Adding Resources into the Vendor Application

Once you are logged into VIPR, you can add resources into the VIPR Vendor application at any time.

IMPORTANT If you are submitting a quote for a new re-solicitated solicitation, you cannot use the same resources that you used for an older solicitation. For example, you cannot use your 2021 resources when submitting a quote for a 2024 solicitation. You MUST add new 2024 resources and use those 2024 resources when submitting a quote for the 2024 solicitation. However, there is functionality that will allow you to copy your resource information from one resource form into your new resource form (i.e., from a 2021 version of the resource form into the 2024 version of the resource form.)

To add a resource into the vendor application:

1. Access the Manage Resource wizard by doing one of the following:

• From the Home tab, click on the Add New Resource icon.
• From the My Resources tab, click on the Add New Resource button.
• From within a quote for a solicitation, click on the Add New Resource button. (For more details about this specific process, see "Submitting a Quote on a Solicitation".

IMPORTANT Vendors now have an option to save their incomplete resource without losing their data as long as they provide at least a VIN/Serial Number/Unique ID. Vendors can do a ‘Save and Exit’ from the wizard without completing the wizard, and VIPR will retain the resource information that has been entered; however, the resource will be flagged as ‘Incomplete’ until the vendor goes back at some point and completes ALL of the steps of the Manage Your Resources wizard.

2. In the Intended Use step, select one of the following options:
   • As a new resource in response to a solicitation: Use this option for creating a resource to be submitted on open solicitations. The resource form displayed will use the most recent version of the resource requirements.

   NOTE: Do NOT use this option if you are creating a new resource to be used as a replacement resource on an existing agreement.
   

    

   • To just enter into the application--intended use of resource is unknown at this time: Use this option for creating a resource that you anticipate using later on open solicitations. The resource form displayed will use the most recent version of the resource requirements.

   NOTE: Do NOT use this option if you are creating a new resource to be used as a replacement resource on an existing agreement.
   

    

   • As a replacement resource on my current existing agreement: Use this option for creating a new resource to be used as a replacement resource for an existing agreement. The resource form displayed will use the same resource requirements that were used for the resource type that is on the existing agreement.

   NOTE: Do NOT use this option for open solicitations.
   

   If you select this replacement option, a list of your current existing agreements appears. From the list, select the agreement you wish to use the replacement resource for and then click the Continue button to proceed to Step 3.

   NOTE: The new replacement resource you are adding is not automatically applied to the agreement you selected. The agreement selection is used to help VIPR determine the correct version of the form to display for you to complete. The correct version of the form must be completed in order to use the new resource as a replacement resource, which is done through the appropriate modification process.
   

3. Depending on what option you selected in the previous "Intended Use" step of the wizard, in this Classify Resource step, you will see either a list of all of the resource groups available to be added as a new resource OR a list of only the resource groups that can be used as a replacement resource for the agreement you selected in the previous step. From the Resource Group, click on a resource category that best defines your resource.

NOTE:If you need help determining which resource category to select, view the Resource Group Details for an explanation about the category you have selected.

Special Notes for Generic Resources:
- DO NOT use "Generic" if your resource falls into one of the other resource groups that is listed.

- Generic resources are used for various local equipment and services not listed on the National Solicitation Plan for I-BPAs, but may be identified on the Method of Hire (MOH) chart located in the NWCG Standards for Interagency Incident Business Management, PMS 902.

4. Click the Continue button to move forward in the wizard.
5. In the Enter Resource Info step, you have two options for entering the resource information:
   • .Manually enter your resource information Read the IMPORTANT notes listed below, and then proceed to Step 6.
   • Copy existing resource information to be used for a new resource. (This option is only available if you have an existing older resource of the same resource group AND there is not already a new version of that resource, i.e. you cannot copy the same exact resource [same VIN, same resource group] twice.) If you wish to use this option, do the following:
     • From the "Select a Resource to update" drop-down list, select the the VIN, Unique ID, or Serial Number of the resource whose information you wish to copy for a new resource.
     • Click the Update button. All of the fields will be pre-populated with the resource information. All fields are editable if you wish to make changes, and if there are any new required fields that were not on the older version of the resource form, then you will need to complete those fields.
     • Read the IMPORTANT notes listed below and then proceed to Step 6.

IMPORTANT - If the type of resource you are entering requires a VIN and has a Model Year of greater than or equal to 1981, then you MUST adhere to the standard VIN data guidelines of exactly 17 characters (letter and numbers only, except no I, O, or Q letters and no special characters). - If the type of resource you are entering requires a VIN and has a Model Year of less than 1981, the only restriction is that the VIN cannot be more than 40 characters. - Resources that require a Unique ID or Serial Number do not have any restrictions, except they cannot be more than 40 characters.

