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Home Page > CBDNet > Search Tips
CBDNet: Search Tips
Sample Searches and Search Techniques for the CBD:
Content and file format: The Commerce Business Daily (CBD) lists notices of proposed government procurement actions, contract awards, sales of government property, and other procurement information. Each notice appears in the print CBD only once. Notices were "active" in the CBD database online via GPO Access for 15 days and then moved to an "archived" database. Each notice is available as an ASCII text file and HTML file.
Identification Code: Each CBD notice in the database will display in the results list with the identification code followed by the subject of the notice. The identification code for the Commerce Business Daily database is "CBD". For example: CBD: 51--SCREW THREADING SET.
Maximum Responses: The default setting for SWAIS and the WinWAIS/MacWAIS client software is to return a maximum of 40 responses to a query. The default for the Web interface is to return a maximim of 40 documents to a CBD query. To locate a larger number of documents, (maximum 200) you will need to change the setting. In SWAIS type a lower case o at the Source Selection menu to change your options. In WinWAIS, select Edit and then Preferences from the pull-down menu. In MacWAIS, select File and then Preferences from the pull-down menu. On the GPO Access Web Searching Pages a box is provided in which you may change the number of documents returned.
Fields: Fields in the Commerce Business Daily online via GPO Access are:
classcod Classification Code offadd Office Address subject Subject sol Solicitation Number due Response Date poc Point of Contact cnt Award Number amt Award Amount line Line Number dtd Award Date awardee Awardee desc Description linkurl Link URL linkdesc Link Description emailadd EMAIL Address emaildesc EMAIL Description part Part subpart Subpart cite Submission No. posted Posted Date
When searching via SWAIS (dial-in or telnet session) or a WAIS client, a field can be searched by typing the field name, followed by an equals sign (=), followed by the term or terms that are sought. Similarly, when searching via the World Wide Web, you may type in the field name, followed by an equals sign (=), followed by the search term(s) sought. All queries that do not specify a field search the entire database.
Sample Searches
If you perform these sample searches you must use the "archive of expired notices". This is due to the fact that new notices in the CBD database are no longer published in the CBD. These samples are meant to serve as examples for creating your own searches in both the "active notices" and "archive of expired notices" database.
1. Subject
This search demonstrates how to search the CBD by subject matter. Because you would like the words "preventive maintenance" next to each other, you surround the phrase by quotation marks. No fields were designated in this search, therefore it is a full text search and searches every field for the phrase "preventive maintenance". To search specifically the subject field simply type in: subject= "preventive maintenance"
| Query: |
"preventive maintenance" |
| Results: |
CBD [Posted March 28, 2001]: J-- MAINTENANCE , REPAIR & REBUILDING OF EQUIPMENT |
2 . Solicitation number
When searching for a specific solicitation number in the CBD, enclose the entire number in quotation marks. Remember to include all dashes and do NOT add any spaces.
| Query: |
sol="N0010498T1276" |
| Results: |
CBD [Posted December 20, 1997]: 58--COMMUNICATION SUBSY |
3. Award Number
This search demonstrates how to restrict your query to a specific award number. Remember to enclose the award number in quotation marks, do NOT add spaces and remember to include hyphens.
| Query: |
cnt="C109-S" |
| Results: |
CBD [Posted November 26, 1997]: T--BOOKS |
4. Restricting by date
This demonstrates how to restrict your search by date. In this case you are searching for all notices with a response date of 12/30/97. You can also use greater or less signs (< or >) , as well as search for date ranges using the word "TO"(uppercase). Examples: due>12/30/97 or due=12/1/97 TO 12/30/97 The same technique can be used for the field award date. Example: dtd=12/02/96
| Query: |
due=12/30/97 |
| Results: |
CBD [Posted December 1, 1997]: G--VOCATIONAL COUNSELING |
5. Date Posted
Posted date is the date the notice was placed in the database, not the date the notice was printed. Notices usually appear in the printed copy 2 business days after their posted date (as long as they were submitted prior to 4 pm EST.) To search by posted date, use the fielded search page or enter the field name posted followed by the equal (=) sign: posted=2/29/97.
