Quick-Start Guide for Suppliers
👋 Introduction
Dear Supplier, if you are reading this, congratulations! It means you have been selected by a Buyer to participate in their sourcing activity through DeepStream. You are given this guide to help you learn the essentials you need on account setup, managing your team, collaborating on Pre-qualification or Requests, submitting your bid for an RFx event and communicating with Buyers on the platform.
✨ Signing Up
You may have already received (or will soon receive) an email invitation from DeepStream. This contains a unique link to create your account.
Check your inbox for an email invitation from DeepStream.
Click the link inside — it will open DeepStream’s sign-up page.
Enter the same email address to which the invitation was sent. Click Continue.
Choose a secure password. Click Create account.
Once logged in, you will automatically find yourself in the company environment you’ve been added to.
If you are the first person signing up from your company:
You will automatically become a Super user — with full admin rights and the ability to manage your company’s team.
The system will ask you to provide some basic company details (such as company size and address).
You will also have the option to add a company description. While optional, we highly recommend completing it so other Buyers can learn about your business through our Network. You can update or change these details at any time in the Profile module on the top navigation bar.
If you will be working in DeepStream alone, you are all set in terms of account creation — just see below for guidance on communicating with Buyers or reaching out to DeepStream support. If you’d like to collaborate with colleagues, keep reading for how to add and manage your team.
🆘 Getting Help
At DeepStream, we are committed to supporting all our users – our team is here to help you too.
The Help Chat button is available in the bottom-right corner of every page on DeepStream. Even if you don’t yet have an account, you can access it through our Knowledge Base.
Find the blue Help Chat button in the bottom-right corner of the page.
Click the button to open the chat window.
Type your question or message into the chat.
You will first meet FIN, our AI-powered assistant, designed to quickly help with common questions. If FIN can’t resolve your issue, a member of our Customer Success team is always ready to step in and assist you. You can also skip straight to a human at any time by typing ‘talk to human’.
👥 Adding Colleagues to DeepStream
💡 Please note that only Super users can add colleagues to DeepStream.
Click the dropdown in the top-right corner of the navigation bar and click Manage team.
Click + Add user and enter your colleague’s email address.
Assign a role:
Super user – Has all permissions including user management and default access to all company requests, but only gets notified when added to Requests.
Full user – Has all permissions except user management. Access is request-specific through team permissions.
Authorised stakeholder – Limited-access profile for indirect users like legal or technical teams. Designed for occasional review or input on specific requests.
Click Add user.
If you are a Super user, and you wish to up-or downgrade another user's role, the necessary changes need to be made under the Manage team settings.
⚖️ Accepting Colleagues’ Requests to Join Your Company
If you are a Super user in DeepStream, you may occasionally receive notifications that a colleague has requested access to your company’s account. You have the ability to approve or deny these requests directly from your team management settings.
To review pending requests:
Go to the top-right corner of the platform and click the dropdown next to your initials.
In the dropdown menu, select Manage team.
In the left-hand panel, open the Requests to join section (located beneath Users).
Hover your mouse over the name of the user you wish to accept and click 'Respond'.
For each request, simply choose Accept or Reject.
If you accept a request, assign the user’s permissions.
Pre-qualification module
📋Adding Colleagues to a Pre-qualification Questionnaire
Once your team members have been invited to the system, you can also invite them to specific Pre-qualification questionnaires. 💡 Please note that only Owners of a Questionnaire can do so.
Open the received Pre-qualification questionnaire and go to its Team tab.
Click + Add user on the right-hand side.
Select the existing user from the list.
Assign them a role.
Owner – Automatically assigned to Super and Full users directly invited to a Pre-qualification by a Buyer. Has full access to all Pre-qualification question and functionalities, including team management. Can promote other Full users to also become Owners.
Super users are always Owners.
Full users may be promoted to Owners.
Authorised stakeholders cannot be granted this role.
Team member – Invited to a Pre-qualification questionnaire by an Owner. Has limited access to Pre-qualification questions and functionalities, based on permissions set by the Owner.
Super users cannot be Team Members, as they are always Owners.
Full users may be assigned as Team Members.
Authorised stakeholders can only be added as Team Members.
Set permissions.
Can read – The user has access to read the content of the questionnaire, but cannot respond to questions.
Can comment – The user can leave comments in the Comments column of the questionnaire, but cannot respond to questions.
Can respond – The user can Accept or Reject to complete the questionnaire, and also submit responses for all questions with any available action.
Click Save changes.
💬 Communicating with Buyers (Pre-qualification)
While in comparison to the Requests, the Pre-qualification module does not have a built-in Messaging tool. However, you can still ask questions from Buyers or communicate important information to them directly through the platform.
