We appreciate your interest in doing business with the City of Bellingham, Washington.
We hope you will find this guide helpful in your business experience with the city. We
strive to obtain the best quality, service, and price, while promoting good relationships,
which are beneficial to the City and its suppliers. Should you have any questions or
require additional information, please contact us at the email address or telephone
number provided.
- Facilitate the timely procurement of the right goods, at the right price, at the right time, and in the right way to ensure City procurements are conducted in a legal, fair, open and competitive manner
- Achieve maximum value for dollar spent
- Provides fair and equal access for suppliers interested in doing business with us
- Provides a level of fiscal control by issuing Purchase Orders and City Contracts
- Ensures conditions of City purchase orders and City contracts are met by suppliers
performing under those conditions
The City of Bellingham Purchasing & Contracts office is comprised of the Purchasing
Manager, three Buyers, and three Contracts Specialists. The office is located at 210
Lottie Street, Bellingham, WA 98225.
Telephone number: 360-778-7750
Email: bids@cob.org
The Purchasing & Contracts office hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding City holidays. Suppliers are encouraged to schedule appointments. You may schedule an appointment by calling 360-778-7750.
Suppliers are encouraged to forward product and service literature to the City of Bellingham, Attn: Purchasing, 210 Lottie Street, Bellingham, WA 98225, or emailing bids@cob.org
Please make the Purchasing & Contracts office your first contact. If consultation with other departments is desired, Purchasing will arrange interviews between the supplier’s representatives and other City departments. No one else outside the Purchasing office can issue a city purchase order to purchase equipment and/or supplies over $10,000. Do not deliver any equipment and/or supplies without a purchase order number or city contract.
On the City’s bidding website cob.procureware.com, suppliers can register for automatic notification of bid/quote offerings. Suppliers are strongly encouraged to check the “Current Opportunities” section on a regular basis for opportunities to provide bids or quotes to the City.
The City of Bellingham purchasing activity is divided into three categories:
- Public Works Projects
- Services (Professional and Non-professional)
- Materials, Supplies & Equipment
Public Work is all work, construction, alteration, repair or improvement that the city
performs. Public Work examples, but is not limited to:
- Demolition
- Remodeling
- Renovation
- Maintenance
- Painting
- Road Construction
- Utilities Construction
- Offsite prefabrication of ducts, liners and certain steel products
- Production and delivery of sand, gravel, rock, concrete, and asphalt
The City uses written contracts to secure public works. One alternative to the formal bid process used by the city is called the Small Works Roster process. This may be used for Public Work projects up to $350,000.00. The process is the same as the formal bid process other than there is no advertisement
required or Council approval and only suppliers on the small works roster are eligible to
bid on the project.
The City of Bellingham uses the Municipal Research Services Center (MRSC) shared small works and consultant services rosters. To be eligible to work on small public work projects or on-call consultant services with the City of Bellingham, please register your company at www.mrscrosters.org. Questions on the new roster? Call 206-625-1300 or email mrscrosters@mrscrosters.org. Questions for Purchasing at the City of Bellingham? Call 360-778-7750.
Another alternate contracting method the city uses is Job Order Contracting (JOC). A Job Order Contract is a competitively bid, fixed price, multi-year construction contract based on established or published unit prices via a unit price book (UPB) or a price list with a multiplier (termed coefficient) applied to the unit prices. The unit prices are used to price construction tasks associated with the scope of work. The contract is an IDIQ or indefinite delivery indefinite quantity contract for on-call construction services. The
contract serves as an umbrella contract with a potential maximum amount of work over a specified term such as annual or multi-year term.
This City has selected one general contractor to perform this work, who is then required to subcontract 90% of the work performed.
Suppliers are required to be licensed by the State of Washington and provide references.
Prevailing Wages: Chapter 39.12 RCW is the Washington Public Works Act. This law requires workers be paid certain hourly wages for all public work and public service maintenance contracts, no matter what the dollar amount.
Procurement of services is accomplished by the solicitation of proposals. A Request for Proposal (RFP) and sometimes a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) is conducted.
City departments may use an on-call service roster (see above for shared services roster) for specific types of services.
Requests for Proposals for services may be published in the Bellingham Herald and posted on the City’s website. Publication may also be made in out-of-town or out-of-state publications and/or trade journals. Services costing less than $10,000.00 require only one written quote/proposal. Service contracts are required for all services.
Living wage: The City has a living wage program that requires certain services to be paid at a pre-determined hourly wage established by the City. Criteria for the program are:
- Contract must be for more than $10,000 in a twelve (12) – month period.
- Employees must be full time and must be over the age of 17.
- Employees must be non-union
- Contractor must have 4 or more employees
- Contractor must have been in business for more than one year. Non-profit organizations are excluded.
- Must be in one of the following categories:
- Automotive repair and maintenance
- Facility and building maintenance
- Janitorial and custodial
- Landscaping
- Laundry
- Office & clerical
- Parking lot management
- Pest control services
- Recreation
- Resident & day shelter
- Security services
- Shuttle transportation
- Street & sidewalk cleaning
- Towing
The City of Bellingham purchases a wide variety of equipment and supplies every year. Among the items purchased are:
- Vehicles-cars and trucks
- Computer hardware
- Software
- Weapons
- Ammunition
- Fire Hose
- Office Equipment
- Communications Equipment
- Furniture
- Traffic Signs
- Audio/Visual Equipment
- Lawn Maintenance Equipment
- Chemicals
- Carpet
- Window coverings
- Copiers
- Hand Tools
- Power Tools
- Law Enforcement Equipment
- Books
The following methods of purchasing are utilized:
- Purchases under $10,000.00 City Departments are authorized to make purchases of goods up to $10,000.00 without a purchase order. Purchases of services typically require a city contract. No competitive bidding is required. The supplier should verify the person’s employment with the City by identification card or phone call to the employee’s department. Equipment and/or supplies must be picked up by the employee or delivered to a City facility or work site and employee’s name and department must appear on the invoice. Please note that employees using City-issued procurement cards or using Petty Cash may make some purchases in this method.