| Query: |
posted=12/29/97 |
| Results: |
CBD [Posted December 29, 1997]: 48--VALVE, REGULATI |
Common Abbreviations Used in the CBD
The CBD contains many abbreviations. Listed below are simple explanations of the most common abbreviations that appear in the CBD:
| A-E: |
Architect-Engineer |
| ARO: |
After Receipt of Order |
| BAA: |
Broad Agency Announcement--A notice from the government that requests scientific or research proposals from private firms concerning certain areas of interest to the government. The proposals submitted by the private firms may lead to contracts. |
| BLS: |
Bureau of Labor Statistics--An organization in the U.S. Department of Labor. |
| BOA: |
Basic Ordering Agreement--A general outline of the supplies or services to be provided by the contractor. |
| BOD: |
Bid Opening Date--The final date that a bid must be received by the appropriate government office. |
| BPA: |
Blanket Purchase Agreement--An agreement between the government and a vendor. The agreement gives the government the option to purchase goods or services from the vendor when needed on a on-call basis. |
| CAGE: |
Commercial and Government Entity Code--An identification code assigned to the awardees of DOD contracts. The codes are used by DOD for record keeping purposes. Offerors do not need a CAGE code to submit a bid for a contract. |
| CBD: |
Commerce Business Daily |
| CFR: |
Code of Federal Regulations--A collection of publications that contains regulations for all Federal Departments and Agencies. |
| CICA: |
Competition in Contracting Act--A law that requires full and open competition for Federal contracts. |
| CID: |
Commercial Item Description |
| CNT: |
Contract |
| COB: |
Close Of Business |
| COE: |
Corps of Engineers--An organization in the U.S. Department of the Army. |
| CONUS: |
Continental United States |
| DARO: |
Days After Receipt Of Order |
| DCSC: |
Defense Construction Supply Center--An organization in the U.S. Department of Defense. |
| DEL: |
Delivery |
| DESC: |
Defense Electronics Supply Center--An organization in the U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Logistics Agency. |
| DFAR: |
Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations--Procurement regulations used by organizations in the Department of Defense. Also called Defense Acquisition Regulations (DAR). |
| DGSC: |
Defense General Supply Center--An organization in the U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Logistics Agency. |
| DISC: |
Defense Industrial Supply Center--An organization in the U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Logistics Agency. |
| DOD or DoD: |
Department of Defense |
| DTD: |
Dated |
| ECP: |
Engineering Change Proposal |
| EDI: |
Electronic Data (or Document) Interchange--Electronic exchange of information, paperless office. |
| FAR: |
Federal Acquisition Regulation--Procurement regulations used by both civilian and defense organizations. |
| FAT: |
First Article Testing--When DOD buys certain goods they may perform extensive tests on the first item delivered. |
| FFP: |
Firm Fixed Price--A type of contract under which the government agrees to purchase goods or services at a set price. |
| FFRDC: |
Federally Funded Research & Development Center--A facility funded by the government that conducts research and development work. The facility is operated by a university or a related non-profit organization. |
| FIRMR: |
Federal Information Management Resources Regulation--Government-wide regulations that govern the purchase of computer goods and services. |
| FMS: |
Foreign Military Sales |
| FSC: |
Federal Supply Classification--A code number used by the government to identify various items of equipment which are purchased by the government. |
| FSN: |
Federal Stock Number--A code number used to identify documents sold by the U.S. Government Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents. |
| FSS: |
Federal Supply Service--An organization in the U.S. General Services Administration. |
| GAO: |
General Accounting Office |
| GFE: |
Government-Furnished Equipment |
| GFM: |
Government-Furnished Materials |
| GOCO: |
Government-Owned, Contractor Operated |
| GSA: |
General Services Administration |
| IAW: |
In Accordance With |
| IFB: |
Invitation for Bid--A solicitation issued by the government to prospective bidders. An IFB describes what the government requires and how the offerors will be evaluated. Award is based on the lowest bid. Negotiations are not conducted. |
| LSA: |
Labor Surplus Area--A Federal program to set-aside certain contracts to businesses located in areas with high unemployment. |
| NLT: |
No Later Than |
| NSN: |
National Stock Number--A unique number assigned by the General Services Administration which catalogs a wide range of items by commodity, group, and class. |
| NSNA: |
No Stock Number Assigned |
| o/a: |
On or About |
| OICC: |
Officer in Charge of Construction |
| OSD: |
Office of the Secretary of Defense |
| OSDBU: |
Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization |
| PIN: |
Pre-Invitation Notice--A summary of a solicitation package sent to prospective bidders, who may then request the entire solicitation package. |
| P.L.: |
Public Law |
| P/N: |
Part Number |
| PO: |
Purchase Order |
| POC: |
Point of Contact |
| R&D: |
Research and Development |
| RFP: |
Request for Proposal--A solicitation issued by the government to prospective offerors. An RFP describes what the government requires and how the offerors will be evaluated. Negotiations may be conducted with offers. Award is based on a combination of lowest price and technical merit. |
| RFQ: |
Request for Quotation--A request for market information by the government, used for planning purposes. |
| ROICC: |
Resident Officer in Charge of Construction |
| SBSA: |
Small Business Set Aside--A solicitation restricted to competition completed only among small businesses. |
| SDB: |
Small And Disadvantaged Business--A small business that is owned and operated by a socially or economically disadvantaged individual. |
| SF: |
Standard Form |
| SIC: |
Standard Industrial Classification--A code number used by the government to classify goods or services by their principal purpose. |
| SOL: |
Solicitation--A document that describes the specifications of what the government requires. A solicitation is usually an IFB or a RFP. |
| SOW: |
Statement of Work--A description of the government's requirements for purchasing a good or service. |
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