Account Setup

This comprehensive guide walks you through setting up your Cothon account, configuring your company profile, and optimizing your settings for the best AI-powered matching experience.

Overview

Your account setup directly impacts the quality of AI matching and recommendations throughout Cothon. Taking time to complete your profile thoroughly will dramatically improve:

• Requirement matching accuracy - Better capability alignment means faster bid/no-bid decisions
• Opportunity relevance - See tenders that truly fit your business instead of thousands of irrelevant ones
• Proposal quality - Generated proposals use your specific capabilities and past performance
• Team collaboration - Clear roles and permissions streamline workflows
• Intelligence insights - More accurate competitive analysis and market intelligence

Creating Your Account

Sign Up Process

Account Type Comparison

Setting Up Your Company Profile

Your company profile is the foundation of Cothon's AI matching engine. The more detail you provide, the more accurate your requirement matches and proposal generation will be.

Accessing Company Profile

Navigate to Settings > Company Profile from the main navigation. You can also press Cmd/Ctrl + , to open settings, then select Company Profile from the left panel.

Basic Information

Company Legal Name

Enter your exact legal business name as it appears on government contracts and registrations.

Examples:

• Correct: "Acme Solutions Inc."
• Incorrect: "Acme" or "Acme Solutions"

This name will appear on generated proposals and shared documents.

Operating Names (DBAs)

Add any "Doing Business As" names you use. This helps when researching vendor analytics and identifying joint venture partnerships.

Use Case: If you operate as "Acme Solutions" but your legal name is "Acme Technology Services Corporation", add both names.

Business Number & Registration IDs

Provide your Canadian Business Number (BN) and any relevant registration IDs:

• Business Number: 9-digit CRA identifier
• GST/HST Number: If registered for GST/HST
• Procurement Business Number (PBN): If registered with Canadian government procurement
• DUNS Number: Dun & Bradstreet identifier
• NAICS Codes: Up to 5 primary codes

These identifiers help match your company in vendor analytics and past performance tracking.

Industry Classification

Select your primary industry and up to 4 secondary industries from NAICS codes. This affects opportunity filtering and intelligence recommendations.

Primary Industries:

• IT Services (NAICS 54151)
• Professional Services (NAICS 541)
• Construction (NAICS 23)
• Manufacturing (NAICS 31-33)
• Healthcare (NAICS 62)
• Education & Training (NAICS 61)

Company Size

Select your employee count range. This helps filter opportunities by set-asides and size requirements:

• Micro: 1-5 employees
• Small: 6-50 employees
• Medium: 51-250 employees
• Large: 251+ employees

Locations & Service Areas

Add all office locations and the geographic areas you serve:

Headquarters

• Street address
• City, Province, Postal Code
• Primary phone number
• Time zone

Additional Offices

• Add satellite offices, regional offices, or project sites
• Specify which offices handle which service offerings

Service Areas

• Provinces/Territories where you can deliver
• Remote service capabilities (Canada-wide, North America, Global)
• On-site vs. remote service preferences

Example:

• HQ: Ottawa, ON (National Capital Region)
• Offices: Toronto, ON; Vancouver, BC
• Service Areas: All provinces, remote-first for IT services
• On-site capabilities: Ontario, BC, Alberta

Company Capabilities

This is the most critical section for AI matching. Be thorough and specific.

Why Capabilities Matter

Every RFP requirement is matched against your documented capabilities. Better capability documentation means:

• More accurate "Fully Meets" / "Partially Meets" / "Cannot Meet" assessments
• Faster bid/no-bid decisions
• Higher quality proposal generation
• Better opportunity recommendations

Capability Categories

Organize your capabilities into these categories:

Technical Capabilities Technologies, platforms, languages, and tools you work with.

Examples:

• Cloud platforms: AWS (certified solutions architect), Azure, GCP
• Programming languages: Python, Java, JavaScript/TypeScript, C#
• Frameworks: React, Angular, .NET, Django, Spring Boot
• Databases: PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, Oracle
• DevOps: Docker, Kubernetes, Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, Terraform
• Security: Penetration testing, SIEM (Splunk, QRadar), endpoint protection
• Infrastructure: Network design, VMware, Citrix, storage systems

Service Capabilities Services you offer and how you deliver them.

Examples:

• Consulting: Requirements analysis, architecture design, technology selection
• Development: Custom software, API development, system integration
• Implementation: System deployment, data migration, training
• Support: 24/7 monitoring, helpdesk (English/French), maintenance
• Managed Services: Cloud management, security operations, application management

Certifications & Accreditations Official certifications that verify your capabilities.

