Vendor's Guide

The City of Springfield welcomes the opportunity to do business with interested merchants. The Division of Purchases is interested in fostering participation by all qualified business persons offering commodities and services that may be used by departments. The Division of Purchases has the responsibility to make the most economical acquisition of quality materials and services that will assure efficient operation.

To that end, it is essential that interested business persons become familiar with the Purchasing Policies and Procedures. This web site will serve as a general guide. Specific questions and concerns not addressed here should be directed to the City Purchasing Agent.
 
The Division of Purchases utilizes a category specific email notification service to email solicitation opportunities.  This service is free of charge and is beneficial to those vendors who like to stay up on all of our current solicitations. Please register your company on the Bid Posting Notifications - Notify Me®.

All vendors who registered prior to August 1, 2014 will still need to subscribe their email on our website to receive category specific solicitation notifications. It is imperative that you subscribe your company to be notified of solicitations and announcements that are posted by the City of Springfield Division of Purchases. 

**Please be aware that you must click the link within the initial email you receive to officially confirm you would like to receive bid notification emails from the City of Springfield, Missouri Division of Purchases**
 
Receiving our E-mail notifications is a great way to stay informed about City bid opportunities! However, if you prefer not to sign up for the E-mail subscription service, you may visit this website anytime to view City purchasing needs.

Questions

If you have any questions please contact Purchasing at 417-864-1620.

Where & When

Most of the city's purchasing is handled through the Purchasing Division, located at:
218 E. Central
Springfield, MO 65802
Business hours are 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Your visit is welcome, it gives us a chance to learn about your service or product and gives us an opportunity to direct you to those departments which may be interested in purchasing your products or services.

How we Purchase

Small Procurements

Purchases $5,000 or less - Although competitive sealed bidding is the procedure universally preferred in government procurement, consideration of the time and cost dictates that a less formal procedure be used for small purchases. The city purchasing policy and procedures provides that procurements not exceeding $5,000, may be made on the open market without formal bid and further provides for the use of informal written quotes or competitive oral quotations.

Purchasing Card Program

The City of Springfield Purchasing Card program is designed to improve efficiency in processing low dollar purchases under $5,000 from any vendor that accepts VISA credit cards. Each purchasing card is issued to a named individual employee and the City of Springfield is clearly shown on the card.

Invitation for Informal Bid

Invitation for Informal Bid packages which typically include the specifications, terms and conditions, bid forms and other applicable documents, may be posted on our purchasing website - Bid Processing Center. Informal bids are a less formal process than a competitive sealed invitation to bid. These purchases are under $20,000 but over $5,000. Purchase awards are typically recommended to the lowest, most responsive and responsible bidder, or may be in accordance with other award criteria stipulated in the IFIB.

The buyer may elect not to post an IFIB on the purchasing website due to time restraints or sufficient competition. The vendor is allowed to fax or email the IFIB forms and other supporting documentation to purchasing in response to IFIB's.

Formal Competitive Purchases

All purchases over $20,000 require a formal solicitation process unless otherwise provided for in the city purchasing policy and procedures, such as emergency and sole source procurements. An Invitation to Bid or Request for Proposal will normally be used for these types of purchases, even though a Request for Qualifications or Invitation to Negotiate can also be utilized.

All formal competitive purchases are advertised and posted on the internet bid processing center located on the purchasing website. These may be advertised in the local newspaper and relevant periodicals.

Emergency Purchases

Emergency purchases are sometimes necessary due to the breakdown of equipment or other unforseen event which may affect the operation of the city. When this happens, the using city department director is authorized to declare an emergency under certain conditions to allow them to proceed with the necessary action for the emergency.

As a vendor, and for your protection, you should always make certain that a written purchase order or a purchase order number has been issued to your firm prior to delivery of materials or services.

Local Vendors

The City of Springfield encourages the participation of local vendors and gives preference to the local vendor when the prices, terms, and conditions are equal.

City Diversity Program Guidelines

The City of Springfield will, whenever feasible, provide opportunities to certified disadvantaged (DBE), minority (MBE), or women-owned business enterprises (WBE) in the procurement process.

It is the intent of these guidelines to:

• Create a level playing field which will provide certified DBE, MBE, and WBE businesses with equal opportunity to participate in all aspects of the city’s contracting and procurement programs, including, but not limited to:
• Participation in procurement contracts for equipment, materials, services, supplies
• The construction, renovation, or repair of facilities and equipment
• Widen opportunities for vendor participation, to increase competition, and to reduce costs to the city and its citizens.
• Provide information or other opportunities to certified DBE, MBE, and WBE that may also be available to all other business enterprises.

It is not the intent of these guidelines to:

• Establish procedures that will increase the cost of construction and procurement programs.
• Give one business an unfair advantage over another based solely on ownership characteristics.

City Statement & Links

The City of Springfield will provide a statement encouraging prime and general contractors to consider certified DBE, WBE, and MBE for those construction or federally-funded contracts valued at/above $100,000 which have subcontracting opportunities. Also, the City of Springfield will provide web links to certified DBE, WBE, and MBE directories. It is the responsibility of firms wishing to become certified to contact the City of Springfield or any other participating public agency for guidance as to how to become certified.

Discrimination

The City of Springfield and its contractors will not knowingly exclude any person from participation in bidding or otherwise discriminate against anyone in connection with the award and performance of any contract on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, or religion.

In administering its program, the City of Springfield will not, directly or through contractual or other arrangements, use criteria or methods of administration that have the effect of defeating or substantially impairing accomplishment of the objectives of the program with respect to individuals of a particular race, color, sex, national origin, or religion.

Guidelines

A copy of the city’s program guidelines will be available for public review in the Purchasing Office. The city will maintain records, documentations, and required reporting activities to ensure compliance with the goals and objectives of these program guidelines.

Outreach Programs

The City of Springfield will provide the following assistance to DBE, MBE, and WBE vendors:

• When feasible, the city will give consideration to providing training opportunities through individual assistance, electronic information, or workshops to be delivered by other entities to assist disadvantaged businesses in learning how to do business with the entities.
• Where feasible, the city will provide electronic links to other website solicitation opportunities.
• Where feasible, the city will make available electronic guidelines to assist all businesses, including disadvantaged businesses, in learning how to do business with the city and other public entities.
• Where feasible, the city will make available appropriate staff to assist certified disadvantaged businesses (DBE, WBE, and MBE) in learning how to do business with the city.
• Where feasible, the city will make available source lists of certified state and federal businesses (DBE, WBE, and MBE) for the purpose of encouraging procurement from disadvantaged businesses.

Measurable Benchmarking

To determine and track the effectiveness of these guidelines and associated programs, the following performance measures will be used:

• Number of participants attending the annual or semi-annual diversity-related workshops hosted by the City of Springfield
• Number of new State of Missouri-certified DBE, WBE and MBE registered entities in the region
• Total dollars spent with State of Missouri-certified DBE, WBE and MBE’s in the region

Note: The region is considered to be the Springfield Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA).