When you select the 'New Evaluation Project' menu option, a dialog window opens which guides you through the process of creating an Evaluation Project.

As the first step, you need to open a Private RFP, which forms the basis for the Evaluation Project. The next step requires you to open an RFP Response, which of course must reference the Private RFP. An error message appears if you open an RFP Response that is not related with the previously opened Private RFP. To add the RFP Response to the list of RFP Responses included in the Evaluation Project, you need to assign a unique name to the RFP Response. For example, you would type in 'Sun' to represent an RFP Response from Sun Microsystems.  

You can open additional RFP Responses, which will be added to the list of RFP Responses. Just select a new file and have EPEdit open the RFP Response for you.

It is generally a good idea to keep the number of RFP Responses in an Evaluation Project small. You may wish to obtain a rough impression about whether it would be worthwhile including an RFP Response in the Evaluation Project. For example, if an RFP Response only achieved a score of 200 out of 1000, you would think twice about including it and spending the time and effort to assign Evaluator's Requirement Fulfillment Grades. 

The 'Prequalification' function makes EPEdit compute a preliminary score and helps you make an informed decision. Of course, you can always include RFP Responses at a later time. Also, you can drop an RFP Response from an Evaluation Project at any time.

When you are done with adding RFP Responses, you would proceed to the final step, which requires you to provide information about the Evaluation Project as well as a directory and file name. This completes the creation of an Evaluation Project.

A new window will open in a separate tab. You can now edit the Evaluation Project, which means assigning Requirement Fulfillment Grades and adding comments.