Examples:

• ISO certifications: ISO 9001 (quality), ISO 27001 (security), ISO 20000 (IT service)
• Industry certifications: ITIL, PMP, Agile/Scrum, Six Sigma
• Vendor certifications: AWS Certified, Microsoft Gold Partner, Oracle Platinum
• Security clearances: Reliability Status, Secret, Top Secret (if applicable)
• Accessibility: AODA compliance, WCAG 2.1 AA expertise
• Language: Bilingual team (English/French), translation services

Domain Expertise Industry knowledge and specialized experience.

Examples:

• Healthcare: EMR implementation, PIPEDA compliance, clinical workflows
• Finance: Payment processing, anti-money laundering, regulatory reporting
• Defense: Tactical communications, C4ISR systems, classified networks
• Public Safety: CAD/RMS systems, 911 operations, emergency management
• Education: Learning management systems, student information systems

Methodologies & Approaches How you work and deliver value.

Examples:

• Agile development: Scrum, Kanban, SAFe, two-week sprints
• Project management: PMI methodologies, earned value management
• Change management: ADKAR, Kotter, stakeholder engagement
• Security: Zero-trust architecture, defense-in-depth, DevSecOps
• Accessibility: Universal design, inclusive development

Writing Effective Capability Descriptions

Use specific, concrete language that mirrors RFP terminology:

Good Examples:

• "5+ years experience implementing enterprise ERP systems including SAP, Oracle, and Microsoft Dynamics. Completed 12 government ERP implementations ranging from 50 to 5,000 users."
• "Bilingual (English/French) team of 25 certified cloud architects with AWS Solutions Architect Professional and Azure Solutions Architect Expert certifications. Migrated 100+ applications to cloud."
• "ISO 27001 certified security operations center providing 24/7/365 monitoring for critical infrastructure. Experienced with Treasury Board cyber security policies."

Poor Examples:

• "We do cloud stuff" (too vague)
• "Best-in-class solutions" (marketing fluff)
• "10 years experience" (experience in what?)

Capability Templates

Cothon provides templates for common capability areas. Click Use Template and customize:

• IT Services Template: Cloud, cybersecurity, software development, infrastructure
• Professional Services Template: Consulting, project management, training
• Construction Template: Design-build, project management, trades, specialties
• Healthcare Template: Clinical systems, privacy/security, workflows

Past Performance

Showcase your successful projects to strengthen proposal generation and increase AI matching confidence.

What to Include

For each project, provide:

Project Basics

• Project name: Descriptive title
• Client: Agency or department (if shareable/public)
• Contract value: Range if exact amount is confidential
• Contract vehicle: Standing offer, TBIPS, task authorization, sole source
• Duration: Start and end dates or duration
• Your role: Prime contractor, subcontractor, teaming partner

Project Details

• Objectives: What the client needed to achieve
• Scope: Services and deliverables you provided
• Team size: Number of resources deployed
• Location: Where work was performed
• Technologies: Tools, platforms, methodologies used

Outcomes & Metrics

• Deliverables: What you completed
• Results: Measurable outcomes and benefits
• Client satisfaction: Testimonials, CPARS scores, or feedback
• Awards/recognition: Any special recognition received

Relevance

• Similar RFPs: Types of RFPs this project demonstrates capability for
• Key capabilities: Which capability areas this proves
• Referenceable: Can this client provide a reference?

Past Performance Examples

Example 1: IT Services

Project: Enterprise Cloud Migration for Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)
Client: ISED
Value: $2.5M
Duration: 18 months (Jan 2023 - Jun 2024)
Role: Prime contractor

Migrated 75 legacy applications from on-premises data center to AWS GovCloud. Implemented secure cloud architecture following ITSG-33 controls. Trained 50 ISED staff on cloud operations.

Results:
- 100% successful migration with zero data loss
- 40% reduction in infrastructure costs
- 99.9% uptime achieved
- Delivered 2 weeks ahead of schedule
- Client awarded optional year 2

Technologies: AWS, Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform, Jenkins, Python

Capabilities Demonstrated: Cloud architecture, security compliance, DevOps, training, bilingual delivery

Example 2: Professional Services

Project: Procurement Process Optimization for Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC)
Client: PSPC
Value: $750K
Duration: 12 months (Mar 2023 - Feb 2024)
Role: Prime contractor

Analyzed current procurement workflows across 5 PSPC regional offices. Identified 23 efficiency opportunities. Designed and implemented new processes reducing average procurement cycle time from 90 to 45 days.

