| Doing Business / Vendors Guide |
| Vendors Guide to Doing Business with Lee County BoCC |
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The purpose of this guide is to explain the purchasing process by which the Division of Purchasing and the county's delegated purchasing agents supply needed commodities and services to county departments and divisions. It is the intent of the county to procure the necessary equipment and services at the lowest possible cost, consistent with the quality needed to meet the requirements of government. In addition, we want to ensure that the taxpayers receive the maximum value for each dollar expended. Every purchase should be made in the public's interest and provide all vendors a fair and equal opportunity to compete.
Please take a few minutes to review the Vendor Handbook. This guide is written to
acquaint you with some of the policies and procedures of the Division of Purchasing.
This guide addresses those most commonly asked questions and, as such, may not answer
all of your questions. If you would like additional information, please contact
us. |
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It is requested that all vendors stop by the Division of Purchasing prior to meeting
with Lee County personnel regardless of the product. We welcome your visit to our
office since we need to stay current regarding new product lines and items and we
can also direct you to the department that could benefit from your products. It
is preferable to make an appointment in advance of your visit to ensure that you
receive as much time as required. |
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How Do Vendors Find Out About Quotes?
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A listing of vendors, classified according to materials, supplies, and services,
is maintained by the Division of Purchasing. A prospective vendor interested in
doing business with the County may complete the online
vendor application, download a PDF file, phone, write, come in person to
the Purchasing Division and obtain a vendor/bidder application. Upon return of a
properly completed application (including a completed and signed W-9 Form), the
vendor will be added to the bidders list under categories selected on the application.
The bidders list is normally used when a notice to quoters is mailed out for a formal
quote or proposal. Currently the formal level is over $50,000.00. The bidders list
may be used for informal written quotes and proposals as well. |
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County 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 County transaction from which they will benefit directly or indirectly. |
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TYPES AND METHODS OF PURCHASING Fair and Open Competition: The Lee County Board of County Commissioners promotes free and open competition through its bid specifications. In addition, the County strives to design specifications for compatibility with standard trade practices and to use procedures in accordance with the law and prudent business practice. Potential bidders are encouraged to advise the County - Division of Purchasing if they feel any language and/or requirement of a specification inadvertently restricts or limits competition; or if, in their judgment, specifications do not comply with standard trade practices or impose an impractical or unreasonable procedural burden. Informal Telephone Quotes: Goods or services under $50,000.00 may be purchased through informal telephone quotes. Informal telephone quotes may either be taken by Purchasing staff or by requisitioners in the requesting department or division. For this process, a minimum of three vendors will be contacted, given specific information as to the item or service sought, and asked for pricing and delivery time. The purchase order will be issued to the vendor offering the lowest price while meeting all specified requirements. Informal Written Quotes:
Formal Written Quotation: When the item(s) or service(s) to be procured is estimated to cost over $50,000.00, a specification package is developed and made available to all interested vendors. The sealed quotes are received on a specified date and time and are evaluated for compliance to the specifications, delivery time, and price. Award is normally recommended to the lowest quote meeting specifications. Proposals: The proposal process is used when no fixed criteria exist for a purchase. The process is similar to the formal written quote process with the exception that award is based on predetermined evaluation criteria rather than solely on price. An evaluation committee will review and rank the proposals received for each of the evaluation factors. A tabulation of their scores will determine which vendor will be recommended for award of the proposal. Cooperative Purchasing: Lee County is a member of the South West Florida Cooperative Purchasing Consortium. The purpose of this consortium is to jointly quote items common to all members in order to obtain volume discount pricing. Piggybacking:
Most of our specifications include the provision for other governmental entities
to be able to "piggyback" on the prices obtained/awarded. |
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Specification: Specifications are detailed descriptions of the intended purchase, establishing the minimum acceptable standards. They are included in the quote documents. If you have any questions, concerns, or objections regarding specifications, contact the person indicated in the quote proposal, the Purchasing Division, or make inquiries during the pre-bid conference. The County reserves the right to request that questions concerning interpretation or modification to plans, specifications, or contract documents be submitted in writing to the Purchasing Director. Changes to the specifications shall be made in writing in the form of an addendum circulated to all potential bidders. These changes become an integral part of the quote/proposal and must be acknowledged on the price page. Pre-Bid Conference: Pre-bid conferences are held on most written quotes and proposals. The purpose of the pre-bid conference is to provide a forum in which vendors may ask questions about the quote document. If there are any discrepancies, concerns, or suggestions this is the time they should be brought forward. Please do not wait until after the quotes are awarded and a recommendation to award has been made to point out a deficiency in the specification documents. Quote/Proposal Opening: All formal quotes and proposals are to be received in a sealed envelope bearing the name and number of the project, and the date and time of the opening, prior to the stated deadline. The quotes and proposals are opened and read publicly by the Purchasing Director (or designee) on the date and time shown in the invitation to quote. The quotes and proposals are opened in the presence of a designee from the Clerk of Circuit Court's office who will receive and maintain the original packages. All quotes are read aloud. A cordial invitation is extended to vendors, salespersons, the media, and the interested public to attend "quote/proposal openings." Proposals, however, are not made public record until 10 days after the opening date. This is for review and evaluation purpose. Tabulations and Awards: All formal quotes and proposals are tabulated by the Division of Purchasing. Copies of the tabulations are available for review or copy in the Division of Purchasing. Tie Bids: A thorough review of all tie bids shall be conducted by the Division of Purchasing. Award recommendations shall be based upon delivery dates, reputation of the vendors involved, past performance, and location of the vendor. If all factors and conditions relating to the bids are equal, then the tie bid will be awarded to the vendor with a Drug-Free Workplace Program, Florida Statutes Section 287.087. If both vendors have a drug free workplace then the bid will be awarded to the local vendor if the other vendor is not local or by a coin toss. The coin toss will be conducted by the Division of Purchasing with one witness from outside the Division of Purchasing. Late Quotes/Proposals
If a quote/proposal is received after the date and time stated as the deadline for
receipt of quotes/proposals, the quote/proposal will be returned unopened via certified
mail to the vendor submitting the quote/proposal. If there is no return address
or any indication of the company submitting the quote/proposal, the package will
be placed unopened in the quote file and will not be considered for award. |