Open the received Pre-qualification questionnaire and go to its Questions tab.
Hover to the question regarding which you have something to say or ask.
Click the corresponding line in the Comments column.
Leave a comment in the 'Activity & Comments' box on the right and click the paper aeroplane send button.
Requests module
💼 Adding Colleagues to a Request
Once your team members have been invited to the system, you can also invite them to specific Requests. 💡 Please note that only Owners of a Request can do so.
Open the received Request and go to the Team tab.
Click + Add user on the right-hand side.
Select the existing colleague from the list.
Assign them a role.
Owner – Automatically assigned to Super and Full users directly invited to a Request by a Buyer. Has full access to all Request pages and functionalities, including team management. Can promote Full users to also become Owners.
Super users are always Owners.
Full users may be promoted to Owners.
Authorised stakeholders cannot be granted this role.
Team member – Invited to a Request by an Owner. Has limited access to Request pages and functionalities, based on permissions set by the Owner.
Super users cannot be Team Members, as they are always Owners.
Full users may be assigned as Team Members.
Authorised stakeholders can only be added as Team Members.
Set permissions for both Pages and Messages.
No access – The user is unable to read, respond, or edit any content associated with the specific Page. The user has no access to Messages.
Can read – The user has access to read the specific Page content and download those, but cannot respond to or edit any content on it. The user has access to read Bulletins, Clarifications and Chats.
Can comment – The user can leave comments in the Activity & Comments section after extending any document, question or line item. The user can leave a comment in the Activity & Comments section of a Clarification or Chat.
Can respond – The user can respond to document exchanges, submit responses for questions and bid on line items. The user can leave a comment in the Activity & Comments section of a Clarification or Chat.
Can edit – The user has access to not only respond to, but edit exchanges. The user has the right to open a new Clarification.
💡 Authorised stakeholders are unable to ever be given the Can edit permission.
Click Save changes.
If you are a Super user, and you wish to change the permissions of a Team member, or give a colleague Owner rights, the necessary changes need to be made under the Request's Menu’s Team section by clicking Edit next to their name. In the unlikely event that only a Team member is added to a Request, a company Super user will need to upgrade their permission, or invite an additional user, or alternatively contact our Support team for assistance.
💬 Communicating with Buyers (Requests)
To communicate with Buyers about Request-specific questions, use the built-in Messaging tool. It allows you to ask questions, leave comments, and respond to Buyer communications.
You, as a Supplier, can ask Buyers private questions via Clarifications.
Navigate to the specific Request your question is related to.
Go to the Messages menu.
Click the + New clarification button on the right side of the Clarifications section.
You can also add a comment against any question, line item, or document buyers have requested you to complete as part of the Request.
Open the specific Request in which you want to leave a comment.
Under the Menu’s My bid section find the question, document or line item you want to comment on and click anywhere on the row to open the popup window.
You will see a comment box in the bottom right hand corner that says ‘leave a comment’ - once you have entered your comment, click the paper aeroplane send button.
Buyers can also send Bulletins to all Suppliers or start a new Chat with an individual Supplier. While you cannot initiate these, with the necessary permissions you can respond to Chats.
📮 Submitting a Bid (Requests)
Now that you’ve learned how to set up your account, manage your team, and communicate with Buyers, let’s take a look at how to participate in and submit your bid for a Request on DeepStream.
1️⃣ Accessing Requests
Log in to DeepStream.
Click Requests on the top navigation bar.
Make sure you are viewing the Received requests by switching between categories on the left.
Each Request in the Received list will display a different icon next to their name to show its status:
Icon | Meaning |
🔴 Red circle with exclamation mark | No response You haven’t responded yet — action needed to start bidding. |
🟢 Green circle | Active Live Request — you’ve already started bidding and can continue while the deadline is active. |
🏆 Trophy icon | Awarded The Request has been closed and awarded. |
❌ X icon | Unsuccessful, Withdrawn or Declined to bid Your bid was unsuccessful, withdrawn, or declined. |
2️⃣ Opening a Received Request & Confirming Your Intent to Bid
Click the name of a Request in 🔴 No response status to open it.
There you will find:
Buyer details and the date received
The Menu, which includes:
My bid – Review the Buyer’s requirements and submit your responses
Messages – Read bulletins or ask questions via clarifications
Team – Add or manage colleagues collaborating on this Request
Audit – Review the full event history
Additional details on your Request and Bid status, award scenarios, and Help & Support links
Since the Team and Messages sections were already covered above, let’s now focus on the My bid menu.
