SMART by GEP® FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs) - September 2020

a. SMART by GEP® System Overview

No. Question Answer

1 What is SMART by GEP®? SMART by GEP® is a unified, cloud-based, end-to-end Source-to-Pay (S2P) procurement
platform. This platform enables streamlined transactions which will promote business
transparency, encourage continuous performance, and strengthen the relationship with
business partners.

2 Why SMART by GEP®? -

, ( PETRONAS Activity Outlook ) PETRONAS has embarked on
its digital journey to transform the way we collaborate with our business partners. SMART
by GEP® reduces manual efforts, enhances user experience, and increases efficiency in
performing day-to-day tasks.

3 What are the benefits of SMART by GEP®? SMART by GEP® can provide a seamless end-to-end, S2P procurement process. High
level benefits include:
1. Reduction in manual efforts
2. Increase in efficiency
3. Enrichment of user experience

4 When do I start using SMART by GEP®? Starting from November 2019, piloted tenders will use SMART by GEP® as part of the
tendering process. If your company is involved in the piloted tender, you will receive an
email notification to activate your SMART by GEP® account to participate in the tender.
Otherwise, your SMART by GEP ® account will be created upon system go-live by second
half of 2020.

5 How do I access SMART by GEP®? Upon selection to participate in a tender, you will receive an email from GEP with a link
to the invitation to bid (ITB). You may access SMART by GEP® via the link provided in the
email.

6 My company's internet speed is below Yes, however, for the best experience, we recommend subscribing to a minimum internet
the recommended 20mbps. Will I still be plan of 20mbps.
able to access and use SMART by GEP ®?

7 Will the SMART by GEP® platform be the SMART by GEP® and Aconex are two different platforms and have different functionalities.
same as Aconex?

b. SMART by GEP® Account Creation & Activation

No. Question Answer

1 I have an existing SMART by GEP ® If you are an existing SMART by GEP® user and are selected to participate in a tender,
account, how do I proceed? you will receive an email with an ITB link:
1. Click on the link provided in the email to access the system
2. Proceed to sign in with your login information
3. You will be redirected to the ITB page once you have successfully signed in

2 I have an existing SMART by GEP ® No, you do not need to create a new SMART by GEP ® account. You may proceed to login
account, do I need to create a new using your existing SMART by GEP® account and you will be able to select which company
account for PETRONAS? you wish to initiate your transactions with.

3 I already have a profile in SUS, am I No, you are not required to register as your profile in SUS will be migrated to SMART by
required to register on SMART by GEP®? GEP®. However, you are still required to activate your account (one-time activation) upon
receiving an ITB via email.
4 What does self-activation mean in As a registered PETRONAS vendor, your supplier profile will be migrated into SMART by
SMART by GEP®? GEP®. Upon access, you will be required to perform a validation of your profile in order
to 'activate' that profile in SMART by GEP® prior to the tendering process.

5 What does onboarding ? Onboarding refers to the process of getting the supplier profile activated and
incorporated into the system.

6 Can I register a SMART by GEP® account From now until full implementation of SMART by GEP® (Q3/Q4 2020), supplier can only
before receiving an ITB or before the Go- create a SMART by GEP® account after receiving an ITB. After full implementation of
Live date? SMART by GEP ® (Q4 2020), all active suppliers will be notified to create a SMART by GEP ®
account & activate it even without an ITB invitation. More information will be
communicated to all suppliers as we draw closer to full implementation.

7 If we have multiple companies, do we You may use the same SMART by GEP® user account credentials to login and manage
need to create new SMART by GEP ® multiple companies. During account creation step, you will need to click on "I already
accounts for each company or can we use have SMART by GEP® account" and use the same credentials to proceed.
the same account to manage them?
 8 I have not received the email invitation to Please check your junk mail folder and whitelist SMART by GEP ® emails, otherwise you
register a SMART by GEP® account with may raise a ticket to PCC accordingly on this. You may email to:
PETRONAS. What should I do? [email protected] or call 1-800-88-0011.

9 It was mentioned that we need to create Firstly, you will need to create an account using the email used to receive the RFX
our account using the email address that invitation. Once login, you may open your supplier profile and add new contacts with
received the ITB. If we have already different emails and assign that contact as a team members in the same RFX.
created using a different email, what
should we do?

10 I have created 2 SMART by GEP® If the account is no longer required/valid, you may delete the account by deleting the
accounts. Do I have to cancel one of the contacts in your supplier profile. The contacts user will no longer have access to SMART
accounts? by GEP®.

11 We have a SMART by GEP® account with This is because you have created an account using different email addresses for both
ExxonMobil, but we cannot see their logo ExxonMobil and PETRONAS.
during login as shown in the user guide.
Why is this?

12 Can I have a SMART by GEP® Account Yes. SMART by GEP® account is required if you would like to conduct business with
without having a PLMS account? PETRONAS. PLMS account is only required for PETRONAS Licensed/Registered
companies.

c. SMART by GEP® System Access

No. Question Answer

1 How many accounts may be registered in Suppliers will be allowed to create one user account, however, there are no limitations
the system? for suppliers to create multiple profile access to that account. We strongly suggest limiting
the profile creation to only selected personnel within the companies to ensure activities
(respond to tender, accepting PO, submit invoice) are thoroughly managed. There should
be one administrator who will be responsible for the creation and management of user
access for the company.

2 From the supplier perspective, do all In SMART by GEP®, suppliers may assign user profiles like administrator, sales, and finance
users have access to all functions in the or assign by category, business units and regions that users are responsible for. Apart from
system or will there be segregations of that, user profiles may also be restricted through documents access (e.g. tender
user profiles? documents) or by persona (e.g. Finance may only submit invoice or credit note, Sales may
only submit Bid, Legal may only check the contract, etc.).

3 Am I required to update my password No, you will not be required to update your password every 30 days. However, it is good
every 30 days? practice to change your password for security purposes.

4 Is there a maximum number of attempts The maximum number of login attempts is 3. Thereafter your access to the system will
allowed for login, in the event we forget be locked and you will need to reset your password.
our password?

5 Is there a way to recover my password? Yes, if you have forgotten the password, you may choose to reset your password at the
login page.

6 How many people can access the same You are advised to limit the usage of one account to one person only for best practices
account at the same time? in governance and control. For additional accounts, your Primary Contact Person may
add them in the Supplier Profile.

