Frequently asked questions and answers
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Frequently asked questions and answers |
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About Achilles and the JQS
How do we contact Achilles?
When did the Achilles JQS begin?
What are the advantages of registration to my business?
How do the subscribing companies use the database?
What happens if I get no business?
Can we have more than one registration?
My company is part of a group - does the
associated company need to register?
What do we do if our product/service
isn’t covered by one of the categories?
Why can I not amend my information by telephone or fax?
About the registration process
What process is involved in registration?
We are making our first registration as a new
supplier and have received a second reminder from Achilles asking us
to return our questionnaire by a certain date, but we are unable to
return it by that date. What do we do?
What do we need to return to Achilles?
What happens when we return the
completed questionnaire to you?
Completing the questionnaire
How do I save the information I enter?
What parts of the Questionnaire must we complete?
Is there anyway I can enter information on the
questionnaire while offline?
My company is a partnership therefore does not
have a year of registration, shall I leave it blank?
We are unable to provide accounts for our
own company, can we provide them for our group or parent company?
I am a supplier that has been in business
for less than three years. I do not have three years of financial
figures to return, but the questionnaire will not submit until I have
filled in all three years. Is there something I can do to overcome this?
In the financial figures, what is Total Assets?
In the financial figures, what is Total
Shareholder's Equity?
Can we enter our manufacturer’s QA details
in the specific product/service information?
We are in the process of accreditation
for ISO9002, how should we enter our details?
We have many offices with no record of area
measurements. What shall we enter under the location details?
Can we select more than one category to
register in the questionnaire?
What do we do if our product/service
isn’t covered by one of the categories?
What do we do if the description is too
long i.e. more than 250 characters?
What shall we enter if we use a few
manufacturers for each product category?
How important are the references?
We are unable to provide references due to the
confidential nature of our work, what shall we do?
Will I loose unsaved
entries on the questionnaire if I am timed out on the Internet using
a 56K modem?
When I access the questionnaire from my
Favourites Folder, I keep getting timed out as soon as I log on, is
there anyway I can stop this?
Note! Please use the Back button in your browser when navigating in the Help system
Q: The
submit button is not visible. How do I submit?
A: To submit your
information you need to click the Submit button. Depending on what
screen resolution you are using the lower part of the menu could be
hidden behind the task bar. You can either change resolution while
working with the questionnaire or you can hide the task bar so that
all the menu options are visible.
To hide the task bar simply take hold of the top and drag it down out of the screen. Drag it back up when you need it. To change the resolution right-click your desktop, select Properties>Settings. Set Screen Area to 1024x768.
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Q: The submit button is not
active. How can I submit my information?
A: Most likely you have
opened the questionnaire with permission to read only and none of the
information is editable. Log out and close the questionnaire window.
Use the link "Click here to Update your questionnaire" to
open the questionnaire with write permission.
Note! Said link is only available whenever you registration is due for an update, ie. if you are registering information for the first time, at the annual renewal or whenever you have ordered a partial update from Achilles.
During the qualification period you will always be able to look at your registration ("Click here to view you questionnaire"), and update you contact information like address, phone numbers etc. ("Click here to update Contact Details".
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Q: The Saving
... please wait symbol keeps
going and going, but nothing happens. What do I do?
A: Normally saving a page
only takes a few seconds. If saving takes longer than expected this
is most likely due to a restriction on you local Proxy server with
regard to how much data may be saved/transferred in a web-based form.
The solution is to use another PC without these restrictions, or to
contact your IT manager to change the restrictions.
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Q. How do we contact Achilles?
A. You may contact Achilles
by any of the following methods:
Telephone: +47 37 01 00 50
Facsimile: +47 37 01 00 57
Email: aic@achilles.com
Web Site: http://www.achilles.no
Or by post to:
Achilles Information Centre
P.O. Box 1656 Stoa,
N-4857 Arendal
NORWAY
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Q. When did the Achilles JQS begin?