Results:
- 50% reduction in procurement cycle time
- 15% reduction in administrative costs
- 95% user satisfaction score
- Published best practices guide adopted by 3 other departments
- Client requested direct award for Phase 2

Methodologies: Lean Six Sigma, process mapping, change management, stakeholder engagement

Capabilities Demonstrated: Process improvement, change management, bilingual consulting, government operations expertise

Example 3: Construction

Project: Heritage Building Renovation - Library and Archives Canada
Client: Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC)
Value: $8.5M
Duration: 24 months (Apr 2022 - Mar 2024)
Role: Design-build contractor

Renovated 75,000 sq ft heritage building while maintaining operations. Upgraded HVAC, electrical, accessibility, and seismic systems. Achieved LEED Gold certification.

Results:
- Completed on time and 3% under budget
- Zero safety incidents over 50,000 work hours
- LEED Gold certification achieved
- Heritage character fully preserved
- Featured in Canadian Architect magazine

Capabilities Demonstrated: Heritage restoration, design-build, occupied building renovation, LEED, project controls

Confidential Projects

If you can't share client names due to NDAs or security classifications:

• Use generic descriptions: "Large federal defense agency", "Provincial healthcare authority"
• Focus on capabilities demonstrated rather than specific details
• Indicate if references can be provided through proper channels
• Mark as "Security Classified" or "NDA Protected" so team knows not to share

Team Information

Help clients understand your organizational structure and key personnel.

Leadership Team

Add key executives and their backgrounds:

• Name and title: e.g., "Jane Smith, Chief Technology Officer"
• Background: Brief bio highlighting relevant experience
• Education: Degrees and certifications
• Years with company: Demonstrates stability

Example:

John Davis, President & CEO
25 years in government IT services. Former CIO at Department of National Defence. Led cloud transformation initiatives across federal government. M.Sc. Computer Science, PMP certified.

Organizational Structure

Describe your company structure:

• Number of employees by role (project managers, developers, consultants, etc.)
• Organizational chart (upload PDF)
• Regional offices and specializations
• Subcontractor relationships and partnerships

Key Personnel

Highlight star performers who often lead bids:

• Name, title, role: e.g., "Sarah Johnson, Principal Architect, Technical Lead"
• Years of experience: Total and relevant government experience
• Education: Degrees and certifications
• Clearance level: If applicable (e.g., Secret clearance)
• Specializations: Areas of deep expertise
• Past performance: Key projects they've led

Corporate Information

Company History

Tell your story in 2-3 paragraphs:

• When and why the company was founded
• Major milestones and growth
• Strategic focus and mission
• What differentiates you from competitors

Example:

Founded in 2015 by three former federal government IT directors, Acme Solutions was created to address the growing need for secure, bilingual cloud services in the Canadian public sector.

Starting with 5 employees and a single contract with PSPC, we've grown to 75 employees and over $15M in annual revenue serving 20+ federal departments and agencies. Our growth has been organic, focused on client satisfaction and technical excellence rather than aggressive sales.

We differentiate ourselves through deep expertise in government compliance requirements (ITSG-33, PBMM, accessibility), truly bilingual delivery teams (60% of our staff are fluently bilingual), and a consultative approach that prioritizes long-term client success over short-term profits.

Ownership & Structure

• Ownership type: Private, public, employee-owned, etc.
• Parent company: If applicable
• Subsidiaries: Any companies you own
• Indigenous ownership: If applicable (triggers set-aside opportunities)
• Disability-owned: If applicable
• Veteran-owned: If applicable

Financial Information

Provide financial context for capability assessment:

• Annual revenue: Range or exact amount
• Revenue trend: Growing, stable, declining
• Financial stability: Years profitable, credit rating
• Bonding capacity: For construction projects
• Insurance coverage: Types and limits

Certifications & Compliance

Active Certifications

Add all current certifications with renewal dates:

Upload certificate PDFs to include in proposals automatically.

Compliance Areas

Indicate which regulations and standards you comply with:

Privacy & Security

• PIPEDA (Personal Information Protection)
• Treasury Board PBMM (Protected B, Medium Integrity, Medium Availability)
• ITSG-33 Security Controls
• NIST Cybersecurity Framework
• Cloud Security Alliance STAR

Accessibility

• WCAG 2.1 AA
• AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act)
• EN 301 549 (European accessibility standard)
• Section 508 (US standard, if working with US clients)

Quality & Process

• ISO 9001 (Quality Management)
• ISO 20000 (IT Service Management)
• ITIL v4
• CMMI Level 3 or higher

Environmental

• ISO 14001 (Environmental Management)
• LEED certification (for facilities/construction)

Language

• Official Languages Act compliance
• Bilingual service delivery capability

User Settings

Customize your personal Cothon experience in Settings > User Settings.