7 Can we use a pooled email address As part of good governance, we highly advise that you do NOT use a pooled email address
which is auto forwarded to several staff? but instead assign ensure quality
responses.
8 Will I be able to access SMART by GEP ® Yes, you may access SMART by GEP ® from any part of the world as long as you have
from overseas as well? internet access.

d. SMART by GEP® System Rollout Strategy

No. Question Answer

1 Is SMART by GEP®being rolled out to all The implementation of SMART by GEP® is done in phases to impacted PETRONAS
PETRONAS subsidiaries at the same time? subsidiaries. Further information on the rollout dates and impacted subsidiaries will be
communicated in due time and may be referred to at the PETRONAS Vendor
Announcement Portal.

2 Is SMART by GEP® being rolled out to The current scope of SMART by GEP® implementation does not include PETRONAS
PETRONAS subsidiaries (outside Malaysia) subsidiaries outside Malaysia. Further information on the extension of scope, rollout dates
at the same time? and impacted subsidiaries will be communicated in due time.
 3 Is there a fee imposed to access SMART NO FEE is charged for suppliers to access the system.
by GEP®?

4 Will PAC companies use SMART by The implementation of SMART by GEP® is targeted mainly for PETRONAS usage for the
GEP®? time being. Any extension to other organisations will be communicated accordingly in
the future.

5 Do international companies get access to Yes, there are no restrictions to location or origin with regards to supplier profiles in
SMART by GEP®? SMART by GEP ®. If the supplier is invited to participate in the PETRONAS tendering
process, the supplier will get access to SMART by GEP®.

6 Will there be a blackout period for SUS? There will be a planned blackout period to manage any open transactions in SUS. Further
details on this will be communicated later.
7 Will SMART by GEP ® be available as a SMART by GEP ® is currently not available as mobile app. Further information on the
mobile app? development will be communicated accordingly.

8 When SMART by GEP ® goes live, what SUS system remains to manage outstanding documents (i.e. payment request submission)
happens to the SUS system? that are not migrated into SMART by GEP ® and for utilization of OPUs that has yet to
onboard onto SMART by GEP®.

e. SMART by GEP® Supplier Profile

No. Question Answer

1 Will the system allow one administrator to Yes, like SUS, the new system will have one administrator to create and manage other
create and manage other users? user profiles.

2 May I include other focal persons from Yes, the system administrator will be able to create, update, remove additional users in
other divisions in the system (i.e. focal the system.
person from Finance and the CEO)?

3 Am I able to update or request for Maintenance of licensing & registration related activities (e.g. renewal, add new SWEC)
additional SWEC codes using the system? will still be performed via the licensing portal. However, this information will be
automatically migrated to your SMART by GEP® profile.

4 Will we be able to see the list of No, that information is confidential to PETRONAS procurement personnel only.
PETRONAS approved vendors in the
system?
5 Can the tender recipients be more than Yes, you will need to ensure all the recipient profiles have been created in SMART by
one person? GEP®.

6 Are we required to have multiple IDs if our Not necessarily. New IDs are no longer required to be created for each branch. If you
company has multiple branches? have multiple branches, you will be able to monitor/maintain all your branches using a
single ID. However, you have the option to assign different user profiles for different
branches.
7 How do I change my contact details in You may change your contact details directly in the SMART by GEP ® supplier profile.
SMART by GEP®?

8 Will there be multiple approval levels or There is no approval function available for bid submission. However, you may assign
authorisations for online bid submissions? multiple user profiles within your company with access to the tender as primary
respondent, collaborator, or viewer.
9 Am I able to delete a user ID from the Yes, user IDs may be deleted from the system.
system?

10 Can I still receive RFX documents if my Yes, you will be able to receive RFX documents regardless of your profile % completeness.
profile is not complete, even though all However, you need to ensure that your supplier profile is in 'Approved' status in order to
mandatory indicators are green? (i.e. my be able to be awarded and receive PO acknowledgement.
profile completeness is at 54%).

11 How do I update my Bank details? To add or update new bank details, kindly proceed to create a Change Request and
proceed to add a new 'Remit to Location' under Location Information. For detailed
instructions, please refer to our user guide.

12 How do I assign additional roles to my A supplier contact can only be assigned a single role. Should they require further
supplier contacts, on top of their current permissions, kindly assign them the 'Supplier Administrator' role which is able to perform
role? all activities in SMART by GEP®.

13 I have updated my profile but were unable These reasons appear when you submit invalid information in your supplier profile and is
to submit for PETRONAS approval. There triggered by our Data Quality Error check. To rectify this, please refer to our updated
were a lot of reasons that appear and the Supplier user guide in the 'Data Quality Errors' section.
buttons in my profile is in "BLUE".
No. Question Answer
14 My company profile has various addresses Banking information is also part of the Location Information. However, you will be able
in the Location Information and these to differentiate between HQ, branch offices and banking information by the location types
addresses are related to banks. Is that as below:
correct, I thought location info is for our
HQ or branch offices? Headquarters - the headquarters address.

Ordering Location the address where PETRONAS will send the PO. If Headquarter is

Ordering Location.

Remit to Location the address and bank account where PETRONAS will send the
invoice payment.

15 We have a situation where a person is no If the account is no longer required/valid, you may delete the account by deleting the
longer in charge for the system, however contacts in your supplier profile. The contact user will no longer have access and will not
he is still receiving email notifications and receive future email notifications from SMART by GEP ®.
RFX from SMART by GEP®. What should
we do?

16 Should username or company name Workspace name is referring to your first name entered during the account creation.
appear in the top-left workspace display?

17 How do I know if I have submitted my If submitted correctly, you should receive a pop-up message confirming your
location information correctly? submission. If you do not see any pop-ups, kindly re-submit and wait for the message to
appear before closing the page.

18 How do I delete unnecessary addresses Click on the 'Create change request' button and remove any unnecessary Remit to
and bank details in the Location Location and submit. Kindly ensure not to delete the address or bank details if you still
Information section? have an open contract or PO tagged to it.

19 If we have changed our legal entity name You may change your company name , however, please ensure to also submit the proof
with the same ROC number, can we of company changed (SSM copy) during the submission.
update in SMART by GEP®?

