Administrative Procedures

Quotations, Invitations for Sealed Bids, and Requests for Proposals

1. Purpose

To address requirements for Quotations, Invitations for Sealed Bids, and Request for Proposals.

2. Scope

This procedure applies to all KCTCS employees.

3. General

3.1

This procedure addresses all purchases with the exception of small purchase authority or a Personal Service Contract.

1. Small Purchase Authority:
   1. Purchases below $30,000 may be made within small purchase authority.
      1. Purchases for like items from suppliers with a system-wide total accumulated spend greater than $30,000 are not considered small purchases.
   2. Reference Business Procedure 5.4.12-P for Personal Service Contracts.

3.2

KCTCS Office of Procurement to Payment Services maintains a source list of suppliers that have applied to receive notice of opportunities to bid.

1. The source list includes information regarding diverse suppliers.
2. These suppliers are to be reviewed and included in procurement opportunities, whenever possible.

4. Procedure

4.1.

Request for Quotation:

1. Purchases with an estimated cost exceeding $30,000, but less than $40,000, shall request a minimum of three (3) formal quotes from qualified suppliers.
   1. Unless the purchase is covered by an existing price contract, special purchase authority, or an exemption is granted by KCTCS Office of Procurement to Payment Services.

4.2.

Invitation for Sealed Bids:

1. Purchases with an estimated cost exceeding $40,000 will have a formal Invitation for Sealed Bid published and distributed.
   1. Suppliers from the KCTCS Source List shall be reviewed and included whenever possible.
   2. If there are less than ten (10) applicable suppliers included on the source list, the procurement officer may identify other potential suppliers.
2. KCTCS Office of Procurement to Payment Services will give appropriate public notice of invitations for sealed bids.
   1. Invitations for sealed bids will be opened at a specific time, stated in the bid document, not less than 7 days from the issue date or the last addendum.
   2. Adequate public notice will include publishing notice on the KCTCS Procurement to Payment Services website, and may include other facets of advertising, as approved by the KCTCS Procurement Supervisor.

4.3.

Request for Proposals:

1. Contracts with anticipated total dollar amount exceeding $40,000 per fiscal year shall be solicited through the Request for Proposal process when, per discretion of the KCTCS Procurement Supervisor, the complex nature or technical details of the project cannot be fairly prepared for solicitation through an Invitation for Sealed Bids.
   1. The Request for Proposal shall describe, at a minimum:
      1. Services required.
      2. Type of information and data required of each offeror.
      3. Relative importance of particular qualifications.
   2. KCTCS Office of Procurement to Payment Services will distribute the Request for Proposals and give adequate public notice of the need for services.
      1. Adequate public notice will include placing a notice on the KCTCS Procurement to Payment Services website, and may include other facets of advertising, as approved by the KCTCS Procurement Supervisor.
      2. The notice will contain:
         1. A brief description of services requested. 
         2. Estimated amount of work involved. 
         3. Name of the person to contact in order to obtain additional information. 
         4. Copy of the Request for Proposal.
   3. Upon receipt of responses, the KCTCS Office of Procurement to Payment Services may conduct discussions with any offeror submitting a proposal to determine the offeror's qualifications for further consideration.
      1. Discussions shall not disclose information derived from another offeror's proposal.
      2. If discussions are conducted with offerors for purposes other than to secure qualification information, the same discussions shall be conducted with all offerors. 
   4. The procurement officer will appoint a proposal evaluation committee from KCTCS representatives recommended by the business unit requesting the services and others, at the officer’s discretion.
      1. The evaluation committee members will be required to sign a confidentiality statement to participate in the review.
      2. The procurement officer and the assigned evaluation committee will review the proposals received and record written determinations of the qualification rankings of the offerors based on the evaluation factors included in the Request for Proposal.
      3. KCTCS Office of Procurement to Payment Services will maintain written determination of the Request for Proposal.
   5. After determining the best qualified of all offerors, the KCTCS Office of Procurement to Payment Services may negotiate a fair and reasonable compensation with the selected offeror.
      1. If compensation cannot be agreed upon with the best-qualified offeror, negotiations may be conducted with other offeror(s) in the order of their respective qualification ranking.
   6. After selecting the contractor, KCTCS Office of Procurement to Payment Services will generate a contract including all agreed upon terms and conditions.

4.4.

Exceptions to Bid Requirements:

1. Request for purchases which stipulate a single/sole source purchase or does not allow for substitution may be considered as an exception to bidding. 
   1. Statements including these stipulations should be written and sent to the KCTCS Office of Procurement to Payment Services referencing the requisition. 
   2. The KCTCS Director of Procurement to Payment Services, or his/her designee, will make a final determination on approvals for sole source exceptions.