INFORMATION FOR VENDORS
DOING BUSINESS WITH
THE
CITY OF HOLLYWOOD,
FLORIDA
PROCUREMENT
SERVICES
2600 Hollywood
Boulevard
Hollywood, FL
33020
Table of
Contents:
Preface
How Can I Receive
Notice Of Bid Openings
Bidder’s List
Public Notice/Advertisement
Posting
Bid/RFP Hotline
Internet
What Are
Procurement Services Methods
For Securing Bids?
Small Purchases
Informal Bids
Formal Sealed Bids
Requests for Proposals
How Do I Bid On
City Contracts?
Bid Forms
Telephone Quotations
Specifications
Bid Securities
Addenda and Changes in the Bid Proposal
Errors in Bidding
Bid Withdrawal
How Are Awards
Made?
Lowest Response and Responsible Bidder
Bid Tabulation
Rejection of Bids
Commission Approval
Local Preference
Right to Protest
After Award—What
Then?
Notice of Award
Delivery
Vendor Default
Change Orders and Modifications
Vendor Payment
Gifts And Gratuities
PREFACEWelcome vendors! The City of Hollywood is constantly seeking
new sources of supply as well as expansion of business into new areas with our
current vendors. All purchases are made through the Procurement Services
Division, 2600 Hollywood Boulevard, Room 303, Hollywood, Florida 33020, with the
exception of Public Works and Utilities construction and improvement contracts
which are under the supervision of the Director of Design & Construction
Management and Director of Public Utilities respectively.
VENDORS, PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT A PURCHASE ORDER OR CONTRACT
ISSUED BY THE PROCUREMENT SERVICES DIVISION IS REQUIRED PRIOR TO THE PROVISION
OF ANY GOODS AND/ OR SERVICES. IF YOU PROVIDE GOODS AND/OR SERVICES FOR THE
CITY WITHOUT A PURCHASE ORDER OR CONTRACT, YOU DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK AND HAVE
NO ASSURANCE OF PAYMENT.
The principal objective of the Procurement Services Division
is to buy the right quality, in the right quantity, at the right time, in the
right place and for the right price. All purchases are made through a
competitive system of formal and informal bidding which directs purchases to
the lowest responsible bidder who meets the specifications, terms and
conditions. This pamphlet contains the information you need in order to sell
goods and/or services to the City of Hollywood. If you require additional information,
please call (954) 921-3221or access the City of Hollywood website at
www.hollywoodfl.org.
This guide is not intended, and should not be relied upon,
to be a complete statement of all legal requirements applicable to City
contracts. Both the City and bidders must at all times be guided by the
applicable requirements of law notwithstanding anything contained in this
guide.
HOW CAN I RECEIVE NOTICE OF BID OPENINGS?
BIDDERS LIST:
If you wish to receive notice of bid opportunities in your
product or service area, simply send a letter to:
City of Hollywood
Procurement Services Division
P.O. Box 229045
Hollywood, FL 33022-9045
or: call us at (954) 921-3221
You will be sent a vendor application. After we receive your
completed vendor application, you will then be placed on the Bidders List and
will automatically be forwarded formal bid solicitations for the commodity
area(s) you have indicated when there is a need by the City. However, this is
not a guarantee. There are times when it may be unclear whether you can provide
the specific goods or services required and times when you may not receive the
specifications. Therefore, vendors are encouraged to regularly check the means
described below to ensure that you are aware of all solicitations in which you
may be interested.
PUBLIC NOTICE/ADVERTISEMENT:
Public Notice of all formal bids issued by the Procurement
Services Division are posted on the City of Hollywood website at www.hollywoodfl.org.
Vendors who have registered electronically will receive e-mail notification of all
formal bids/RFP’s as they become available.
POSTING:
Notices of all formal bids are posted on the bulletin board
in the offices of the Procurement Services Division. All bids and proposals are
also available upon request by visiting, calling or writing the Procurement
Services Division.
BID/RFP HOTLINE:
Procurement Services maintains a Bid/RFP Telephone Hotline
at (954) 921- 3903 which is a recorded announcement and listing of all bids and
request for proposals currently in process. Please call this line if you are
interested in bidding on any of our requirements.
INTERNET:
The City of Hollywood maintains its own web page on the Internet. Request for
Quotations, Invitations for Bid and Request for Proposals can be accessed and
downloaded from the Procurement Services Section
www.hollywoodfl.org.
Vendors may also register electronically at the website. City of Hollywood
Bid/RFP’s are also broadcast and available for download on the DemandStar
network. To contact DemandStar, call 800-711-1712 or access their website at
www.demandstar.com
PROCUREMENT SERVICES METHODS FOR SECURING QUOTATIONS AND BIDS PURCHASES
LESS THAN $1,000:
Oral price quotations are acceptable for solicitation up to
$1,000. Multiple quotes will be obtained whenever practical.
SMALL PURCHASES - $1,000 -
$9,999:
The preferred method for obtaining prices for purchases
between $1,000 and $9,999 is by written or facsimile quotation as time permits.
