Bid Process Overview

Purpose

The following information is provided to help purchasing departments and requisitioners understand the responsibilities and sequence of events that must occur with every bid required on non-contract items over $25,000 ($10,500 for Federal Grant-funded purchases)

Bid Goal

To obtain goods or services as specified by the department at the most competitive price while complying with NC Purchasing Rules, Regulations, and ECU policies and procedures.

Responsibilities

  • Requesting Department: To know the specifics of what is required to fulfill your particular need.
  • Purchasing Specialist: To oversee the process of obtaining goods and services for a department ensuring that all of the State and University policies and procedures are met as required by law.
  • Bidding Vendor: To provide the goods or services to the department as specified by the bid documentation.

The Bid Process

  1. Develop specifications, denoting a detailed precise presentation, plan, or proposal for the item or services to be purchased, for use in the bid document.
  2. Select a potential vendor/supplier and create a requisition that is submitted for Division approval and then send to Materials Management with all supporting documentation attached as appropriate.  This will encumber the funds for your purchase.
  3. Requirements and specifications provided by the department are merged with the bid document.
  4. The bid document is posted on the State’s IPS site where it is advertised and made available to the public for 10 days.
  5. If necessary, the potential bidders submit questions and concerns or provide feedback on the bid requirements.
  6. Provide answers to any questions referred to the department by the purchasing specialist on behalf of the bidder.  (Departments should not discuss this project directly with any bidder while it is in the bid process.)
  7. Respond with the answers provided by the department to the potential bidder and, if necessary, issue a bid addendum.
  8. Submit a bid that meets or exceeds the bid specifications prior to the date and time on the bid document.  There are no exceptions to this requirement.
  9. A public bid opening takes place during which the purchasing specialist will read the submitted bids.  Bid tabulation is completed to include all vendors’ names and bid prices/responses.
  10. After the bid opening, the purchasing specialist will retain the original copies of the bids and bidders’ names and total bid price will be posted on the State’s IPS website where it is available to the public.
  11. Copies of the lowest bids are sent to the department for evaluation.
  12. Reviewing of the bids are started with the lowest bidder to determine if the bids submitted have met all the specifications as outline in the bid document.  Only specifications included in the bid document can be used to evaluate the bid.
  13. An award recommendation is sent to the purchasing specialist by the department based on the lowest bid that meets specifications.
  14. Purchasing specialist reviews the department’s recommendation.
  15. Purchase order is issued using the original created requisition on which the supplier will be changed if necessary.
  16. Bidder provides the goods and services.

Any questions about this process should be directed to the Department of Materials Management 252-328-6434.  purchasing@ecu.edu