Appearance

Theme

• Dark Mode (default): Optimized for extended screen time, reduces eye strain
• Light Mode: Traditional bright interface
• Auto: Follows your system preferences

View Density

• Comfortable (default): Standard spacing for all content
• Compact: Reduced spacing to show more content per screen
• Cozy: Slightly condensed without being cramped

Font Size

• Small (90%)
• Medium (100%, default)
• Large (110%)
• Extra Large (125%)

Animations

• Enabled (default): Smooth transitions and micro-interactions
• Reduced: Minimal animations for performance or preference
• Disabled: No animations (accessibility preference)

Notifications

Configure how and when you receive notifications:

Email Notifications

In-App Notifications

Same notification types as email, shown in the notification bell icon in the top navigation.

Notification Preferences:

• Real-time: Instant notifications as events occur
• Digest: Daily summary at your preferred time
• Off: No in-app notifications

Push Notifications (Mobile)

Enable push notifications for the Cothon mobile app:

• High priority items only
• All notifications
• Disabled

Slack Integration

Forward Cothon notifications to Slack:

• Choose which notification types to forward
• Select Slack channel or DM
• Customize notification format

Language & Region

Interface Language

• English (default)
• French

Number Format

• 1,234.56 (North American)
• 1.234,56 (European)

Date Format

• MM/DD/YYYY (US)
• DD/MM/YYYY (Canadian)
• YYYY-MM-DD (ISO)

Time Format

• 12-hour (2:30 PM)
• 24-hour (14:30)

Time Zone Automatically detected based on your location. Override if needed:

• Eastern Time (ET)
• Central Time (CT)
• Mountain Time (MT)
• Pacific Time (PT)
• Newfoundland Time (NT)

Keyboard Shortcuts

Enable Keyboard Shortcuts Turn on/off all keyboard shortcuts. When enabled, press ? anywhere to see available shortcuts.

Customize Shortcuts Remap default shortcuts to your preferences. Changes are saved automatically.

See Keyboard Shortcuts Guide for complete list.

Privacy & Data

Activity Tracking

• Enable analytics: Help us improve Cothon by sharing usage data (anonymized)
• Marketing cookies: Allow cookies for marketing purposes
• Session recording: Allow session recording for support and improvement

Data Retention

• Keep deleted items: 30 days (can recover from trash)
• Auto-archive old analyses: After 1 year of inactivity

AI Training

• Use my data to improve AI models: Opt in to help train better models (data anonymized)

Security Settings

Protect your account with advanced security features in Settings > Security.

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Add an extra layer of security to your account.

2FA Options:

• Required for all logins: Every login requires 2FA code
• Required for sensitive actions: Login from new device or changing settings
• Remember this device: Skip 2FA for 30 days on trusted devices

Session Management

View and manage all active sessions:

Session Settings:

• Auto-logout: After 8 hours of inactivity (configurable: 1-24 hours)
• Require re-authentication: For sensitive actions like viewing full proposals or changing security settings

API Keys

Create and manage API keys for programmatic access to Cothon.

Monitor API Usage: View API call volume, error rates, and rate limiting status for each key.

Login History

Review your login history for unusual activity:

• Login date and time
• Device and browser
• IP address and location
• Success or failure
• 2FA method used

Filter by:

• Date range
• Failed attempts only
• New device logins

Billing & Subscription

Manage your subscription and billing in Settings > Billing.

Current Plan

View your current subscription tier, included features, usage against limits, and renewal date.

Usage Monitoring:

• Bid analyses: 42 of 100 per month
• Storage: 8.2 GB of 25 GB
• Team members: 5 of 10 seats

Upgrade or Downgrade

Upgrade Process:

1. Select new plan tier
2. Review feature changes and price difference
3. Pro-rated charge applied immediately
4. New features available instantly

Downgrade Process:

1. Select lower plan tier
2. Review feature removals (you may need to remove team members or archive data)
3. Credit applied to next invoice
4. Change takes effect at end of current billing period

Payment Methods

Accepted Payment Methods:

• Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex)
• Debit cards
• ACH/bank transfer (Enterprise plans)
• Purchase orders (Enterprise plans)

Update Payment Method:

1. Click Update Payment Method
2. Enter new card details
3. Click Save and Use for Future Payments

Invoices & Receipts

Access all invoices and receipts:

• Download PDF invoices
• Export to CSV for accounting
• Forward to accounting@yourcompany.com automatically

Invoice Details:

• Invoice number
• Billing period
• Itemized charges
• Tax breakdown
• Payment method
• Payment status

Next Steps

Recommended Next Steps:

1. Upload your first RFP to see AI analysis in action
2. Browse opportunities to find relevant tenders
3. Invite team members to collaborate
4. Connect your CRM for seamless opportunity tracking
5. Set up Slack notifications to stay informed

Learn More:

• Navigation Guide - Master the interface
• Quick Wins - Get immediate value
• Keyboard Shortcuts - Work faster
• Security Best Practices - Keep your account secure