6. Continue to address all of the required fields.

IMPORTANT - Enter your resource information with its attributes exactly as they are for that resource. VIPR will use the attributes you entered to determine the resource category type(s) that your resource qualifies for based on the national solicitation specifications. - On the 'Enter Resource Info' step of the wizard, if you have entered at the least the VIN, Serial Number, or Unique ID and then click the 'Save and Exit' button to exit the wizard, VIPR will save your resource, but will flag it as 'INCOMPLETE.' For resources that are 'INCOMPLETE,' you will be unable to use the resource until you complete the resource information, which means at some point, you will have to complete all of the steps in the 'Manage Your Resources' wizard in order for VIPR to recognize your resource as complete and determine the resource category qualification of your resource.

7. For the Tech Eval Pics/Docs field, view the blue explanatory text to determine what type of pictures and/or documents are required for your resource for the technical evaluation requirement (notice the minimum number of files required), click the 'Manage' button to access the 'Manage File Uploads' dialog box, and then do any of the following:
   1. To add a file, click the 'Add' button and then follow the three steps on the 'Upload a File' popup dialog box.

   NOTE: The 'List of descriptions' is a drop-down list with specific labels you can use to describe your file if they are applicable. The 'Manual entry of description' is a text box that allows you to manually enter a description to describe your file. You can use one of the description fields or both if you wish.
   

   2. If you have added an image with a file size that is too large, then VIPR will immediately resize the image to an acceptable size for the VIPR system and display the resized image to you to review for acceptance, which means ensuring the resized image is legible and still conveys the required information. You do have the option of rejecting the resized image and uploading your own resized image. If you do not see the resize action occur automatically, then your image size is acceptable and you may proceed with adding the image. If a document is too large to be resized by VIPR, you will be asked to upload a smaller file size. The maximum file size allowed for a document is 8MB.
   3. If you have added a file and wish to change or edit the description, select the check box next to the file and then click the 'Edit Description' button.
   4. If you have added a file that you wish to delete, select the check box next to the file and then click the 'Delete' button.
   5. If you have added a file and wish to download it to view it, select the check box next to the file and then click the 'Download' button and then select the location on your computer where you wish to save the file so that you can view it.

NOTE:You can upload various file types including the more common file types such as jpeg, jpg, png, tif, gif, pdf, rtf, docx, txt, etc. If you attempt to upload a file type that VIPR does not accept, you will receive an error message. you will receive an error message explaining that the file type is not accepted by VIPR, and you will need to use a different file type.

Special Note for Generic Resources:
Once you complete the wizard, in the My Resources table, under the Resource Group column, you will see "Generic," which does not tell you what type of generic resource you have. So, to help you keep track of what your generic resources are, you may want to include the type of resource in the Equipment ID field (10 character limit) or Unique ID field (40 character limit). For example: FORKLIFT1, TABLE1, LIGHTING1, BACKHOE1, etc.

 

8. In the View Summary step, review the resource information that you have entered, and then click the Save and Continue button.

NOTE: If incorrect information is displayed, then click on the appropriate step in the wizard to go back to the data entry screen to update the information.

9. In the Finished step, click the View Resource Information PDF to view your resource details.

NOTES:
- Based on the resource information you entered in the Enter Resource Info step, your resource should qualify for a specific resource category. If your resource does not qualify for ANY resource categories, it will be labeled as "UNQUALIFIED" in the My Resources table, and you will be unable to use the unqualified resource when submitting a quote to a solicitation.

- If your resource has been saved but not ALL of the steps in the 'Manage Your Resources' wizard have been completed, then your resource will be labeled as "INCOMPLETE" in the My Resources table, and you will be unable to use the incomplete resource when submitting a quote to a solicitation.

- Whenever you access the 'Manage Your Resources' wizard, you must complete all of the steps in the wizard even if you have not made any changes to your resource. VIPR needs you to get to that last step in the wizard so VIPR can determine what resource type your resource qualifies as, otherwise, your resource will be considered as 'INCOMPLETE' even if you have completed all of the resource information.

Special Note for Generic Resources:
A generic resource will qualify for all generic solicitations.

10. Click the Exit button, and then click OK in the Confirm message to close the wizard. Your resource information is saved into the VIPR system and appears in the My Resources table.

 

What's Next? If all of your company and resource information is complete, then you are ready to submit a quote on an open solicitation (see "Submitting a Quote on a Solicitation").

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