- What is required to access the FedBizOpps/Commerce Business Daily through COS??
Access to the database can be through several different mechanisms, depending on your or your institution's subscription or membership status:
- If you have a stand alone subscription to the FedBizOpps/CBD through COS with password or domain-enabled access, you will need to access from the FedBizOpps/Commerce Business Daily main page. If you have forgotten your password or you believe that you are incorrectly being asked for a username and password, please contact the Help Desk and include your subscription information and the error encountered.
- If you are from a COS Member Institution which subscribes to FedBizOpps/CBD and are using a campus computer, you will be able to access the database directly without a username or password. You can also access the database through your COS Workbench.
- If you are a researcher from a COS Member Institution which subscribes to FedBizOpps/CBD but are accessing from off-campus, you can access the database through your personal COS Workbench, using your own username and password.
- For best results, COS recommends specific Web browsers for use on its site.
- Your Web browser must be "cookie-enabled" in order to properly access and use COS products. See our Cookies FAQ page for more information.
- If you click on a button and nothing happens, you may need to enable your browser to accept JavaScript. For details see our Java FAQ page.
- Why are my username and password not working?
- If you have an individual or corporate subscription:
- First, check to make sure that your browser is set to accept 'cookies.' If this is not the source of your problem, please contact the COS Help Desk with a detailed description of the problem you are encountering.
- If you are from a Member Institution which subscribes to FedBizOpps/CBD:
- From an on-campus computer you do not need to login to the database. Access is through domain or IP address verification. As long as you are using a computer connected to your institution's computer system you should be able to directly access the database. If you are being prompted to login when using a campus computer, you can access the database through your personalized COS Workbench, or fill out our Help Desk form and describe the problem in detail.
- From an off-campus computer you need to login through your personalized COS Workbench and use either the 'Commerce Business Daily' link within the Research and Reference section or the 'Search Commerce Business Daily' section of the Workbench page. To add this tool to your COS Workbench, click on the 'customize' link on the top right of your COS Workbench. On the 'customize' page under 'Choose your Content', check off the 'Search FedBizOpps/Commerce Business Daily' box.
- Why can't I access the database even though I am from a COS Member Institution that subscribes to FedBizOpps/CBD and am using an on-campus computer?
If you are using a valid campus or worksite computer but are incorrectly being asked for a username and password to access the database, please fill out the COS Help Desk form, which will pick up the IP address you are coming from so we can compare this against the information we have in your institution's account.
- Is a subscription needed to access the database?
Yes. Please visit the Subscribe and About pages for additional information.
- What does domain-enabled access mean?
Domain-enabled access allows everyone using the Web through a subscribing institution's Internet domain (e.g., "acme.com") to have unrestricted access to the database. When the database is queried, COS software automatically identifies the originating Internet domain and either permits or denies access. If you are coming from the Acme corporation network, the COS database recognizes the "acme.com" domain name and allows access.
- Where should I begin to search or access the FedBizOpps/Commerce Business Daily?
The FedBizOpps/Commerce Business Daily homepage should be your starting point. Select one of the search options to begin your search. If you are a researcher from a COS Member Institution which subscribes to FedBizOpps/CBD, you can access the database through your personal COS Workbench, using your personal username and password. If you have forgotten your username and password, please fill out the Password Request form.
- What is FedBizOpps?
FedBizOpps is the origination source for federal government procurement opportunities that exceed $25,000. As of October 1, all agencies must use FedBizOpps to provide the public access to notice of procurement actions over $25,000. To give the public a period to adjust to the change, notices will be posted on FedBizOpps and published in the Commerce Business Daily from October 1, 2001 to January 1, 2002.
- What is the Commerce Business Daily (CBD)?
The Commerce Business Daily (CBD) was a daily publication of the Government Printing Office republished on the Web by Community of Science. This included listings for both supply and services contracts. Current online and print publication of the CBD was discontinued on January 4, 2002. However, we still maintain our archives of the official CBD issues from 1995 to 2002. The Commerce Business Daily has been replaced by government order with the online FedBizOpps service.
- How will my CBD subscription through COS change due to FedBizOpps?
It will not change at all. You will still continue to receive access to ALL federal government procurement opportunities that exceed $25,000. If there are any opportunities that have been announced, we have them. We will continue to provide our propriety search interface and other added features such as our customizable alert service, the ability to save search queries, searchable archives back to 1995, data download options in multiple formats, and our excellent customer service.
- Is the FedBizOpps/Commerce Business Daily archived?
Community of Science has all current and back issues of the FedBizOpps/Commerce Business Daily going back to June 1995 when it was first made available electronically.
- How can I search the FedBizOpps/Commerce Business Daily?
The FedBizOpps/Commerce Business Daily can be searched by classification, type of contract, agency, keyword or the institution receiving a contract. For suggestions on how to begin your search, please read the Field Descriptions page.