On the My bid page, you’ll see the different Stages of the Request (there may be one or several). You can open Stage 1 to review requirements, but you won’t be able to respond until you confirm your intent to bid. To do so, return to the My bid page and choose one of the following options:
Start bidding – You intend to participate and will begin completing requirements.
If you Start bidding, you can withdraw your bid while the stage is still open, but depending on progress, you might not be able to reopen it later.
Decline to bid – You do not plan to participate in this Request.
If you Decline to bid, you’ll be asked to provide a reason. You can still change your mind and submit a bid later — as long as the deadline hasn’t passed.
3️⃣ Completing Requirements & Submitting Your Bid
In case you decide to start bidding, open Stage 1 under My bid. Depending on how the Request was drafted, you may see three different type of sections - Documents, Questions, and Line items - either in one or multiple pages and stages.
📄 Documents
This section is used to exchange files such as NDAs, Terms & Conditions, or specifications. Possible document types include:
• Accept document – Accept to proceed.
• Accept or deviate – Accept or propose changes.
• Upload completed document – Upload the required file.
• Upload completed document or deviate – Upload or optionally propose changes.
• Upload requested document – Upload a relevant file (no predefined template).
• For information only – Read-only. No action required.
💡 Tip: You can download all initial Buyer files at the bottom of the page using the 'Download all initial buyer files' tool.
In some cases, Buyers may enable Supplier-added documents when creating the Request. This optional section allows you to upload your own supporting materials that aren’t requested elsewhere — for example, a company presentation, product brochure, or other relevant document you’d like the Buyer to review as part of your bid. To add document(s):
Navigate to the Documents section where this option is available.
Click Edit.
Click + Add document.
Upload or drag and drop your file.
Add a description for the document.
Repeat these steps for each file you’d like to include.
When finished, click Save.
❓ Questions
Through this section, Buyers request structured information such as company details, certifications, or pricing inputs. You might see:
• Short or long text responses
• Multiple choice
• Checkboxes
• Price fields
• Address or Date inputs
💡 Tip: You can leave comments on questions, but you cannot attach files directly.
💲 Line items
This section requests specific pricing or delivery details for goods and services.
💡 Tip: To respond in bulk, use the 'Submit line items with Excel' tool to download an Excel template, complete it offline, and upload it back to DeepStream.
In some cases, the Buyer may also enable currency selection for your bid. If available, you can choose from a predefined list of currencies when completing your line items.
You can select only one currency per section.
All prices you provide within that section must be in the selected currency.
💡 Tip: Choose your currency carefully before entering prices — changing it later may require re-entering your responses.
In some cases, Buyers may enable Supplier-added line items when creating the Request. This optional section allows you to add your own additional line items that are not already represented elsewhere in the Buyer’s structure.
To add extra line item(s):
Navigate to the Line items section where this option is available.
Click Edit.
Click + Add line item.
Enter the details of your additional items following the Buyer’s predefined structure.
⚠️ The Excel upload workflow is reserved for Buyer-defined items to maintain consistency in supplier responses — any Supplier-added line items must be added manually here.
Repeat these steps for each additional item you’d like to include.
When finished, click Save.
Return to the Supplier-added line items and complete the missing fields.
To respond to any documents, questions or line items section:
Hover over a row (ideally the first one) and click to open it.
Enter the required information and click Submit.
If Auto-advance is enabled, you’ll automatically be moved to the next incomplete action.
Under the Requirements of a Stage you will see how many actions there are in total either on one or multiple pages — including how many require action, have been completed, or are marked for information only.
✅ Remember that requirements are submitted individually — there’s no final submit button. Once submitted, your responses will be visible to the Buyer immediately, but still can be edited before a deadline passes.
4️⃣ Leaving Comments
You can also add a comment against any question, line item, or document buyers have requested you to complete.
Find the section you want to comment on and click on the relevant row to open the popup window.
Use the Leave a comment box in the bottom right corner.
Once you have entered in your comment click the paper aeroplane send button.
After you have successfully left a comment, you will see a number appear in the comments column indicating how many comments have been exchanged between yourself and the buyer.
5️⃣ Tracking Your Progress & Checking for Deadlines
You can review your bid progress at any time using:
The Status indicators on the Requests list
The Audit tab for a detailed history
The Activity log within each section
To keep track of deadlines, you can view them directly under each Stage name on the My bid page, displayed in the time zone detected by your computer. Alternatively, open a specific stage to see a timeline at the top showing when the stage was entered and its submission deadline.
6️⃣ Moving to the Next Stage
If the Request has more than one stage, each time the Buyer advances you to the next stage, you need to confirm your intent to continue bidding.