A. The Achilles Joint
Qualification System ( Achilles JQS ) was launched by Oilcompanies on
the Norwegian continental shelf, as a vendor database in 1991. From
January 1995 it was converted into a qualification system and also
including Danish oilcompanies and Norwegian main contractors. The
Achilles JQS replaces the User Organizations' own supplier and
contractor registration systems and is used for all major purchases.
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Q. What are the advantages
of registration to my business?
A. Advantages of
registration for your business are numerous. Your information is
registered on a single questionnaire, vastly reducing administration
required when completing multiple form and applications for tender
with individual purchasing organizations. You can be sure that your
information is being searched in a fair and objective manner, when
the appropriate demand occurs.
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Q. How do the subscribing
companies use the database?
A. For major contracts above
the EC thresholds the Companies using the Achilles JQS are encouraged
by EC procurement legislation to use suppliers registered on the JQS.
Increasingly the Oil companies and other users are finding it more
cost effective and resource efficient to use the JQS for all their
requirements. The JQS Users use the Achilles JQS in the same way as
their former in-house registration systems so you may not necessarily
be informed if your company data has been viewed on the JQS. For
every company selected a Oilcompany or Main-contractor may have
looked at a number of organizations before selecting those whom they
wish to invite to tender.
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Q. What happens if I get no business?
A. Unfortunately being on
any database does not necessarily guarantee business generation for
your company. Membership of the Achilles Joint Qualification System
is an obvious route for your business's if you want to be considered
for the numerous contracts offered by the related Purchasing
Organizations annually.
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Q. Can we have more than one registration?
A. Yes. If you for instance
want to profile separate divisions or business sectors trading under
specific names, you may have as many registrations as you wish.
Remember to state the correct Legal Entity No.
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Q. My company is part of a
group - does the associated company need to register?
A. Yes, if the Associated
Company are going to enter into separate contracts with any of the
Buyer Organizations.
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Q. What do we do if our
product/service isn’t covered by one of the categories?
A. Select either the most
suitable category or one of the "other" categories in the
relevant section, ensuring you enter a comprehensive and concise
description of the product or service you are offering using
keywords. Please note that we are not able to make use of any more
categories other than those in the questionnaire.
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Q. Why can I not amend my
information by telephone or fax?
A. You may update basic
information of company name and contact details in writing (including
email). However, for security reasons and for the safety of your
information Achilles will not update any other supplier information
and this can only be done via the online questionnaire. This ensures
that you are in complete control of your information and minimises
the chance of errors.
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Q. What process is involved
in registration?
A. Please call or e-mail our
Service Desk team who will be happy to dispatch your registration
form immediately.
Telephone: +47 37 01 00 50
Facsimile: +47 37 01 00 57
Email: aic@achilles.com
Complete the relevant details on this form and return with payment. The registration team will dispatch your unique logon details to enable you to complete and submit an online questionnaire. On submission of this questionnaire, your information will be quality checked and stored on the (Vendor) Database for our Purchasing Organizations to access.
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Q. We are making our first
registration as a new supplier and have received a second reminder
from Achilles asking us to return our questionnaire by a certain
date, but we are unable to return it by that date. What do we do?
A. Your registration for one
year will commence on the date given in that reminder letter so we
would advise you to submit your questionnaire as soon as possible
before that date so your company information can be registered for
one full year. However, if this is not possible you may still submit
the completed questionnaire to us after this date. Please note that
this applies to new suppliers only.
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Q. What do we need to return
to Achilles?
A. You need to return the
following to Achilles in order for us to process your questionnaire.
- Completed Questionnaire with all mandatory fields completed
- Signed Declarations regarding HSE and Quality systems
- Copy of Certificate of Incorporation
- Copy of QA Certificate issued by Certifying Agent ( if relevant )
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Q. What happens when we
return the completed questionnaire to you?
A. Achilles will quality
check all the information in the questionnaire, and If there are some
amendments or extra information needed in the questionnaire then we
will contact the main contact person or the person who completed the
questionnaire for this information/clarification. Once Achilles and
the supplier have resolved any quality issues it is then entered into
the Achilles JQS database. [Back to Top]
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Q. What parts of the
Questionnaire must we complete?