20 How many contacts can we set as the Only one contact can be set as the Primary Contact.
Primary Contact?

21 Under the Task tab, there is 1 Action This may be for your supplier profile. Open the document and check if there is any
Pending, but the status is already missing information. That should be highlighted in red. You may ignore the task if no
"Approved". What does this mean? mandatory field is missing.

22 How often should we update our As long as your profile is in an Approved status and there are no changes to your
company profile in SMART by GEP ®? location address, bank details, contacts, you are not required to make any changes.

23 Is the Marketing Information section No, it is not mandatory. However, you may fill up the information requested for buyers'
mandatory to fill in? reference.

24 How to delete an account/contact if the If the account is no longer required/valid, you may delete the account by deleting the
employee is no longer with our company? contacts in your supplier profile. The contact user will no longer have access to SMART
by GEP®. If your profile is in "Approved" status, you will need to create a change request
before making any changes to profile.
25 If I have pending action tasks such as Yes, you will still able to access the RFX.
updating company detail, can I still access
the RFX?

26 How to remove the bank account listed in Kindly proceed to create a change request and delete the Remit to Location that
the Location Information section? contains the non-required bank details. To add new bank details, kindly create as a new
Remit to Location.

27 Who is the Supplier Manager (listed next to Supplier Manager refers to the internal PETRONAS team.
Region)?

28 How do I know if my Change Request is You will be notified via email if the Change Request is rejected. Alternatively, you may also
rejected? check the comments section available on the profile.

29 What is IBAN in the pop-up that appears in You will need to enter the IBAN number if your bank details requires an IBAN.
Change Request?

30 Can we customise the locations names Yes, you can change the Location Name for your ease of reference.
for our different branches?

31 If I have 2 ordering locations, should I Not necessary. Remit to Location is only required for each bank account. If you have 2
enter 2 Remit to Locations? bank accounts, then yes, you will need to have 2 Remit to Locations.
 No. Question Answer
32 Can we initiate another change request No. You will need to wait until the change request is processed.
while the previous submitted is pending
for approval?

33 Is PLMS and SMART by GEP ® linked? Will Yes. All information updated in PLMS will be reflected in SMART by GEP®.
details updated in PLMS be reflected in
SMART by GEP®?

34 If we are creating multiple IDs e.g. for the Not necessary. To view the RFX you will need to manually assign each contacts to the
Sales Manager and Legal Advisor IDs. Are RFX.
they going to receive same RFX just like
the Supplier Admin?

35 Is there a dropdown list for bank account Not at the moment. You will need to enter the information manually. However, there will
selection during payment request like be a check if the information entered is incorrect.
SUS?

36 Will there be a change of person (email It will remain the same.

address) for receiving payment advice
from GFS under SMART by GEP ® or will
this remain?

37 Will our company info from SUS be Your company info and bank details are migrated in SMART by GEP®. However, you are
transferred to SMART by GEP ® required to create a user account in SSMART by GEP®.
automatically?

f. SMART by GEP® RFX Response/Bidding & Tendering

No. Question Answer

1 Will all tenders be issued on SMART by Yes, all tenders will be initiated in SMART by GEP®, unless informed by the Sourcing focal
GEP®? (e.g. including more if there are any manual submissions.
comprehensive tenders like EPCIC)

2 How will my current contract/ tender be Only new tenders will be initiated in SMART by GEP®. All ongoing tenders and existing
affected? contracts will still be following the existing process outside SMART by GEP®. Details of the
transition plan for the existing contracts/ongoing tenders will be communicated prior to
system go-live by second half of 2020.
3 Is tender clarification done online or All tender clarifications will be done in the system via the online discussion forum in
offline? SMART by GEP®.

4 Can the ITB briefing be done online also? ITB-related details will be provided online. Any briefings that require physical attendance
or face-to-face meetings will be notified to suppliers via the system.

5 Upon go-live, are hardcopy Hardcopy documents are not required as submission is done via online, however, in the
documentations still required for tender event of submitting stamp duties for bid bonds and bank guarantees, hardcopy
submission? submissions are still required. Softcopy of the document need to be uploaded in the
system for reference.

6 Is there an expiry date for the ITB link via The ITB link will expire once the ITB closing date has passed.
email?

7 Can I forward the ITB link to a non-invited The ITB should not be forwarded to any other companies as it is highly confidential and
company to submit bid? meant for the invited bidders only. In the event that the ITB has been forwarded to other
companies, they will not be able to access it.

8 Will the particular material or service (i.e. No. You will have to access the invited RFX in order to view the material or service
SWEC) be described in the email categorisation (SWEC).
notification?

9 Can SMART by GEP ® verify if we have Yes, as long as you have completed the mandatory fields. You will have to complete all
completed the excel sheet (on pricing) or mandatory fields in order to successfully submit the price sheet.
will it be considered as complete once we
upload it back into SMART by GEP®?

10 Is there a requirement to stamp and initial Any attachments that you upload to SMART by GEP® will require stamping and initials on
on each page of the tender proposal that each page.
needs to be scanned and uploaded?
No. Question Answer
11 If I realized I made an error after If you have submitted your response, you may withdraw and resubmit your response
completing my submission, how do I provided that the response timeline is still open.
rectify my error?

12 Can I retrieve my document uploads once Yes, you are able to retrieve your documents after ITB has closed.
ITB has closed?

13 How do we make counter offers in the The buyer team will provide instructions in the ITB/guidelines on making counter or
price sheet section? alternative offers.

14 When submitting the price sheet via It will depend on the columns provided by the Sourcing focal. The instructions on placing
Microsoft Excel, can we submit two prices pricing will be in the RFX itself and the sourcing focal will inform if two prices are required.
for one item? Otherwise, you may consult the focal via the discussion forum.

15 Will we still receive RFX during the ROS Yes, ROS blackout period will only impact the licensing and registration activities.
blackout period?

16 In SMART by GEP®, what does Auction Auction is a specific module whereby suppliers can bid their prices in a LIVE process,
during the tendering process mean? Does within a short period and can be used as means of negotiation. If the tender has Auction
it mean online bidding process? in place, the sourcing focal will provide details about it in the RFX.

17 Do mini bids/work order requests under Yes, generally all tenders will be initiated in SMART by GEP®, unless informed by the
current PETRONAS Umbrella contract Sourcing focal if there are any manual submissions.
have to go through SMART by GEP® as
well?

