Authority Queries (Data Room guides)

Authority Queries can be used for general enquiries. They are created by Project Managers to ask questions of Suppliers and can only be responded to by Suppliers. Suppliers can attach Documents to Authority Queries (to enable this, the Project Manager must create an Authority Query Document Group and assign it to either specific Criteria, or to the Overall Criterion).

Once a Supplier has responded, the Authority Query is set to Answered and the Project Manager cannot add any further responses. Whilst in this State the Supplier can still update their answer and attach and remove Documents; to stop the Supplier from doing this the Project Manager can set the Authority Query to Complete.

Stakeholders can view the Authority Queries but cannot respond to them. Internal Data Room Users can see Authority Queries but cannot respond to them.

Creating Authority Queries

You can create an Authority Query as follows (note that they can only be created once the Project is Active):

1. From the AWARD 6 Home Page, click the appropriate Project. The Project Home Page will be displayed.
2. Click the Communication option on the toolbar. The forms of communication that are applicable/enabled in the current Project will be shown in the left-hand navigator.
3. Click the Queries option.
4. Click the Create button. The Create Authority Query page appears.
5. Click Next and select the Supplier.
6. Enter your query in the Query box.
7. Click Attach Document and select the Documents you wish to send the Supplier (if any). You can also do this after the Authority Query has been sent, up until the time that the Supplier responds to the Authority Query when it will be set to Answered.
8. Click Send.

The Authority Query will be created with a Status of New and given a consecutive Authority Query Number, which only the Project Manager will see, for example, AQ-01, AQ-02 and so on. Each Supplier has their own numbering system, for example Authority Queries created for Supplier A will have their Authority Queries automatically numbered 1, 2, 3 and so on, and Supplier B will have their Authority Queries numbered 1, 2, 3 and so on. This ensures that no Supplier will know how many Authority Queries have been raised to the other Suppliers.

Suppliers will only see their own Authority Queries, and will not be able to see the author of the Query.