A. All questions should be
answered before submitting the questionnaire to Achilles for quality
checking. Fields that are marked by a magnifying glass icon to the
left can be searched by the subscribing purchasing organizations and
may therefore be used during supplier selection.
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Q. My company is a
partnership therefore does not have a year of registration, shall I
leave it blank?
A. No. To be accepted in the
Achilles JQS you have to enter a Legal Entity no.You must also state
when the company/business was established.
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Q. We are unable to provide
accounts for our own company, can we provide them for our group or
parent company?
A. Yes we can accept Group
Accounts and it will be shown on the database that those figures are
your Group figures. You have to make additional comments if the
figures are Group figures or figures including or representing
activities outside the Legal Entity no. stated in the Questionnaire.
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Q. I am a supplier that has
been in business for less than three years. I do not have three years
of financial figures to return, but the questionnaire will not submit
until I have filled in all three years. Is there something I can do
to overcome this?
A. Although the
questionnaire can only be submitted with figures entered for three
years, it is acceptable to enter zeros for the year(s) immediately
prior to the most recently available financial year for which you
have actual figures available. Use Additional Comments if you want to
aware the subscribers of more detailed information regarding your
company’s key figures
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Q. In the financial figures,
what is Total Assets?
A. The Total Assets is
"Fixed Assets + Current Assets" as detailed in published
company accounts.
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Q. In the financial figures,
what is Total Shareholder`s Equtiy?
A. Total Shareholder`s
Equtiy is identical to the item Shareholders Fund in your company`s
audited accounts
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Q. Can we enter our
manufacturer’s QA details in the specific product/service information?
A. No, only the QA details
for your company are needed here as requested by the subscribing
purchasing organizations.
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Q. We are in the process of
accreditation for ISO9002, how should we enter our details?
A. Use the additional
comments field to say when the QA accreditation is expected. The
option Certified requires that you have a formal QA Certificate
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Q. We have many offices with
no record of area measurements. What shall we enter under the
location details?
A. As a minimum you enter
information about the office you are about to register. It can be
useful to potential buyers if you are able to give them as much
information as possible about the companies that could be involved if
you were chosen as a supplier to a contract.
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Q. Can we select more than
one category to register in the questionnaire?
A. Yes, you may enter a
maximum of forty categories onto the questionnaire If more categories
are required you have to order an extension for another 20 or 40 categories.
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Q. What do we do if the
description is too long i.e. more than 250 characters?
A. Copy the category and
split the description between the two category entries. Ensure that
both descriptions are comprehensive and self-standing. Manufacturer
Details N.B It is important that manufacturers names are available
for searching.
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Q. What shall we enter if we
use a few manufacturers for each product category?
A. You have the possibility
to enter 10 different manufacturers for each product category
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Q. How important are the references?
A. The references are very
important to the purchasing organizations in determining the
capability of a supplier for a product or service. Please note that
at least one reference should be given for each product/service
entry, as the purchasing organizations prefer to use suppliers who
have provided at least one reference.
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Q. We are unable to provide
references due to the confidential nature of our work, what shall we do?
A. Use the additional
comments field to say that your company should be contacted in the
first instance.
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Q. How do I save the
information I enter in the questionnaire?
A. The information is saved
automatically each time you leave a page. You can logg off and
proceed with the registration later.
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Q. Is there anyway I can
enter information on the questionnaire while offline?
A. No, you need to be
connected to the internet while working with the questionnaire.
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Q. Will I loose unsaved
entries on the questionnaire if I am timed out on the Internet using
a 56K modem?
A. Your data will be saved
when you next request a new page from the questionnaire. If you are
timed out the only information you may lose is on the current page.
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Q. When I access the
questionnaire from my Favourites Folder, I keep getting timed out as
soon as I log on, is there anyway I can stop this?
A. No. You must use
Achilles.com to log on. For security reasons, your session is ended
when you log out, so that you may not use the questionnaire again
without re-logging on.
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