18 For principal who is not registered with Suppliers who receive invitation to join an RFX will have to submit via SMART by GEP ®
PETRONAS, how do they participate in the regardless if they are principle(s) or not.
tender; as under current situation, they
participated by submission via email?

19 Will supplier receive ITB or only RFX in With SMART by GEP ®, all invitations to bid will be in the form of a RFX. The entire
SMART by GEP ®? Currently RFX is issued sourcing activity will be done within the same platform. The details about the bid/tender
through SUS portal and ITB is sent by OIC will be disclosed in the RFX itself.
procurement emails.

20 If we already have PA, MSA, LTSA contract, It all depends on the strategy set internally. If you receive the invitation to submit RFX,
will PETRONAS still issue ITB or RFX for the please proceed to do so.
work category?

21 Which contract or what amount is All the details relevant to Auctions will defer from tender to tender. The information of
required for auction process or bidding? the auction will be provided by the Sourcing focal.

22 For tenders that we are invited to but not It is best for suppliers to decline invitations if they are not qualified or for any reason are
qualified for, should we decline the tender unable to participate in the tender. Supplier will also need to provide reason to decline.
or just ignore the invitation?

23 Under auction bidding, what is the All the details relevant to Auctions will differ from tender to tender. The information of
percentage price reduction allowed at any the auction will be provided by the Sourcing focal.
one time?

24 How long is the submission record kept in All documents submitted and uploaded into the system will be retained for a period of
the system? Can I still access previous bid time, suppliers may access previous SMART by GEP® documents in the system.
submissions for jobs already awarded or
completed?

25 Will there be any restrictions on file Supplier is required to respond to the ITB using the RFX format provided in the system.
formats and data compression file types However, if supplier is required to submit an attachment, the maximum file size is 500MB
(i.e. .zip, .rar) with regards to data per attachment and the attachment can be in any format (e.g. doc, xls, pdf, zip, jpeg, ppt,
transmission limits? pptx, rtf, txt, csv, gif, png, msg, odm, oft etc.).

26 Will there still be pre-screening, pre- All pre-award functions including pre-screening and pre-qualification will be conducted
qualification or multiple submission in the system, based on the approved strategy. Vendor will no longer be required to
copies in SMART by GEP®? submit multiple hardcopy submissions. All submissions are to be sent via SMART by
GEP®.

27 Will there be a backup or fallback plan if I Should you encounter any issues in submission or problems in general, please contact
am unable to submit bid through the the Supplier Service Desk email or hotline where you will be advised on the next course
system? of action.

28 Will I be receiving a notification email in Notifications shall be triggered to the registered email address. In the event any
the event there is clarification via the discussions are initiated in the discussion forum. Suppliers are advised to consistently
discussion forum? access the discussion forum for any content/details.
No. Question Answer
29 Will the messages in the online discussion The messages in the discussion forum/conversation history will be available for viewing
forum be archived and stored in the purposes only once the tender is completed.
system?

30 Does the system have a timer to notify No. However, SMART by GEP ® will show the uploaded document on the screen once
how long the file upload for bid the upload process is successfully completed.
submission will take?

31 Am I still required to submit a signed For tenders that use the SMART by GEP ®, all submissions are done online via the system.
softcopy submission? For any additional information, please refer to the ITB details which will be included in
each tender in the system.
32 Will I get a success report once my SMART by GEP® will show the time stamp and updated status once the submission is
submission has gone through? successful.

33 Can PETRONAS float all the tenders in the All tenders will be on invitation basis and is subject to the categories served by the
system and allow bidders to choose what respective suppliers. Invited suppliers shall receive the invites accordingly, similar as the
tender they want to participate in? current process.

34 Will the system be able to store PDF SMART by GEP® will allow suppliers to submit their PDF documents which may contain
documents containing URL links? URL links if required.

35 Are we able to provide URL links for PETRONAS will not accept any document submission via other 3rd party online storage
PETRONAS to download the documents mediums e.g. Dropbox, Google Drive, One Drive etc.
instead?

36 If the system is down, will there be time Any extensions of time for bid submissions are subject to the discretion and
extensions given for bid submissions, and internal PETRONAS approval processes. This will be communicated to the invited
what would be the assurance given by bidders for the specified tender. Nonetheless, suppliers are encouraged to submit the
PETRONAS on the extension? proposals ahead of the deadline.

37 Where can we request for time extensions You will need to adhere to the response timeline provided by each tender/RFX. In the
for tender submissions? event you require an extension, you may post a request via the discussion forum and will
be subjected to discretion and internal PETRONAS approval processes.

38 Am I able to see who last modified the files Yes, there is an audit trail function in SMART by GEP ® which enables tracking and
or accessed the system with the login? monitoring of actions performed in the system and transactions will be time-stamped.

39 Am I able to submit my proposal in stages Yes, you can submit your proposal in stages, and are encouraged to break down your
before the response closing date? submission into multiple files as well. This is to reduce the risk of your documents not
being uploaded if it was submitted as one whole document.

40 Am I able to make amendments to my Yes, you can withdraw, amend and resubmit your proposal at any time before the
submission? response closing date.

41 Will the system be able to handle multiple Yes, the system will be able to handle multiple submissions at the same time. However,
submissions at the same time? you are encouraged to submit your documents in a timely manner and not at the last
minute before the submission deadline.

42 Does softcopy bid submission apply to Yes, softcopies of both commercial and technical submissions are required in SMART by
both technical and commercial GEP®.
submissions?

43 Will the bid winner be visible to other No, details on bids and suppliers are visible to PETRONAS Procurement personnel only.
suppliers in the system?

44 How many users can be designated as the You may appoint only 1 primary responder for each RFX. You may also appoint different
primary responder? Can there be different primary responders for each RFX.
primary responders for each RFX?

45 Can multiple users work at same tender We advise against multiple users working on the same tender at the same time as it may
page at the same time in SMART by GEP ®? affect the quality of your tender submission.

46 Are we able to search for any on-going Suppliers will only see RFQs that they have been invited to.
open tender/RFQ or will we be able to
only see RFQs related to our SWEC code?

47 Will SMART by GEP® generate notification Yes, the system will generate email notifications for RFX.
emails for RFX?

48 How do I change the price sheet which If the response timeline is still open, supplier may change all responses including the
has been uploaded & submitted into the price sheet by withdrawing and resubmitting the responses.
system?
No. Question Answer
49 Will I receive a notification if my tender Yes, you will receive a system-generated notification for your participation in the
bidding is unsuccessful? tendering process.

