Frequently Asked Questions |
| Q |
What type of Services does CBSI provide? |
| A |
CBSI provides contractors and suppliers with information on projects out to bid in California. This includes Public Works and other project types, including requests for sub bids, A&E and trade contracts. CBSI is also listed by the State of California as a Trade and Focus publication. This means you may safely place your DVBE and DBE advertisements on our website. We also assist contractors in performing their Good Faith Efforts and other contract compliance issues. |
| Q |
What is "My Clipboard"? |
| A |
"My Clipboard" provides you with the ability to save projects for tracking. You can do this by clicking on the "Save Project" button on the project detail page. The project will allways be available to you on "My Clipboard" untill you delete it or it falls off the database, which is usually 10 days after the bid date. "My Clipboard" will alert you when planholder lists or bid results have been posted. "My Clipboard" will also display any DVBE advertisements or DBE advertisements you have placed. You can edit the ads by clicking on the "Edit Ad" icon. |
| Q |
How can I advertise for DBE companies for my Good Faith Effort? |
| A |
If you are member, simply login, go to "My Clipboard" and click on the "Place a DBE Advertisement" link. Members may also click on the "Place Dbe Ad" link on the project detail page. This action will automatically fill out the advertisement form with your company information and project details. Non members can place a DBE advertisement by clicking on the "DBE Advertising" link on the menu bar and then click on the "place your DBE Advertisement" link.
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| Q |
How can I view all DBE advertisements? |
| A |
Click on the "DBE Advertising" link on the menu bar and then click on the "View all current DBE Advertisements" link.
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| Q |
What is the "View DVBE Firms" link on the project detail page? |
| A |
If you click on this link, a page will be displayed providing you a list of DVBE contractors in the project vicinity . This will be expanded in the near future to include suppliers and manufacturers as they are added to the database. |
| Q |
What does it cost to subscribe to CBSI? |
| A |
Prices start at $45 for a 3 month subscription. That's just $15 per month. Other subscription options can be checked out by going to clicking here or click on the "Subscribe" link on the menu bar.
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| Q |
What is the difference between a 1 year Premium subscription and a standard 1 year subscription? |
| A |
The premium 1 year subscription includes FREE DBE advertising for the duration of the subscription. If you place more than 3 advertisements per year, this is the best option, saving you many hundereds of dollars.
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| Q |
How do I know what geographic areas are covered for a particular subscription? |
| A |
Click on the "View Map" link on the subscription page. The map shows all counties covered for a particlar geographic area. These areas are further broken down into Regions - which contain groups of counties.
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| Q |
Some of the project details don't have the license category listed. Why is this? |
| A |
Licenses are only listed when the information is provided by the owner. If the owner does not provide this information, we will use our best judgement or, if the license cannot be determined, it will be listed as "As applicable" or "All applicable" .
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| Q |
If a prebid meeting does not say MANDATORY, does this mean I do not have to attend? |
| A |
If a prebid meeting does not say MANDATORY, it means the owner did not state this in the bid invitation. It is important for you to check with the owner to determine if the meeting is mandatory or not. Very often, a prebid meeting may not be mandatory but will count toward your Good Faith Effort, if applicable to the project. |
| Q |
How can I get a planholder list or bid results for a project? |
| A |
Members can request planholder lists and bid results by clicking on the appropriate links on the project detail page. These lists will be available as soon as they are provided by the owner, which is usually a few days before the bid date. Please allow at least 3 days for us to process the lists. |
| Q |
I'm having problems logging on, why? |
| A |
User name and passwords are case sensitive. Make sure you enter your user name and password exactly as you entered them when you subscribed. It is recommended not to use spaces, periods or commas when choosing a user name or password. It is recommended that you use only lower case letters. |
| Q |
What can I do if I lose my log in information? |
| A |
Provide either your user name or email address on the log in page and the information will be emailed to you. |
