to a RFX(BID Invitation) from purchasing organization. RFX Responses are to be submitted against the RFX No. RFX : RFX refers to enquiry floated by the Buying Organization (NALCO) inviting vendors to submit their RFX Response/Quotation.

Bidding System : Bidding system is either 2-Bid system or Single Bid System.