Frequently Asked Questions
General Knowledge
If you have questions about the app and its functionality, please contact tech support at: bizint-help@oddball.io
Access to BIZINT will be made available on a deliberate basis, by Combatant Command and by unit. Your unit’s leadership will be notified when access is available.
BIZINT is a map-based application that displays the capacity of the supplies and services available in the commercial market. BIZINT uses modern mapping tools to deliver and share snapshots of capacities in intuitive, DoD-based classifications. BIZINT users (Functional Planners, Senior Contracting Officials, and Contingency Contracting Officers) can add and update vendor information to ensure business intelligence is accurate and up-to-date.
BIZINT will be available soon for iOS and Android devices. It can be accessed now, with a registered account, from a web browser: View Online. BIZINT currently works best with a Chrome browser.
The current code base that BIZINT is built with does not allow users to copy and paste text from the mobile or web application
Logging In
If you need your account information changed you can email us at: bizint-help@oddball.io.
Finding Commodities/Services
The landing screen of the BIZINT map shows the commodities and services available in the visible area.
Blue clusters on the map represent multiple supply vendors. Clicking a cluster will reveal pins that represent individual vendors. Clicking on the pins will reveal a quick view card with the vendor’s name and some relevant information. Clicking on the quick view card will direct you to the vendor detail view.
Typing in the search bar will provide a list of locations in the drop down based on a predictive, type-ahead feature.
While in the map view, clicking “list” will display a quick view list of all vendors in the visible area. Clicking on the quick view card will direct you to the vendor detail view.
While in the map view, a list of filter classes (below the search bar) will filter the results displayed according to the filter selected. Clicking the same filter will deselect that choice and reset the map to all results. Multiple filter classes can be selected at once.
The tune icon reveals a list of individual commodities grouped by filter class. Checking each commodity and selecting the apply button will filter the map according to the commodities selected. All commodities in a filter class can be selected by checking that group’s heading.
The commodities and services tray, found at the bottom of the screen, lists what is available in the visible area with their known capacity. When changing the visible area or filtering, the commodities and services tray will reflect the change. When selecting “Download Research” a CSV document with all commodities and/or services in the visible area will be downloaded to your desktop device, or can be shared in a variety of ways from a mobile device.
Universal Search
Universal Search is a beta feature. The current functionality does not represent this feature’s end state, and may produce bugs or unreliable results. When fully functional, Universal Search will allow users to enter multiple search terms such as: location, commodity, service, and/or vendor name in one field. Known vendors will be returned in a map view in your current or searched location, a vendor list view, and an availability tab that will show the commodities/services available from the vendors in the visible map area, approximately how much/many of that item is available, and who provides it. This availability tab will also show what is not found in the visible map area.
Vendors
Vendor profiles can be accessed from the map, list and “Vendor” menu item. New vendors can be added to BIZINT from the “Add a Vendor” menu item.
Using the “Vendor” menu item, the search field will return type ahead results based on spelling. This is a search by name only feature. Clicking on a vendor’s name will direct you to the vendor detail view.
The bell icon indicates that the vendor associated with it was entered without any known commodities or services.
When you are viewing a vendor detail view, look to the top left of your screen to find a pencil icon in the top right corner below the purple bar. Clicking on this pencil will allow you to edit the vendor’s details.
- Name: Name of the business or reseller (required)
- Website: Requires http://
- Contact: info: Name of an individual associated with the business
- Phone: Can be multiple contact numbers, requires country code to dial out
- Email: Email address associated with the business
- Languages spoken: Multi-select, autocomplete chips to identify languages spoken at the location
- Add a Commodity/Service: (see How do I add a commodity/service?)
- Location: Latitude, longitude and address field. Filling in the address will predict locations based on typed terms. Once the address is set, lat / long auto populates. Latitude and longitude must be manually entered.
- Delivery radius: Numeric range slider. Does not represent delivery availability in the map.
- Additional description: Text area for any additional information (“entrance is on the second floor”)
- Payment type: Multi-select, autocomplete chips to identify accepted currencies and forms of payment.
- Other payment types: Open text area to enter payment information not available in the aforementioned field.
- Sam registry: Yes/no radio to indicate if known vendor in SAM.gov
- Contract info: Yes/no if known vendor has been previously contracted with
- Hours of operation: Requires military time. Will only appear if checked.
Vendors can be listed in BIZINT without an associated commodity or service. If known, one can be added using the “+ Add a Commodity/Service” button. These items can be added to a vendor profile without a known capacity or amount available.
Step 1: Use the “Add a Commodity/Service” button.
Step 2: Use the filter classes or search field to find the specific commodity or service you need. The search field utilizes type-ahead to narrow down search results.
Step 3: Select the commodity or service you want to add.
Step 4: If the item you chose has a specific sub item that further defines what you are trying to capture, please select the appropriate choice from the drop down.
Step 5: If the capacity is known: Indicate how many/much of this item is available, and if known, the lead time for the vendor to deliver it.
Step 6: Many items ask for specific information to compliment the commodity/service chosen. Notes also allow for any additional information not available in the provided fields such as serial numbers.
Step 7 (optional, iOS and Android only): Use the photo button to upload or take a photo of the commodity. Each photo can have notes associated with the image for context.
Step 8: Choose “Add” to add this commodity/service to the vendor’s profile.
Note: Changes are not auto saved. When exiting a vendor’s profile without saving, the information added will not persist.
Click on any commodity/service to view the answers provided when a user first added the item. This information can be edited by clicking the edit button. See "How do I add a commodity/service?" for answers to what options you can edit for a commodity/service.
To edit an item directly or update the verification date automatically, click on the three dots quick menu located across from the name of the commodity/service.
Offline Access
BIZINT allows for access to business intelligence while in low and no bandwidth regions. This feature is mobile only and requires the user to first define a region while in network coverage, then save that region for viewing later. Currently Offline access is view-only. Adding and editing while in offline mode will be available in the coming months.
Step 1: While in network coverage: Define a region to download. Due to download size, zoom is limited.
Step 2: Hit "Apply". A confirmation dialog will allow you to download the market intelligence in the visible area. This data is now available in offline mode, but can be redefined, or deleted.
Step 3: While offline, select “Offline Access” from the menu and “View Downloaded Data” to see the visible area previously downloaded. All previously outlined actions to view vendor data are available in this view. Edit modes are currently unavailable.
Share Feedback
Email us directly at: bizint-help@oddball.io with any feedback that you would like to share.
Security Concerns
To report security issues, use the “Share Feedback” link in the application’s navigation menu. Additionally, these issues can be emailed directly to bizint-help@oddball.io.