50 For pricing submission, is it sufficient to It is sufficient to enter price information in SMART by GEP ®, however suppliers are
enter the price information in SMART by permitted to attach official quotation for reference. Please refer to the ITB guidelines by
GEP® or do I need to attach an official buyer(s) on details of pricing submission for the particular tender.
quotation like in SUS?
51 I have an action pending under my Tasks, Regardless the status, you are required to open the document and check on any
which states the status as "Approved". requirements for re-submission of a response or task.
What should I do to clear the pending
task?

52 In the "Intend to Bid" where a "Yes" or "No" Yes, if you are not quoting or unable to quote please state "No" and it will only apply to
is entered, is this the same as "Not that specific line item.
Quoted" and "Quoted", (i.e. If we are not
quoting, then it means no, and will it only
apply to that line item)?

53 How do I forward the RFX to personnel There is no forward function in the SMART by GEP ® RFX. However, as an alternative, you
within my organisation? Do I forward this may assign the additional personnel as a collaborator in the RFX and they will receive a
within SMART by GEP® or through email? notification and will be able to access the RFX in SMART by GEP ®.

54 Does the countdown timer in the RFX The countdown in the RFX window reflects the bid closing date/countdown of the
window reflects the closing date respond timeline whereby supplier have to respond to the RFX within that duration.
mentioned in the discussion forum?
In the discussion forum, should the buyer provide a specific closing date, it is intended
for clarifications. Hence, any concern with clarification of the closing date, kindly
communicate with the respective buyer(s).

55 When will we start to receive RFX in When the supplier is invited to join a specific tender, they will be receiving the
SMART by GEP®? notification to submit their bid via SMART by GEP ®.

56 My company already have approved If the tender is using SMART by GEP ® and you are listed as one of the bidders of the
status, but we did not receive any RFX in tender, only then you will receive an invitation to bid via SMART by GEP ®. Otherwise you
the SMART by GEP® yet. Is there any will have to wait for opportunity to be part of a tender to receive the invite.
problem with my company profile?

57 Can we delete the team members or Yes, you may change your team members of the RFX.
change the user roles type?

58 If I am bidding with a new design for a You may inform Buyer via the discussion forum for any discrepancies on the price
certain treater/vessel, the quantity of my sheets.
proposal will be different from the Price
Sheet template where the quantity is fixed.
What should I do?

59 If we withdraw our submission (before If you withdraw before closing date all the information will still be there. you can amend
closing date for editing purposes), will all and resubmit
the submitted documents withdrawn and
need to be uploaded again? Or all the
documents are still there, and we can
amend the documents we want to
amend?

60 Can we rename the price sheet template Please do not change the name of the price sheet when uploading to SMART by GEP ®.
downloaded from SMART by GEP ®?

61 Can we just input the price into the price Please complete submission on SMART by GEP ® price sheet - you will only need to
sheet/excel template provided and no submit a signed version if buyer requested in the ITB.
need to submit a signed Commercial
Proposal?
62 Can we upload our own MS Excel You will not be allowed to upload your own documents. You will have to download and
template instead of entering the price at use the pre-formatted version from SMART by GEP ®. Alternatively, you are advised to
SMART by GEP® user interface? enter your prices in the SMART by GEP ® user interface.

63 Are the company letterhead and signature Company letterhead is not required for SMART by GEP ®. You only need to ensure that
required in the technical proposal? all the technical questionnaires are answered.

64 Can we attach compiled Commercial & Please submit technical in the Questionnaire and Commercial in the price sheet section.
Technical Proposal in the attachment The system will not allow you to submit your bids if you fail to do so.
section?
No. Question Answer
65 If we have more than 1 account users, will The RFX will go to the Primary Responder. You can add more team members to be
the RFX invitation be sent to all users or "collaborators" to help the primary responder to respond in that specific RFX.
just to a specific user as per in SUS?

66 Is it possible to submit my bid if the Yes, as there is a possibility where it won't be 100%. This depends on how many sections
response completion progress is not the buyer has set as mandatory. Mandatory fields must be filled in order to proceed.
100% complete?

67 Can we download the required NDA for The NDA in auction is only available online for now.
internal review?

68 As we have to re-submit our prices via Clarification F2F may still apply depending on tenders. As of now, the discussion forum
SMART by GEP ®, does this mean there is will be the primary mode for clarifications.
no F2F negotiation meetings anymore?

69 Can we decline the RFX if we have Yes, you may decline the RFX even after accepting the guidelines.
accepted the guidelines?

70 How do we know if auction is required? You may check in the ITB documents or the discussion forum in SMART by GEP®.

71 If we do not get any responses in the Please log a ticket with PCC and provide your RFX number for them to check with the
discussion forum after a significant period buyer.
of time, what should we do?

72 Do we still need to submit unpriced Please review the ITB and instructions from the buyer if you are required to do so.
proposals?

73 In the auction tab, stated rank is based on The rank will change based on the live auction bids by the suppliers. The rank will be
current proposal submission and subject subjected to whom is the lowest at that point of time.
to change based on new commercial
proposal submissions. Is this correct?

74 If there are any RFX cancellations or Yes, in the event of any RFX republishing, you will be notified via email.
withdrawals or changes in quantity/
description, will we receive an email
notification from your side?

75 In the attachments section, there are 3 Yes, you may but please make sure your price sheet section is COMPLETED with price,
parts: commercial, technical & others. otherwise the system will not allow you to proceed.
Can we submit our own PDF commercial
format there?

76 During the tendering process, will the Any communication will be done by the buyer to all suppliers.
tender bulletin be shared to the bidders?

77 Can we counteroffer with an equivalent Yes, you may.

product?

78 The tender I've been invited does not have Please inform buyer in the RFX discussion forum.
a Price Sheet section. Where should I
upload my price sheet?

79 If we decline an RFX, will we still be eligible Please provide a reason for declining. You will still be eligible to receive an RFX in the
to receive the same RFX in the future? future.

80 If the extension closing date is approved, Yes, if the bid is extended, the response closing time will be updated as well.
the response timer be updated?