Go to the My bid page.
Click Continue to Stage X (where “X” is the next stage number) to indicate that you want to proceed.
Once confirmed, you can start reviewing and completing the requirements for that stage.
💡 Important to note: You must confirm for each stage individually. Until you click Continue, you cannot respond to the requirements in that stage.
👨⚖ Bidding in an eAuction
Now that you’ve learned how to set up your account, manage your team, communicate with Buyers, and submit a bid for a Request, let’s take a look at how to participate in and submit your bid in an eAuction on DeepStream.
1️⃣ Accessing the Auction
Log in to DeepStream.
Click Requests on the top navigation bar.
Make sure you are viewing the Received requests by switching between categories on the left.
Click the name of a Request with the eAuction to open it.
There you will find:
Buyer details and the date received
The Menu, which includes:
My bid – Review the Buyer’s requirements and submit your responses
Messages – Read bulletins or ask questions via clarifications
Team – Add or manage colleagues collaborating on this Request
Audit – Review the full event history
Additional details on your Request and Bid status, Award scenarios, and Help & Support links
Since the Team and Messages sections were already covered above, let’s now focus on the My bid menu, in case of an Auction.
2️⃣ Confirming Your Intention to Bid
On the My bid page, you’ll find a standalone auction stage. You can open Stage - Auction to review requirements, but you won’t be able to respond until you confirm your intent to bid on the overall request. To do so, return to the My bid page and choose one of the following options:
Start bidding – You intend to participate and will begin completing requirements.
If you Start bidding, you can withdraw your bid while the stage is still open, but depending on progress, you might not be able to reopen it later.
Decline to bid – You do not plan to participate in this Request.
If you Decline to bid, you’ll be asked to provide a reason. You can still change your mind and submit a bid later - as long as the deadline hasn’t passed.
3️⃣ Reviewing Auction Details
If you decide to start bidding, open Stage – Auction under My Bid. Depending on how the Buyer drafted the Request, you may see one of the following auction formats
Total value auction
All line items are displayed in one grid, and you must submit a bid for all line items included in the auction. The auction result and bid feedback are based on the total combined value of all line items.Lots auction
The auction is divided into multiple lots, where each lot represents an individual line item. In this case, you can choose to bid on lots individually and compete against other Suppliers based on the total value of each individual lot.
Depending on whether the auction results and feedback are calculated based on the total value or individual lots, you must first review and agree to the Auction Overview and indicate your participation before you can place pre-bids (if enabled) or submit bids once the auction goes live.
In the next section, we will cover how to indicate your participation for the different auction types.
4️⃣ Indicating Your Participation
4/A Indicating Your Participation in Case of a Total Value Auction
Open Stage – Auction under My bid.
The Auction overview box may automatically appear on the left-hand side of the screen once you enter the Stage – Auction section. If it does not appear automatically, you can access it by clicking Overview at the bottom left corner of the auction page. Carefully review the Auction Overview, including Awarding principles, Bid rules and Timing rules.
If you wish to participate in the auction, confirm that you have read and agree to the bidder agreement, then submit your response.
Unless pre-bidding is enabled and you wish to submit pre-bids, there is nothing else you need to do until the live auction begins.
4/B Indicating Your Participation in Case of a Lots Auction
Open Stage – Auction under My bid.
Open the Auction overview to review all auction details and indicate whether you will participate.
Under the Participation section of the Auction overview, you will see all lots included in the auction. You must specify which lot(s) you wish to bid on.
To do so:
Click the Respond button located below the list of lots.
Select the lot(s) you intend to bid on.
You may update your selection of lots at any time before the auction starts.
Once your selection is complete:
Confirm your agreement by checking the acknowledgment checkbox.
Click Submit to save your response.
Alternatively, you may choose to decline participation and not bid on any lots.
5️⃣ Submitting a Pre-bid
Some Buyers allow Suppliers to submit pre-bids before the live auction begins. Below is an overview of how pre-bidding works.
5/A Submitting a Pre-bid in Case of a Total Value Auction
Open Stage – Auction under My bid.
Click inside the price field for each item you wish to include in your pre-bid.
Enter the individual rate for all items you want to bid on.
Once all values are entered, click the Submit pre-bid button.
Once a pre-bid has been submitted, you may further reduce your bid total either by a percentage or by a fixed amount, then again click Submit pre-bid to update your offer.
5/B Submitting a Pre-bid in Case of a Lots Auction
Open Stage – Auction under My bid.
To submit a pre-bid for a lot:
Click inside the price field for the lot you wish to submit a pre-bid for.