In the case of operational necessity, oral quotations are acceptable at the
discretion of the buyer. The buyer shall make every effort to ensure the fair
and open solicitation of competitive quotes, and award will be made to the
lowest responsive bidder. Every effort shall be made to solicit quotes from
minority firms. Quotations submitted by facsimile are acceptable for purchases
in this category.
PURCHASES BETWEEN $10,000 AND $24,999:
Purchases estimated to cost between $10,000 and $24,999
shall be made after obtaining written bids. Invitation for Bids (IFB) will be
mailed to all registered vendors who offer the applicable goods or service. The
date and time for bid opening will allow sufficient time to encourage
competitive bidding. The buyer shall make every effort to obtain a minimum of
three (3) bids for each item or group of items required. Every effort shall be
made to solicit bids from minority firms. After the receipt of the bids, they
will be tabulated and evaluated. Award will be made to the lowest responsive bidder.
PURCHASES OVER $25,000:
For purchases over $25,000 the competitive sealed bidding or
competitive sealed proposals method is used. The procedure is as follows: (a)
the buyer prepares the bid or proposal using the terms and conditions
appropriate to the technical specifications; (b) the buyer, with the assistance
of the using department, prepares a mailing list utilizing vendors on file,
minority business enterprise list (W/MBE), publications and catalogs and other sources,
(c) the bid or proposal is posted on the City of of Hollywood website and the
DemandStar network and all electronically registered vendors are notified not
less than ten (10) calendar days prior to the date set forth in the notice for
the opening of the bid or proposal; (d) bids or proposals are received and
tabulated; (e) copies of the tab sheet and all bids are sent to the requesting
department for their review and recommendation; (f ) an evaluation committee is
appointed to review all proposals for ranking and recommendation; (g) the
recommendation to award shall be publicly posted for a minimum of five (5)
business days prior to award; (h) award of all bids or proposals over $25,000
must be approved by the City Manager; (i) award of all contracts for
professional services over $25,000 and bids or proposals over $50,000 must be
approved by the City Commission; and (j) a purchase order and/or contract is
issued to the successful bidder or offer. Sealed bids or proposals received
by the facsimile machine will not be accepted.
REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS (RFP):
Requests For Proposals are often used for purchases of
professional services or equipment of a highly technical nature. In addition to
price, award is made on the basis of evaluating several criteria, such as
experience, qualifications, past performance and other factors. RFP’s are
designed to select the best proposal based on the criteria stipulated in the
RFP. Rather than detailed specifications which are contained in Formal Sealed
Bids, the RFP generally includes a series of objectives and scope of work to be
accomplished.
HOW DO I BID ON CITY CONTRACTS?
BID ID FORMS
Upon learning of an upcoming contract, you may obtain a bid
form by writing, visiting or calling the Procurement Services Division or
accessing the City of Hollywood website at www.hollywoodfl.org or accessing the
DemandStar network at www.demandstar.com. When you request your bid form, ask
for it by Title and Bid Number — this information appears in all advertisements,
solicitations and notices. The bid form contains the specifications and/or
scope of work for the commodity or service being purchased and the terms and
conditions governing the bid. It will generally become the actual contract if
you are awarded the bid.
Once you have completed the bid
form, check for errors, and make sure that all required signatures and
attachments (i.e., bid security, product information, etc.) are included. Then,
seal the bid in an envelope with your company’s name, Bid Number and Title and
Bid Opening Date on the outside of the envelope. If you have registered
electronically, bids may be submitted electronically via the City of Hollywood
website. Be sure that your bid reaches the location specified in the bid before
the time and date specified on the form. Late bids will not be accepted. All
formal bids are opened in public, read aloud in the specified location and are
available for public inspection ten (10) days after opening. To arrange for an
inspection of bid results, contact the Procurement Services Division. Direct all
questions regarding the bid form to the Procurement Services Division.
TELEPHONE QUOTES:
In Informal Quotation situations, Procurement Services
obtains quotes by telephone. Such telephone quotes have the same integrity as
written quotes, and the lowest responsible bidder will receive the award.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Specifications are detailed descriptions of the intended
purchase, establishing the minimum acceptable standards. They are included in
the bid documents. If you have any questions, concerns, or objections regarding
specifications, contact the person indicated in the bid or RFP proposal, the
Procurement Services Division, or make inquiries during the pre-bid conference.
The City reserves the right to request that questions concerning interpretation
or modification to plans, specifications or contract documents be submitted in writing
to the Director of Procurement Services. Responses shall be made in writing in
the form of an addendum circulated to all potential bidders. The specifications
for some items will ask for a Brand Name or Equal. If you cannot supply the
indicated brand name, you may offer a product that is “equal to” or “better
than” the brand name quality set forth in the bid proposal. You will be assured
of fair competition with other vendors.
IMPORTANT: Please contact us, before bid opening, if you
feel our bid has any requirements which lessen open competition.
BID SECURITY AND BONDS:
If bid security is required, it will be specifically stated
in the Instructions to Bidders contained in the bid documents.