81 Can "Collaborators" submit the RFX? Only the Primary Responder is able to submit the RFX. Collaborators can only fill up the
RFX but cannot submit.
g. SMART by GEP® Tender Clarification via Discussion Forum

No. Question Answer

1 Is the online discussion forum meant to Face-to-face meetings for clarifications will still be conducted, if required.
replace face-to-face meetings?
2 Is tender clarification captured on the Yes, all discussions captured on the online discussion forum is binding to the contract.
online discussion forum binding?

3 What happens if the Buyer or Tender In the event you do not receive a response on the clarification, you may repost the
Secretary/Committee did not respond to clarification in the discussion forum.
my clarification? Do the bidders need to
repost the same clarification?

4 Which roles have access to the discussion As of time of writing, only primary responders and collaborators may access the
forum (collaborator, viewer etc.)? discussion forum.

5 How will you ensure the integrity of the PETRONAS adheres to strict procurement policy controls, governance and control. Only
commercial clarification conducted via specific clarifications are permitted on the new system, and all PETRONAS resources are
the system? bound to the Code of Business Ethics that requires them to perform at the highest level
of integrity.

6 In the discussion forum, will other bidders The online discussion forum shall serve similar functions as the existing tender
be able to view all questions and clarification format and process. Bidders are not able to view other bidders queries and
responses raised? responses.

7 Will my queries be entertained The online discussion forum function is available 24 hours, however, the person assigned
immediately through the online to reply your queries will be attending them within the normal business hours (9am -
discussion forum? 5pm).

8 Will we be informed by email of the You will have to check the deadline for clarification in SMART by GEP ®.
deadline for clarification after bid closing?

9 Are we able to know via email if there is Yes, you will receive an email notification, however we advise you to check the discussion
notification reply from the discussion forum in SMART by GEP® from time to time as well.
forum?

h. SMART by GEP® Contract Management

No. Question Answer

1 What is Contract Management in SMART Contract Management is made available to all supplier where supplier can access and
by GEP®? view the awarded Contract established with PETRONAS.

2 Since we acknowledge acceptance of Stamping of LOA/Contract is still required unless being advise by Buyer/Sourcing
LOA online in SMART by GEP®, do we personnel.
need stamping in the LOA/Contract?

3 For T&C deviations, what we are For any deviations, you can liaise with the buyer in the discussion forum, as they will
proposing is not accepted and we have provide section for you to submit deviation.
submitted the bid - can we decline? If we
were to get the award, will we be able to
negotiate the T&Cs?
4 Can we download the contract terms? Yes, you can.

5 Will any or all existing contracts be Existing and active Contracts will be migrated to SMART by GEP®.
migrated to the SMART by GEP® Contract
Module?

6 Will this new SMART by GEP ® applicable Yes.

for all type of contract e.g. HUC, EPCC,
EPCIC, etc.?

7 For the LOA, does it will be in digital or in Most of the LOA will be in softcopy PDF format.
hardcopy as previous practice?

8 Is there any limitation for Contract Admin Only one Supplier name can be tag as the primary contact for each SMART by GEP ®
to be assigned under 1 company/supplier? Contract.
 No. Question Answer
9 Can the contract terms redlining be done Yes, you may download the contract terms and reupload the document prior to the
offline by our legal team located in response time end.
different country office i.e. we download
the contract terms document, emailed for
legal review and then that "redlined"
document is uploaded by the local tender
team with GEP access?

10 If we want to submit any drawing or any You may discuss with the Buyer/Sourcing personnel using the Discussion Forum
for our achieved LOA, when can we
submit it?

11 For awarded contracts, usually LHDN only Hardcopy contract for stamping is still applicable unless advised by Buyer/Sourcing
accepts wet signature, if everything is personnel.
online and digital, how do we proceed
with wet signature?

12 Do we need to submit hardcopy of the Insurance softcopy to be submitted in SMART by GEP ® contract is sufficient.
insurance?

i. SMART by GEP® Purchase Orders, Goods Acceptance & Service Confirmations

No. Question Answer

1 Will the Purchase Orders be uploaded via Purchase Orders will be created in SMART by GEP ® system. You will be able to view and
SMART by GEP® as well? acknowledge the PO in SMART by GEP ® system.

2 How do I acknowledge PO, submit Service PO, Service Confirmation and Invoice to be acknowledge and raised in SMART by GEP ®
Confirmation & raise an invoice? system. Further information on the system process will be communicated in due time.

3 Will my past POs and RFQ be migrated to Only open POs will be migrated to SMART by GEP ® for processing.
SMART by GEP®?

4 How do we refer to past PO which is not All previous Purchase Orders which were not migrated to SMART by GEP®, will be
stored in SMART by GEP®? available in the Supplier SUS Portal.

5 Does acknowledging PO means that I Yes, acknowledgment of PO reflects the actual value to be honored. Any changes to the
accept the actual value, and can this value PO is subject to agreement of both parties.
still be amended based on actual invoice
value later?

6 Can I reject the order due to wrong PO In the event of incorrect PO price being issued, supplier is required to contact the PO
price? owner for amendments.

7 Currently in SUS, for service job Yes, supplier is required to communicate with PO owner and revise the PO before
completed, the PO will need to be revised service confirmation is submitted.
to the actual value worked. Will it be same
for SMART by GEP ®, to revise the PO prior
to service confirmation?

8 Can we send an email to the respective Yes, supplier may communicate with the PO owner for any discrepancy regarding the
parties in view of any discrepancy in the PO.
PO, prior to acknowledging the PO in the
system?

9 Can I download the Purchase Orders? Yes, you may download them in the Purchase Order tab.

10 How will I receive GRN? The receive status of material will be available in SMART by GEP ® PO.

11 Will the PO notifications be sent to all All emails maintained under the Supplier contact would receive the email notification
team members registered in the SMART and be able to view the PO.
by GEP® or only admin emails?

12 What exactly are the mandatory steps Upon receiving the order, supplier is required to acknowledge the PO, fulfill the order
after PO issuance to be able to submit an and upon acceptance by users, you may proceed with submission of invoice via
invoice? Payment Request

13 Is it the submission of JCT is same with Yes, it is still required to attached JCT during the submission of Service Confirmation
DO previously submitted in SUS portal? and submit DO during delivery of items as part of documentations required for
acceptance processes
No. Question Answer
14 For SC confirmation, will there be auto- Once a service confirmation has been approved or rejected, an email will be sent to the
generated emails similar to the SUS portal supplier.
previously?
15 Can we withdraw or edit submitted Yes. Supplier will have the option to withdraw the Service Confirmation. Click on the
Service Confirmations (SC)? "Kebab" icon and select "Withdraw".

