Agency Key

The Manage Keys function of the Open Bids utility helps you ensure the keys used to create the solicitations are available to decrypt them once the deadline has passed. The key should be created when you first start using the Bid Express service.

You can export a key to back it up in the case something happens to your computer and import it to use with your current computer.  

Create an Agency Key

To create an agency key:

1. Log in as an agency administrator.
2. Click the Agency Admin button. 
3. Click Manage Agency Keys. This page will list all the agency keys already listed by the agency and the public portion of the agency key.
4. Towards the top right, click the link for Create AASHTOWare Project Bids Agency Key. 
5. A modal will launch, prompting you to enter your name, State and County. Click this model and click Generate.
   
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6. A click-once application will launch. Here, set a password for the Agency Key and click Generate. 
   
   • Note: If you lose this password, there is no means to replace or retrieve the Agency Key.
     
     
     
7. Once you generate, the agency key will be created and you will see a success message. You will be prompted to save the Agency Key.
   
   • Note: There is not a means to retrieve the Agency key file or replace the agency key if lost, so make sure you back up this key, or you will not be able to download any bids created using this agency key). 
8. Once you have backed up the agency key, click Finish.

Import or Export a Key

To import an agency key:

1. Click the Agency Admin button if you are not already in the agency pages.
2. Select Manage Lettings, Proposals and Bids from the Letting and Vendor Data section of the Manage Agency page.
3. Select a letting whose date has already passed.
4. Select Open Bids in the upper right corner.  The Bid Express® service goes to the Open Bids page.
5. Click Launch Open Bids. The Bid Express service opens the Bid Express Bid Opener.
6. Select Manage Keys from the Tools menu. The Bid Express service opens the Manage Agency Keys window.
7. To import a key, click Import Key.  The Import Key File window opens. Navigate to and select the key to import and click Open.
8. Click Ok in the import confirmation window. Click Ok in the Manage Agency Keys window to return to the Bid Opener window.

To export an agency key:

1. Select the key from the Manage Keys drop down list and click Export Key. 
2. Navigate to the location where you wish to save the key and click Save.
3. Click Ok in the Manage Agency Keys window to return to the Bid Opener window.

Delete a Key

You can delete keys that are no longer in use. You cannot restore a deleted key, but if you previously made a backup for the key, it can be imported.

To delete a key:

1. Click the Agency Admin button if you are not already in the agency pages.
2. Select Manage Lettings, Proposals and Bids from the Letting and Vendor Data section of the Manage Agency page.
3. Select a letting whose date has already passed.
4. Select Open Bids in the upper right corner to go to the Open Bids page.
5. Click Launch Open Bids. The Bid Express service opens the Bid Express Bid Opener.
6. Select Manage Keys from the Tools menu. The Bid Express service opens the Manage Agency Keys window.
7. Select the key you wish to delete from the Manage Keys drop down list.
8. Click Delete Key.

The Bid Express service deletes the key and stays in the Manage Keys window.

Closing the Manage Keys Window

When you are finished managing your keys, click Ok in the Manage Keys window to return to the Bid Express Bid Opener.