Deposits are held until the contract is awarded, at which
time all deposits other than the awarded vendor’s are released. The awarded
vendor’s deposit is released when the contract is executed by the City — unless
the bid proposal stipulates that the deposit will be held throughout the term
of the contract.
ADDENDA AND CHANGES IN THE BID/RFP:
During the course of a formal written bid procedure, changes
may take place affecting the terms and conditions or the specifications of the
bid. In these instances, a written addendum will be mailed to all vendors who
have received bid documents. These changes become an integral part of the bid
and must be signed and returned with your bid proposal.
ERRORS IN BIDDING:
Your bid is your firm offer to enter into contract with the
City. However, if you discover that you have made an honest mistake in your
bid, which you can substantiate with documentary evidence, you must notify the
Director of Procurement Services, in writing, before an award is made. The
Director of Procurement Services then has the discretion to release you from
your bid.
BID WITHDRAWAL:
All bids submitted must be firm for the minimum of time
stipulated in the bid document. No bidder may withdraw a bid within this time,
unless an error is discovered and handled per above. Bids may be withdrawn, by
an authorized representative of your firm, prior to bid opening.
HOW ARE AWARDS MADE?
LOWEST RESPONSIVE AND RESPONSIBLE BIDDER:
After bids are read and tabulated, they are analyzed by the
department requesting the goods or services to determine the lowest responsive
and responsible bid. Although the time varies, analysis and award is generally completed
within forty-five (45) days. An independent review of bid responses is made by
the Procurement Services Division to determine concurrence with the department
recommendation.
BID TABULATIONS:
Bid tabulations showing bid results and recommended award
are posted inside the offices of the Procurement Services Division for a period
of five (5) working days.
REJECTION OF BIDS:
Whenever it is in the City’s best interest, the Director of
Procurement Services reserves the right to reject any and all bids. (Rejection
of bids is not done frivolously).
COMMISSION APPROVAL:
City Commission approval is required for awards exceeding
$50,000.
LOCAL PREFERENCE:
The City of Hollywood grants a preference of five percent
(5%) of any bid or proposal price to a local business for award amounts up to
$100,000 and two percent (2%) for awards in excess of $100,000. Additionally,
the City has enacted a Local Minority Business Enterprise and Local Small Business
Program. Details of this program may be found on the City’s website or by
contacting the City’s Business Enterprise Coordinator at 954-921-3010.
RIGHT TO PROTEST:
Any actual or prospective bidder who is allegedly aggrieved
in connection with a pending award may protest to the Director of Procurement
Services within five (5) days after the posting of the recommended award. A due
process procedure will be followed to resolve any protests.
AFTER AWARD—WHAT THEN?
NOTICE OF AWARD:
If the City has determined that you are the lowest,
responsive and responsible bidder, a purchase order may be issued. In the
alternative, you may be sent a letter notifying you of the City’s intent to
award you a contract. This letter will also advise you if there are any
requirements necessary for you to complete in order to execute the contract.
DELIVERY:
An official City purchase order or contract is your
authorization to commence delivery. Acceptance of delivery is conditioned upon
inspection and approval by the receiving department to verify that you have
fully complied with the terms of the contract.
VENDOR DEFAULT:
Vendors who fail to provide goods and/or services in
accordance with the terms and conditions of their contract will be held in
default. The City will hold such vendors liable for all extra costs incurred in
the procurement of the goods and/or services from another vendor. Such default
is also subject to suspension from doing business with the City for up to two
(2) years. A second default may result in permanent debarment of a vendor.
CHANGE ORDERS AND MODIFICATIONS:
Occasionally, after a contract has been awarded, changes
occur in either price or performance. If the contract provides for
modifications, it is done by a written change order or contract amendment,
which is sent to the vendor. Please note that the contract will specifically
state the circumstances under which changes are allowed. Vendors must follow
the guidelines in the contract to submit or respond to change requests.
VENDOR PAYMENT:
Payments are approved by the department which orders the
goods and/ or services. Invoices should be sent directly to the address
specified on the purchase order. Questions regarding payments can best be
answered by the Finance Department, (954) 921-3235. To ensure prompt payment of
a purchase order, invoices containing the proper information must be submitted
to the address indicated on the purchase order.
Invoices must contain proper quantities, units and total
prices as stated on the purchase order. No payments will be issued prior to
receipt and acceptance of commodities and services by authorized City
representatives.
The City’s computerized purchase system encumbers funds simultaneously
as the order is input. The purchase order is mailed the same day and is ready
to process for payment immediately upon receipt and acceptance of goods and
services. The City processes most invoices for payment within thirty (30) days,
and expedites payments where additional discounts for prompt payment are
offered.
GIFTS AND GRATUITIES
City policy prohibits acceptance of gifts at any time, other
than advertising novelties. Employees must not become obligated to any supplier
and shall not participate in any City transaction from which they will benefit
directly or indirectly.
Procurement Services
Division
All information is
true and accurate at time of printing.
Publication 12-14
(11/04)