16 Will PETRONAS still issue manual POs to All vendors are required to onboard & create SMART by GEP ® account in order to enjoy
vendor? this feature - i.e. PO accessible in SMART by GEP ® platform.

17 If PO is denoted in other currencies, will No. The exchange is not shown in SMART by GEP ® for PO. Supplier need to enter the
the exchange rate be shown on SMART by exchange rate during Payment request/Invoice.
GEP®?
18 What is the different between invoice Invoice Number has to be a unique number generated from the supplier. Supplier
name and invoice number? reuse the Invoice Number. Invoice Name is keyed in by Supplier to ease the
identification of the Invoice.
19 If the PO has a combination of services & For PO with Mix Material and Service, Supplier would need to create separate Invoice
material, how to create the invoice? from a Service Confirmation (for Service line) or Invoice from a Receipt (for Material
line).
20 Can we select who can view PO for No. All emails maintained under the Supplier contact would be able to view the PO.
particular contract?
21 When will existing, active Contracts and Contracts and POs are migrated to SMART by GEP ® prior to Go-Live. Please refer to the
POs be migrated to SMART by GEP ®? OPU Go-Live dates in our Go-Live announcement.

22 Will the existing contracts in SUS be Existing contract will be migrated to SMART by GEP ® and make visible to you based on
transferred to SMART by GEP®? the OPU onboard to SMART by GEP ® which will be by releases e.g. Sept and Nov.

23 What should we do if our invoice amount Prior to invoice submission, the supplier needs to ensure that the increase has been
is much higher than the actual Purchase approved in the service confirmation or accepted (material). Once acceptance is
Order? conducted, you may proceed accordingly.

24 Can I request amend PO after I You will need to communicate with the focal should there are any changes required.
acknowledged/accepted the PO? after acknowledgement has been conducted.

25 If my SES was submitted wrong, can I If you have submitted the service confirmation for approval, there is an option to
reject my own SES? withdraw it if you wish to amend the service confirmation.

26 What is service confirmation name and The service confirmation number field is a system generated running number. Service
number? confirmation name is a field where you can utilize to help identify or search for your
service confirmation. The system will auto populate the information.

27 Do I need to delete the 2nd line if I do not In the event you have multiple lines in the SC and you only want to claim for certain line
need to issue SC? item, you will need to delete the rest of the line as you will not be able to proceed.

28 How long does PETRONAS will take to It depends on the complexity of the Service and the completion of the Service
accept the Service Confirmation that Confirmation submission.
created by vendor?

29 Do we need to attach approved COA No. For Payment Request, it is mandatory for Supplier to upload the scanned copy of
when submit e-Invoice? the Original Invoice. Any form of evidence for Job Completion is required to be
attached during creation of Service Confirmation in SMART by GEP ®.

30 Can I send 2nd SC although the 1st SC Yes.

have yet to be accepted in SMART by
GEP® (under the same PO)?

31 For PO that already claimed partial, the The Open Balance will be migrated to SMART by GEP ® PO.
balance of PO will be migrated in Smart or
maintain in SUS?

32 PO's number will change once migrated The PO number will change to a new format in SMART by GEP ®, but you can still search
into SMART by GEP® or maintain as per old using the old number as well in SMART by GEP ®.
number?

33 Supplier need to state a new PO number For PO migrated to the new system, there will be a new PO number generated.
in the documentations or old number still However, the OLD PO number will be inserted in the PO Name, thus it can still be
can be used? Will migrated POs numbers searched.
change or be maintained as per in SUS?

34 During PO acknowledgement, is there any The reference no. is not required, however for documentation purposes, supplier can
column or field for us to key in our post the reference number in the comment section.
reference number before we
acknowledge the PO?
 No. Question Answer
35 Do we have to prepare the hardcopy D/O Yes. This is as per current process.
( delivery order) upon delivery ?

j. SMART by GEP® Invoice Management/Payment Request

No. Question Answer

1 Will the invoicing process change? After SMART by GEP® implementation, the invoicing process will be done in the system.
Further information on the invoicing process in the system will be communicated in due
time.

2 How long does it take for payment Payment request processing is subject to the agreed contract terms & conditions.
requests to be approved and when can we
expect the payment to be made?

3 What is the difference between "invoice Invoice submission for "service confirmation" is for service line items where an approved
submission for service confirmation" and service confirmation is required before payment request.
"invoice submission for receipt"?
Invoice submission "for receipt" is for material line items where the acceptance of the
material has been updated in the system.

4 For tax, if term is DAP, what should we Under payment request, only sales and service tax are required to be defined by suppliers.
enter? Or do we skip if it is not applicable?

5 The exchange rate should be inserted The exchange rate enter in the system should be as per the one stipulated in the physical
based on invoice date rate? tax invoice. The determination of the exchange rate should be in accordance with
Customs requirements (e.g. selling rate of BNM, any commercial banks registered in
Malaysia, news agencies like Bloomberg, Reuters and foreign central banks).

6 How do I submit an invoice in other The invoice currency must match the Purchase Order currency.
currencies?

7 If there is no tax on submitted invoice, Supplier is required to fill up the tax code. Should the supplier deem that there is no tax
should we just leave it as 0? applicable for the service or material, supplier shall declare by selecting the appropriate
tax code.
8 Is the date of invoice the start of payment The payment term starts on the date the Invoice is successfully received by PETRONAS.
term of PETRONAS to Supplier or still
follow the original terms?

9 After submitting e-Invoice, do we still If you are submitting via SMART by GEP ® payment request (attached with your official tax
need to submit hardcopy to PETRONAS invoice), then there is no requirement to submit a hardcopy to Dayabumi.
Dayabumi?

10 What do I need to key in for the invoice There is no specific format for Invoice name. The name is to ease the
name? Is there any specific format searching/identifying the invoices.
required?

11 Can I create one invoice from both Payment request are to be submitted based on the service confirmation (service) OR
material & service confirmation? based on the accepted quantity.

12 How do we know the invoice is accepted? The Status will change to SENT FOR PROCESSING - ACCEPTED BY ERP, which means
that the invoice has been successfully sent.