- Purchases between $10,000.00 and $45,000 typically require three (3) written quotes/proposals.
- Purchases of $45,000 may require sealed bids Any purchase estimated to exceed $45,000.00 is typically formally bid. Bid information is posted on the City’s official website. The bids are advertised in the Bellingham Herald newspaper and, possibly, other publications. A formal bid date and time is established. Purchasing staff conducts a public opening of the bids. City Council approves contract award for any public work valued at this dollar threshold
All purchases over $10,000 charged to the City require issuance of a purchase order or city contract. If an individual calls and attempts to place an order over $10,000, you are cautioned to request an authorized purchase order or city contract and obtain the name and department of the individual. Invoices over $10,000 must cite the purchase order number or city contract number. A purchase order or city contract is your assurance that you will be paid.
Exception: There may be times during an emergency when an order must be placed after normal business hours or on weekends. Be assured that true emergency purchases at such times without purchase order numbers will be approved. You must obtain the individual’s name and department and request identification if the order is placed in person. Department personnel are instructed to obtain a purchase order from the Purchasing office the following workday. The employee who places the order will send you an authorized purchase order or city contract as soon as possible.
Written specifications are used in the bidding process to describe the required level of quality, quantity, delivery, and scope of work. A bid form will accompany the specifications outlining certain terms and conditions governing City purchases. Specifications prepared by City departments are reviewed by Purchasing to address/reduce undue restrictions and other limitations, which unnecessarily limit
competition. The purchase is awarded to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder meeting the specifications.
Suppliers may expend considerable time and money presenting a product or service to an individual City department in the hopes of being awarded a contract. Remember the purchase will likely be made by competitive bid, and the cost for design, demonstrations and layouts will not guarantee an order. Any assistance a supplier offers a department in developing specifications cannot be considered when the City makes the purchase. If you are called upon to provide expensive pre-bid services, you should consider contracting separately
Bids and proposals will contain detailed terms and conditions, along with special terms and conditions pertaining to the specific bid or proposal. Suppliers are advised to carefully read and understand the terms and conditions. Contact the Purchasing Office for questions and clarification.
Shipment is to be made to the City of Bellingham Freight on Board (F.O.B.) Destination. Requirements for delivery are specified on all quotes, bids, and purchase orders. Failure to meet the specified date may cause cancellation of the order. Variations from the specifications may make a shipment subject to rejection. Please contact the Purchasing Office with questions
Quote and bid results are matters of public record. Quote and bid information can be obtained by accessing the City’s website.
A purchase order or city issued contract represents the City’s contract with the supplier. Any changes to the purchase order or city contract are not valid unless the city approves the change in writing.
The City requires a supplier to provide an invoice. The purchase order number of city contract number must appear on all invoices, shipping tags, and all correspondence relevant to the order.
Payment is made after delivery and acceptance of the equipment and/or supplies as specified on the purchase order or city contract. Unless otherwise specified on the purchase order or city contract, invoices should be submitted to the department requesting the item.
Questions regarding payment should be made to the department requesting the item. You will need to reference the purchase order or city contract and invoice numbers when calling with questions.
In all instances in which supplier personnel enter City property to repair, install, service, construct, consult, etc., the City requires a certificate of insurance verifying coverage per City insurance requirements. Whenever insurance is required, the supplier will be notified of the requirements for coverage. Contact the City of Bellingham Legal Department if you need further information on insurance requirements.
Suppliers located in the City of Bellingham, performing services within the city limits, or delivering products are required to have a city business license. You can obtain your business license at BLS@dor.wa.gov. or contact the City of Bellingham Finance Department at 360-778-8010
The City maintains a strict policy prohibiting employees from accepting gifts and/or gratuities from any supplier or potential supplier. Suppliers are requested to cooperate by not making offers of gifts and/or gratuities to employees.
- Prior to submitting a bid, carefully read all the bid/quote specifications, including the terms and conditions and instructions to bidders.
- Include everything that is required in your bid/quote package. Examples are descriptive literature, cost worksheets, delivery schedules, bonds, etc.
- Mail or deliver your bid sufficiently in advance of the bid closing date and time to ensure timely receipt. Bids received after the closing date and time will not be opened or considered. The City is not responsible for US mail, UPS, FedEx, etc. deliveries.
- If you are awarded a contract, be certain that you comply with all City contracting requirements.
We look forward to doing business with you. We are interested in your thoughts and concerns about the City’s purchasing process. Supplier feedback is valued. Please feel free to write or call with your comments or questions. When we conduct business with you, it is our desire to conclude each transaction in a respectful, fair, and professional manner. We hope this guide has helped you to better understand the City’s procurement processes.
Contacts
Public Works
Purchasing Main Office
210 Lottie St
Bellingham, WA 98225
Phone: (360) 778-7750
Fax: (360) 778-7701
Email: bids@cob.org
Map
Hours:
7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Mon – Fri
