Doing Business With Escambia County
This guide is to explain how vendors may participate
in the market created by the needs of Escambia County,
Florida. The demand for goods and services generated
by Escambia County Government results in a continual
need for a wide variety of items. Chances are that
Escambia County Government will be in the market for
the item you sell.
The Office of Purchasing hopes this guide will help
you become acquainted with our policies and procedures
for procurement and help you present your product
to Escambia County. The content of this information
is intended to serve as a very general guide. However,
if your question is not covered in this guide, do
not hesitate to call the Office of Purchasing to receive
an answer.
How Does Escambia
Purchase Goods and Services?
All competitive purchases are normally purchased
on the basis of written detailed specifications. These
specifications are advertised in the local newspapers
with notices sent to all prospective bidders on the
vendors list for that particular commodity. These
bids are known as "Formal Sealed Bids".
Formal Sealed Bids are opened publicly at a specified
time and place. These purchases are $50,000.00 or
over or involve a term contract.
Formal quotations are obtained in writing and do
not require the formal solicitation process. These
purchases are under $50,000.00 but over $1000.00.
You will be given written specifications to determine
your bid price. Your written response is then used
to determine the lowest, most responsive and responsible
bidder.
In some cases, purchases between $1000.00 and $50,000.00
may be handled by telephone quotes. The date, telephone
number and the name of the person giving the quote
are recorded and made a part of the file. A minimum
of three quotes are required for each purchase.
Emergency purchases are sometimes necessary due to
the breakdown of equipment or other unforeseen event
which may affect the operation of the County. When
this happens, the using Department is issued an Emergency
Purchase Order 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.
Vendor List
The Office of Purchasing maintains a vendor list by
specific category. Business firms on the vendors list
are notified that formal quotations or formal sealed
bids are being solicited for a commodity in which they
may be interested. To have your firm's name placed on
the vendors list, you need only tell us by mail, in
person, by telephone, or on-line via the Vendor Form;
we will need your name, address, telephone number, and
the type of commodity you sell.
Vendor Registration
The first step to do business with Escambia County
is to become a Registered Vendor. The Office of Purchasing
conducts a two-step registration process. Vendor Registration
requests basic information about your business that
the Office of Purchasing must have on file. You are
also asked to provide a written description of the
goods and services you can supply, which will be reviewed
by the Purchasing staff in order to identify the appropriate
commodity class listings to send you in the second
phase of the registration process.
Fill
out the Vendor Registration Form online Please fill out entirely or we cannot begin to process
The second part of Vendor Registration will be an
assignment of the 5-digit commodity codes within the
commodity classes identified by the Purchasing staff.
You will then have the opportunity to select the specific
commodity codes for registration based on the goods
and services you provide. Since the vendor notification
system utilized by the Office of Purchasing is commodity-driven,
the selection of the correct commodity codes is extremely
important.
Changes in Vendor Information - It is your responsibility
to contact the Office of Purchasing with subsequent
changes to be made to your vendor file, such as company
name, address, or the goods and services you are able
to provide. Requested changes must be stated in writing
and provided on official company letterhead. Bids
received with a different address than that on file
will not be considered an official change.
Purchasing Card
The county has adopted the Visa Purchasing Card Program
which allows the cardholder to purchase approved commodities
and services directly from the vendor that accepts
the Visa Card.
The Visa Purchasing Card may be utilized for single
purchase transaction (Not to Exceed $999.99).
Where is the Purchasing Deparment
Located?
All Purchasing
is handled through the Office of Purchasing located
at 213 Palafox Place, Pensacola, Florida in the Matt
Langley Bell, III Building downtown Pensacola next
to the Old Court House Building.
Specifications for formal sealed bids, formal quotations
and informal written quotations may be picked up in
the Office of Purchasing or we will be happy to mail
them to you. Business hours are 8:00AM to 5:00PM 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.
Driving
Directions
Local Vendors
Escambia County encourages the participation of local
vendors.
Minority/Women Business Enterprises
Escambia County Board of County Commissioners encourages
all segments of the business community to be participate in its purchasing program. To be certified as a Minority Business Enterprise with the County, please print the indicated
form, fill-in the appropriate blanks, sign, and mail
to:
Office of Human Resources
221 Palafox Place
Pensacola,
FL 32502
Attn: Paulette Stallworth
Phone: 850-595-4926
Qualifications of Bidders
Qualifications of Bidders are not reviewed prior
to placement on the bidder list, and placement on
the mailing list does not mean that the Office of
Purchasing considers your firm to be a "responsible"
bidder.
The Office of Purchasing, together with the using
Department, determines the necessary Qualifications
of Bidders for each project, and vendor "responsibility"
is reviewed on a bid by bid basis.
Where to Find Bid Information
You may learn of an Invitation for Bid or Request
for Proposal from the Advertisement in the Pensacola
News Journal, from Trade Associations or Bid Reporting
Services.
A listing of our Invitations for Bid and Requests
for Proposal are updated as required on this site.
Addenda to our Invitations for Bid and Requests for
Proposal are added as they occur. Notification of
posted awards and Master Term Contracts are updated
as they occur. On-Line Solicitations, Awarded Solicitations,
and Continuing Contracts can be found on this site.
Bid Openings
The bid opening is public and we invite the public
and those who have submitted bids to be present. This
permits those who have entered bids to become better
acquainted with our policies and procedures. The bids
are read aloud and are available for public inspection.
Taxes
The County is exempt from taxes imposed by State or
Federal Government. Tax exempt numbers are on the
face of each Purchase Order.
Shipping Point & Delivery
All Escambia County purchases are F.O.B. Destination
to a designated delivery point assigned on the Purchase
Order. The PO number should appear on the shipping
or delivery ticket and on packages or containers.
Code of Ethics
County employees may not accept personal gratuities
from the private sector or associate with the vendor
for personal gain.
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