13 For invoices, do we still submit the For Payment Request, it is mandatory for Supplier to upload the scanned copy of the
relevant document like DO or Signed Original Invoice. Any form of evidence for Job Completion is required to be attached
JCT? during creation of Service Confirmation in SMART by GEP® or to be provide together
during material delivery (e.g. delivery order).

14 If we delivered the item partially, can we Yes. Submission of payment request is based on the approved service confirmation and
submit the partial invoice? accepted quantity (Material).

15 If invoice was submitted wrongly, can we No. Supplier would not be able to withdraw the Invoice once submitted.
delete or withdraw it?

16 Can we submit 2 invoices for 1 PO? Yes. This depends on how the acceptance process for the PO is conducted (e.g. Multiple
Service Confirmation)

17 If there are any rejected invoices, will There is a notification email from SMART by GEP ® in the event there is any rejection of
PETRONAS inform via email or only invoices.
shown in SMART by GEP®?
 No. Question Answer
18 Can we use the same invoice no. for re- Yes. If the invoice is not accepted by PETRONAS, supplier can reuse the Supplier Invoice
invoice for rejected invoice? Number

19 For payment request - entry for invoice At the Basic Details section of the Invoice, the Invoice Amount should be inclusive of Tax
value, is this value as per final invoice value Amount.
or invoice value prior tax?

20 If our price is inclusive of tax, do we still The price at line level should not be inclusive of Tax. The tax has to be input in the Tax
need to fill in the Tax column? section.

21 Is it OK for us to change the bank Selection of "Remit to Location" is based on the banking details saved in Supplier profile.
information described in Invoice from the Supplier would not be given the dropdown option if there are no alternative Remit to
registered bank in our profile? location saved in Supplier Profile.

22 Is SUS still available since we are still using Yes, SUS is still available to manage non-migrated PO and OPUs that have yet to onboard
it to submit invoices for ongoing projects? to SMART by GEP®.

k. SMART by GEP® System Support

No. Question Answer

1 Will there be a dedicated technical team Yes, there is a dedicated PETRONAS support team to assists with any queries.
to support SMART by GEP®?

2 What is the contact channel if there are You may send in an email query to [email protected] or you may
any issues with the system? call our PETRONAS Contact Centre at 03-2331 3330.

3 I have previously liaised with PETRONAS We would suggest for you to directly contact our PETRONAS Contact Centre (PCC) for
buyer; can I still get the support from him? any queries related to SMART by GEP®. However, you may also seek support from our
buyer team directly.
4 Can I still contact VRM/ LRS for support? You may contact LRS with regards to Licensing & Registration related queries via phone
03-2331 3330 or email to [email protected].
5 Where is the call centre for system The call centre is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (GMT +8).
support based in?

l. SMART by GEP® Training

No. Question Answer

1 Can you train my team to use SMART by Yes, we will engage and conduct relevant training for your team, if deemed necessary.
GEP®? Alternatively, please visit PETRONAS Vendor Announcement Portal for more detail.

2 Can we have virtual classes instead of Yes, there will be webinar sessions scheduled for training purposes.
physical classes for training?

3 Do we get a user guide on how to access Yes, there will be Vendor Onboarding sessions scheduled closer to the full deployment.
and use SMART by GEP ®? These sessions will include relevant materials on how to access and onboard yourselves
to SMART by GEP®. Further information will be communicated in due time.

m. SMART by GEP® System Security

No. Question Answer

1 Will SMART by GEP® be accessible in ISP- SMART by GEP® is a SaaS solution and is accessible over the internet. Smart by GEP® will
restricted countries such as China and be accessible from China and Saudi Arabia. The application will authenticate with
Saudi Arabia? PETRONAS federation services and PETRONAS will have the ability to restrict access to
the SMART by GEP® application from known PETRONAS IP addresses. (Whitelisting can
be done on PETRONAS federation services).

2 As the system is cloud-based, will the GEP implements the required safeguarding such as DDOS, intrusion prevention system,
system be vulnerable to cybersecurity log monitoring, source code assessment, and dynamic assessment to ensure the
threats? solution is always guarded against cybersecurity threats.

3 Is the system SOX compliant? GEP works with SOC2 type controls and framework. GEP is audited on an annual basis
by an independent third party as part of the annual SOC 2 Type 2 controls. The audit
covers SMART by GEP® application, infrastructure on which the application is
developed, and the procedures and polices used to build the application.
 4 Is there multilayer security to input SMART by GEP® supports integration with customers to identify and access
passwords (i.e. TAC approval)? management solution for authentication using SAML 2.0 and federated identity-based
authentication methods. SMART by GEP ® is known to work well with the Microsoft
- entication.
The solution supports email-based two-factor authentications for non-PETRONAS
domain users.

5 What cloud server is the system using? SMART by GEP® is hosted on Microsoft Azure Cloud datacentres. SMART by GEP® is
delivered to customers as a SaaS offering, where it hosts the application in multi-tenant
mode. Customers data is logically separated and not accessible to one another.

n. Process Registration & Licensing

No. Question Answer

1 I would like to do business with For more information on how to register as a PETRONAS vendor, please refer to Our
PETRONAS. How do I register? Licensing & Registration.

2 Would I still need to use ROS & SUS? Currently, ROS and SUS will still be applicable for tenders not initiated in SMART by GEP®,
as well as tender involving subsidiaries not manage by Group Procurement e.g. KLCC
Urusharta, Dewan Filharmonik, PETRONAS Gallery etc.

3 What happens to my license validity if it is The implementation of SMART by GEP® will not impact license validity. Should
expiring soon? it need to be renewed, do follow the existing Licensing & Registration process.

4 Is the licensing office still open? Yes, the licensing office on Level 9, Tower 1 will remain open to tend to License and
Registration matters.

o. Miscellaneous General Questions

No. Question Answer

1 Where can I get more information on For more information, you may refer to the PETRONAS Vendor Announcement Portal.
SMART by GEP®?

2 Are there upcoming activities to support Stay tuned for our communications regarding upcoming activities and updates on
the implementation of SMART by GEP®? SMART by GEP®. If you require more information, you may refer to the PETRONAS
Vendor Announcement Portal.

3 I have a question that is not in this FAQ. Email your queries to [email protected] to have them addressed
accordingly.