Working Together: Volusia County & Our Vendors

Doing Business with Volusia County – Workshops March 3 & 4, 2015 1 4/27/2020

COMMUNICATION

Communication is the key to success. You may ask where do I start?

Who do I call?

www.volusia.org/purchasing Doing Business with Volusia County – Workshops March 3 & 4, 2015 2 4/27/2020

Purchasing & Contracts

Jeaniene Jennings, CPPO, CPPB

Director of PURCHASING & CONTRACTS

Denise Lewis

Sr. Staff Assistant

Vikky Bertling

Staff Assistant I

Pam Wilsky, CPPB

Procurement Manager TECHNICAL SERVICES

Ronald Falanga

Procurement Analyst II

Inga Fegley, CPPB

Procurement Analyst II

Tabatha Freedman, MBA, CPPO, CPPB

Procurement Analyst II

John Duckworth

Procurement Analyst I

Vlad Opreanu, CPPB

Procurement Analyst I Doing Business with Volusia County – Workshops March 3 & 4, 2015

Shaira Resto, MBA, CPPB, FCCM

Procurement Manager CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

Becki Bishop, C.P.M.

Procurement Analyst II

Jennifer Ditslear, MBA, CPPB

Procurement Analyst II

Andrew Kokitus, MBA

Procurement Analyst I

Kathy Williams, MBA, CPPO, CPPB

Procurement Analyst II

Norma Rosales

Office Assistant IV 3 4/27/2020

Who Are You?

You are an essential element in meeting Volusia County’s needs.

We recognize that without YOU, we could not meet the needs of our citizens.

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How Do I Get Started?

• • • • Registering with the County is an excellent first step. The County now has a Vendor Self Service program (VSS) www.volusia.org/purchasing .

If you have registered with the County in the past, it is important to visit the VSS site to activate and update information.

At this time registration is not required to bid, and it is not a guarantee of work, but it’s the best way we’ve found to get the word out to potential vendors. It is the vendors’ responsibility to update all information relating to their company (address, contact, remittance, and commodity codes).

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Vendor Requirements

• • • • • Proper Professional Licenses.

Business Tax Receipt (if a Volusia County business or if local preference applies).

Insurance - specific to each solicitation.

Bonds, if required.

Registered as a vendor in the State of Florida through Sunbiz (www.sunbiz.org).

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Insurance

Each vendor must have the capability of obtaining insurance as required in the solicitation. The county does not require any vendor to purchase additional insurance as a requisite to submit a bid/proposal. Vendors must simply show the ability to obtain insurance levels as required and be able to furnish proof of insurance once a recommendation of award is made.

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What does the County Buy?

The County has issued an average of 185 solicitations annually for goods and services. The solicitations are outlined on the next slides showing the delineation of solicitations for technology items, consultants, construction, services and commodities.

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Breakdown of solicitations

• • • Commodities

66%

(such as aggregates, janitorial supplies, auto parts, office supplies, maintenance parts).

Construction / A&E Consulting -

24%

(such as roofing, road projects, trails, and vertical construction).

Services -

10%

(Technology and software, commercial leasing, studies, community assistance).

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Solicitations

• RFQ: Request for Quotation • ITB: Invitation to Bid • RFP: Request for Proposals • RSQ: Request for Statement of Qualification (Professional Services) Doing Business with Volusia County – Workshops March 3 & 4, 2015 10 4/27/2020

Request for Quotation

• Can be formal or informal, depending upon the complexity of the project. Less than $25,000 is more

in

formal.

• If it exceeds $25,000 but is less than $50,000, or it is a complex project, it will be quoted by Purchasing & Contracts.

• Awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder (including local preference).

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Invitation to Bid

• Always a formal process requiring sealed bids by a specified date and time.

• Utilized when we know exactly what we need (e.g.: generators, aggregates, chairs, auto parts.) • Always awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder (including local preference).

• Evaluated by Staff.

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Request for Proposals

• Always a formal process requiring sealed proposals by a specified date and time.

• Utilized when we know where we want to end up, but not how to get there - a

solution or services contracts.

ex. ERP system, parking systems, trash collection.

• Awarded to the top ranked firm based on the evaluation criteria published in the RFP.

• For this solicitation an evaluation committee made up of County staff is utilized to recommend a choice to the County Council.

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Request for Statement of Qualifications

• The preferred solicitation method used to procure professional services based on qualifications.