- Can I search by Solicitation Number?
Yes. To search for a specific solicitation number, use the Main Search and the Key Words (Synopsis) field. However, you must enter the solicitation number exactly as it appears in the record; format varies. If unsure of the format, try using a wildcard operator (*) to search for the beginning of the number. For example, to find DAKF36-02-T-0031, you might try typing: DAKF36*.
- Example: DAKF36-02-T-0031
- Example: 02-1200-0120
- Example: N4939902T0061
Can I search for opportunities by the NAICS code that is equivalent to our service or products?
Yes, if the NAICS (North American Industry Classification System, which has replaced the old SIC system) number is listed in the solicitation. To do so, simply use the Key Words (Synopsis) field to type in the 6-digit NAICS code number. Example: environmental engineering services = 541330. To locate appropriate NAICS codes, consult the NAICS homepage.
- What are the numbered notes and commonly used abbreviations?
Numbered Notes are footnotes. The purpose of the Numbered Notes is to eliminate the unnecessary duplication of information that appears in various announcements. If a Numbered Note is included in the description of the notice, that note must be read as part of the notice.
FedBizOpps/Commerce Business Daily also uses many abbreviations. Review the list of common abbreviations for simple explanations of the most commonly used abbreviations that appear in FedBizOpps.
- What is the classification system?
Notices of contract actions that appear in FedBizOpps/CBD are arranged by classification codes. The classification codes are divided into two primary groups, Service Classifications and Supply Classifications.
- Can I use items from both the Services and Supplies picklists in the same search?
No. Each announcement is given one classification code from the services or supply list. If you choose a code from both picklists, the system will search for a record with a services AND supply classification. Since an announcement only has one classification code, your search will return 0 results. You should try two separate searches.
- Where can I get Commerce Business Daily issues before 1995?
The Commerce Business Daily was first made available electronically in January 1995. For earlier issues you will need to go to a Federal Depository Library (FDL) or other local library. To find your nearest FDL or to learn more about the program, go to the Federal Depository Library Program page.
- How do I submit a notice to be published on FedBizOpps?
Submissions are handled by the Government Services Agency. To find out about their submission process please read their Federal Business Opportunities Frequently Asked Questions.
- Where can I get a printed copy of the current FedBizOpps or an old Commerce Business Daily Issue?
The Government Printing Office (GPO) did produce the print edition of the Commerce Business Daily. However, they do not publish the new online-only FedBizOpps in a print version. The COS version of FedBizOpps/CBD is available online only as well; we do not produce any printed copies of the data. You may want to contact your local library to see if there are any for-profit companies that do offer printed versions. For individual archived issues of the Commerce Business Daily please contact a local Federal Depository Library. To find your nearest FDL or to learn more about the program, go to the Federal Depository Library Program page.
- What is the Alert Service?
The Alert Service is a daily service that automatically e-mails the results of customizable searches to your desktop. It is set up for you when you subscribe to FedBizOpps/CBD through COS. A generic, default search is preset for all new users so they know the service is there. It is up to the customer to customize the search with their own search criteria so that appropriate results are returned. For more details on the Alert Service, see our About page. To learn how to create an Alert search, please consult our Alert Service instructions.
- I just subscribed, why can't I create an Alert search?
Alert accounts for newly created subscriptions are not immediately active. They need to be automatically generated overnight. This means that you will be able to create and save a search to your Alert account the day after you subscribe. For step-by-step instructions on creating an Alert search and deleting the default search, see our Alert Service Instructions.
- Can I customize my Alert Service content?
Yes, you can customize the Alert Service from the search interface page. Please read the Alert Service instructions page for step-by-step details.
- What are my Alert username and password?
If you have an individual subscription to FedBizOpps/Commerce Business Daily through COS your Alert username and password will be the same as your login username and password.
If your corporation or institution has more than one Alert Service, each Alert Service will have its own username and password. If you have forgotten your Alert Service login information, please contact the Help Desk and include your company or institution name along with the e-mail address receiving the alert.
- Can I have more than one search?
Yes, you can save up to five searches per Alert Service. To learn how to add a search to your Alert Service, please read the Alert Service instructions page.
- Will I receive an Alert everyday?
The Alert will only be sent out if an article matching your search criteria has been found. Keep in mind FedBizOpps/CBD is only published on Business days excluding national holidays.
- When I try to save a search to my Alert account, I get an error message, "Sorry, your CBD-FR alert username and password couldn't be validated" - what is the problem?
Please consult the checklist below for possible sources of the error:
- Have you just subscribed today? If so, your Alert account is not yet activated. It needs to be generated overnight and will be available for use the next day.
- Keep in mind that your browser must be set to accept 'cookies' and JavaScript to login and use the system. For details (if you run into a problem accessing or using the site) see our FAQ pages:
- If neither of the above is the source of the problem, please contact the COS Help Desk with the details of the problem.
