The City of College Station Purchasing Division is committed to procuring goods and services in a manner that provides for free and unrestricted competition while ensuring the taxpayers the best possible return on and use of their tax dollars. All procurement activities shall be in compliance with all City policies and applicable local, state, and federal laws. Please see the Procurement Manual for information regarding the various methods of procurement as well as duties and responsibilities of all those involved in the purchasing process. Purchasing Guidelines will provide a quick view of the various levels of purchase thresholds and related requirements.
We invite persons who would like to be notified of business opportunities with the City to register as a vendor. Registered vendors will receive an automatic notification of BIDS, Request For Proposals (RFPs), and Request For Qualifications (RFQs) as they are issued. The City has established various levels of purchasing authority as outlined below. By routing purchases through the Purchasing Department, it becomes possible to improve economies of scale in quantity buying. This shall also identify areas where competitive bidding or proposals are required.
Purchases under $3,000.00 Purchases under $3,000.00 do not require a purchase order issued from Purchasing. However, they do require a Request for Check to be issued, which receives proper approval by the using department, or goods can be purchased with the city's Procurement Card.
Purchases $3,000.00 to $49,999.99 Purchases of $3,000.00 and over require a purchase order number issued by Purchasing. A minimum of three (3) telephone or written quotes are solicited when practical.
Purchases of $50,000.00 and Over The Texas Local Government Code requires competitive bidding or proposals for all City purchases exceeding $50,000 (except for those expenditures that fall under an exemption listed in the Code). These purchases require legal advertising and formal sealed bids or proposals. The law prohibits any City employee from making "separate, sequential, or component" purchases to avoid the competitive bidding requirements.
Competitive Proposals A process similar to the sealed competitive bid procedure, the Request for Proposal (RFP) may be used for the procurement of goods and services that are highly specialized and technical in nature or for the purchase of insurance.
The Buyer-Seller relationship is one of mutual confidence and satisfaction between the City and the Supplier. To meet this convenance, we have established the following duties and responsibilities for each.
Responsibilities of the Purchasing Division
The responsibility of the City's Purchasing Division is to aid and assist each department within the City and their staff to procure necessary goods and services at the best possible price within all Federal, State, and City purchasing laws. Specific responsibilities include:
Responsibilities of our Vendors/Suppliers
The City of College Station maintains no preferential bidders list. For certain products, however, we establish a Qualified Information Systems Vendor (QISV) List. The City endeavors at all times to maintain good will between the City and its Suppliers. Toward this end, we ask that you strive to:
Occasionally, the city disposes of surplus, salvaged and abandoned property. We have established procedures to ensure the maximum return on our investment.
GovDeals: City of College Station's Surplus Site
All governmental entities interested in any of the surplus displayed must email [email protected] to determine an official date/time.
Additional correspondence for clarification/information and establishment of a fair market value for the surplus item(s) should be directed to: Brook Wynne Purchasing Assistant