• Price may be a factor in selecting the most qualified consultant. (e.g.: Auditors, Appraisers, Consultants -

not CCNA

).

• Awarded to the top ranked firm or firms through an evaluation process.

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Request for Statement of Qualifications

• Professional Service procured under the Consultant’s Competitive Negotiation Act (CCNA, FS 287.055).

• Utilized for procuring professional architectural, engineering, landscape architectural, surveying, and mapping services.

• Selection is based on qualifications and experience only.

• Awarded to the top ranked firm or firms through a two-step evaluation process.

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Tips on responding to a

• • • • • •

solicitation

Read the documents carefully.

Talk to your insurance agent about the cost to meet the requirements.

If an attorney will be involved in contracting, may be a good idea to have them review prior.

Attend the pre-bid meetings.

Ask questions for clarification - submit proposal prior to closing.

Give yourself plenty of time for review, and to react to any addenda issued. Do not wait until the last minute to complete the submittal package.

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Tips…

continued

• • Make sure all documents that require a signature are signed by an someone authorized to sign for the company.

Volusia County has a local preference policy, which means that if you are a vendor located in Volusia, Seminole, Lake, Orange or Osceola County, you can receive a 3% bid preference. If there is a subcontracting element that meets the “local” definition, an additional 2% bid preference. Supplemental documentation will be required to obtain this preference.

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Do Not Be Late!

• All Formal Solicitations must be received by the Closing Time listed.

• Late Bids/ Proposals…

WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED!

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Going to Council

Any purchase for goods or services that exceeds a cumulative value of over $50,000.00 must have approval from the Volusia County Council.

Items of this nature are generally heard as part of the Consent Agenda at each County Council meeting.

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Did you know?

• All submittals are considered a public record under the Florida Sunshine Law.

• The opening of all solicitations is done in a public forum. Except for construction projects, per Florida Statute, pricing will not be disclosed at time of the opening.

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Do I Need a Purchase Order?

A payment vehicle IS required in order to receive Payment:  Purchase Orders are primarily used for one-time purchases for a specific quantity and specific delivery.

 Master Agreements are primarily used for indefinite quantities with multiple delivery requirements.

All purchases over $3,000.

00 require competition

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How Do I Get Paid?

• An invoice with the P.O., M.A., or Contract number must be sent to the ordering division for approval. • The division will check for accuracy and forward to Accounting for payment.

• The County’s standard terms are Net 45 days, FOB Destination, freight allowed.

• Construction projects are per Florida Statute.

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I have a contract… what’s next?

• • • • Upon award of a contract, or agreement the vendor will work directly with the project manager of that department.

All issues or concerns shall be addressed through the project manager.

Understand the terms of your contract, and follow the contract.

If there is a breakdown with project manager and vendor, call you procurement analyst.

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Contracting Authority



What is it?

The authority to commit the County to a contract or agreement.



Who has it?

ALL contracts and/or agreements requiring a signature MUST go through Purchasing & Contracts.

NO EXCEPTIONS

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•

FAQ’s

The School Board is a separate entity with its own Purchasing division.

• It is OK to approach the individual departments prior to a solicitation being issued.

• Collaboration as a prime and subcontractor is encouraged, collusion is not and is illegal.

• I am a small company, how can I compete? There are many small companies that do business with the County very successfully.

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FAQ’s ...

Cont.

• The County does have a procurement card program for small non-recurring purchases; please let departments know if you can accept.

• Check your math; a mathematical error may deem your hard work non-responsive.

• The County allows other municipalities to piggyback off our contracts with the permission of the vendor.

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Overcome the FEAR FACTOR!

• • Submitting a Solicitation is not that hard. Let us assist you.

Attend pre-bid meetings when offered.

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Communication is key!

• Don’t let this be you. Ask for help!

• Visit www.volusia.org/purchasing Doing Business with Volusia County – Workshops March 3 & 4, 2015 28 4/27/2020

Go Team!

• • • Remember, we are BOTH part of a Team and we are here to help you.

We

can’t be successful if

you

successful.

are not Communication is KEY!

Working Together, Volusia County and Our Vendors

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Resources

• www.volusia.org/purchasing • www.volusia.org/bidlist • www.sunbiz.org Doing Business with Volusia County – Workshops March 3 & 4, 2015 30 4/27/2020

Questions & Answers

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