Enter the individual rate for the item.
Click Submit pre-bid.
After submitting your first pre-bid for a lot, a 'Reduce bid total by' box will become available. To submit a reduced bid:
Toggle between Percentage and Amount reduction.
Enter the value by which you want to reduce your bid.
Click Submit pre-bid again to confirm the updated bid.
You may continue updating your pre-bid until the live auction begins.
6️⃣ Bidding During a Live Auction
Once the countdown has ended and the live auction has started, you can begin submitting your bids.
6/A Bidding During a Total Value Live Auction
In a Total value auction, you must submit rates for all line items included in the auction. If any required item is left without a bid, your bid submission will be unsuccessful.
If this is your first bid:
Enter a price for each line item using the New bid field displayed on the right-hand side of each item.
Once all item prices have been entered, click the blue Submit bid button.
If you have already submitted a pre-bid, you can quickly reduce your total bid value using the Reduce total value by field. Simply:
Select whether you want to reduce your bid by a Percentage or a Fixed amount.
Enter the reduction value.
Click Submit bid again to submit your updated bid.
✏️ Important to note: After a successful submission, a confirmation message will appear in the Activity log panel at the bottom of the auction page.
If your bid cannot be submitted, an error message will explain the reason and provide guidance on how to correct it. Common reasons for bid rejection include:
The auction has minimum bid reduction rules and your new bid does not meet the required reduction.
A ceiling price has been defined and your bid does not comply with the pricing rules.
Your new bid is not lower than your previously submitted bid.
One or more required line items have not been completed.
Review the error message carefully, make the necessary adjustments, and resubmit your bid.
6/A Bidding During a Lots Auction
In a Lots Auction, you can submit bids only for the lots you have previously selected to participate in.
If this is your first bid:
Enter a price for the lot item using the New Bid field displayed on the right-hand side of the item.
Once the price has been entered, click the blue Submit Bid button.
Repeat this process for each additional lot you wish to bid on.
If you have already submitted a pre-bid, you can quickly reduce your total bid value using the Reduce total value by field. Simply:
At each lot, select whether you want to reduce your bid by a Percentage or a Fixed Amount.
Enter the reduction value.
Click Submit bid again to submit your updated bid.
Repeat this process for any other lots on which you wish to submit a revised bid.
✏️ Important to note: After a successful submission, a confirmation message will appear in the Activity log panel at the bottom of the auction page.
If your bid cannot be submitted, an error message will explain the reason and provide guidance on how to correct it. Common reasons for bid rejection include:
The auction has minimum bid reduction rules and your new bid does not meet the required reduction.
A ceiling price has been defined and your bid does not comply with the pricing rules.
Your new bid is not lower than your previously submitted bid.
One or more required line items have not been completed.
Review the error message carefully, make the necessary adjustments, and resubmit your bid.
7️⃣ Bid Feedback
At the top of the Auction panel you will see feedback about your current bid. Depending on the auction setup this can be one of the following:
Rank and Lead bid
Bidders see their own rank and the lead bid
Example: “Your rank is 2nd and the lead bid is $12,300,000”
Rank only
Bidders see their own rank
Example: “Your rank is 2nd”
Leading status
Bidders see whether they are the lead bid or not
Example: “Your bid is not the lead”
The type of feedback selected for your auction can be seen in the Overview panel.
8️⃣ Communicating with Buyers and Seeking Technical Support
To raise any questions with the Buyer running your auction, click the Chat to Buyer button located at the bottom-right corner of your screen. You can use this feature at any point before, during, or after the auction.
A direct chat window will open, allowing you to send messages to the Buyer and receive responses in the same conversation.
⚡ Top tip: Before the auction begins, it is recommended that you raise any questions or concerns with the Buyer. This gives them the opportunity to provide clarification and, if necessary, make adjustments before the auction starts. The buyer may also use the chat function to contact you at any stage of the auction process, so be sure to monitor your notifications regularly.
If you require technical assistance at any stage of the auction process, click the Technical support button located at the bottom-right corner of your screen.
From the support menu, select Send us a message to contact the DeepStream Customer Success team. A team member will review your request and provide assistance as quickly as possible.
While this guide aims to cover the essentials of getting started on DeepStream, it doesn’t include every single detail or scenario you might encounter. If you ever have a question or need further guidance, you can always browse more our Knowledge Base or reach out to us. We are here to support you every step of the way. Best of luck with your upcoming bids on DeepStream! 🍀
Got a question or need clarification? Send us a message by clicking the Help chat button in the bottom right - our AI assistant, FIN, will help you right away, and connect you to our team if needed.