1. Does the City buy what I sell?
2. How do I learn about current bids?
3. What City departments buy what I sell?
4. How do I make myself known to those departments and find out what goods or services are needed now, or in the near future?
5. How much of my products or services does the City buy?
6. What are examples of what the contracting departments purchase?
7. I want to do business with the City. How do I get started?
8. Are there forms to fill out?
9. How can I become certified as a Local Business Enterprise (LBE)?
1. Does the City buy what I sell?
We buy everything needed to run City departments, including: office supplies, medical and laboratory products, water and electrical distribution systems, wastewater treatment equipment, buses, streetcars, cable cars, and products used in the maintenance and construction of buildings, roads, parks and playgrounds.
To see what we buy the most, consult the list of OCA Term Contracts on OCA’s home page.
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2. How do I learn about current bids?
OCA’s citywide bid database
The City posts bids and RFPs on the Internet. Check the Bids and Contracts database. The database lists many upcoming purchases of products and services, as well as construction projects, architectural and engineering, professional services, and concessions, and leases.
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Does OCA’s bid database contain all City bids?
No. Although many City bids for construction, architectural and engineering, and professional services are posted in both OCA’s database and other departments’ databases, that does not happen all the time. To be certain you have not missed anything, you should check the other databases if you are interested in those types of bids.
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Does OCA’s bid database have complete bid packages?
Yes. At the bottom of the page you will see the list of attached files. For bids that are new that day, the files might not be attached until about 10 a.m.
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Can I get notified of particular types of bids?
Yes, via RSS feeds.
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How often are bids posted?
Throughout the day, and the City’s internal purchasing system posts bids overnight.
Sometimes. Typically, the results of construction bids are posted. If you are interested in other bids
Other departments’ bid databases
In addition to the main database managed by OCA/Purchasing, several departments maintain their own bid database. When they post a bid to their own database, they usually post a placeholder bid on the main database, pointing readers to the separate database. The other databases are linked to the departments’ home pages as follows:
|
Department
|
Home page
|
Click on
|
| Controller |
www.sfcontroller.org |
Information & Reports>Vendor Information |
| Port |
www.sfport.com |
Business > RFPs/RFQs |
| SFPUC, Water Department |
sfwater.org |
Contruction > Contracts and Bids |
| Department of Public Works |
sfdpw.org |
Projects > Contracts and Bids |
| Rec & Parks |
sfrecpark.org |
About Us - Contact Us > Partnership Opportunities |
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3. What City departments buy what I sell?
Under the City Charter and Administrative Code, several City departments have authority to sign their own contracts committing the City to a purchase. If you sell commodities or general services used by all City departments, OCA/Purchasing will solicit competitive bids and award the contract. For contracts under $10,000, all departments have the option to make purchases on their own.
If you are in construction or other architectural and engineering services, the bidding or proposal processes are conducted by, and the contracts are signed by, the following departments:
- San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
- Department of Public Works (DPW)
- Port
- Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA), which includes the Municipal Railway (MUNI)
- San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), which includes the Water Department and Hetch Hetchy
- Recreation and Parks Department (Rec & Parks).
If you provide professional services, such as management consulting, legal or medical services or information technology consulting, the City department that will receive the services handles the purchase. The contract is signed by OCA/Purchasing, but the departments generally conduct a Request for Proposal (RFP) process to select potential contractors.
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4. How do I make myself known to those departments and find out what goods or services are needed now or in the near future?
For Purchasing, call the Office’s main number at (415) 554-6743.
For the departments that do construction, see below:
Public Works
For information on upcoming contracts:
Chief, Bureau of Engineering (BOE) 415-558-4000
Chief, Bureau of Architecture (BOA) 415-557-4700
Superintendent, Bureau of Building Repair (BBR) 415-695-2014
For information on payments:
Accounting Division, DPW, 415-554-6410
For information on contract processing:
Contract Administration Division, DPW, 415-554-6229
Port of San Francisco
For information on upcoming construction contracts, including payments and contract processing:
Engineering Division, 415-274-0441 or 415-274-0400
For information on upcoming professional services contracts (both construction-related and non-construction-related) and contract processing:
Finance and Administration Division, 415-274-0442 or 415 274-0400
Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA)
MUNI payments:
Finance, 415-701-4619
Capital Programs and Construction
Construction, 415-701-4278
Professional Services, 415-701-4348
Other contracts (Ashish Patel) 415-701-4249
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC)
Contract Administration Bureau Webpage
Construction Contracts
Contract Administration, 415-551-4603 or QBD@sfwater.org
Professional Services Contracts
Contract Administration, 415) 551-4603 or RFP@sfwater.org
Invoice and Payment Processing, 415) 551-4550
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Construction and professional service contracts:
Facilities Operations and Maintenance Division, 650-821-7777
Planning, Design and Construction, 650-821-7799
Leases and professional service contracts:
Contract Administration Division, 650-821-7777
Invoice and payment processing:
Accounting 650-821-2861
Recreation and Parks Department (Rec & Parks)
Construction, planning and design contracts, 415-581-2544
Invoice and payment processing, 415-831-2719
Leases, concessions and permits, 415-831-2774
Misc. professional services contracts and contract admin., 415-831-2779
For other City departments, call each department directly. There are two sources for departmental phone numbers.
- First, you may consult the Government Pages of the San Francisco telephone directory.
- Second, City government phone numbers are posted on the Internet. Go to the City's main page: SFgov.org and under “Most Requested,” select “Phone Directory” from the pull-down menu.
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5. How much of my product or service does the City buy?
It is important to know whether the City buys a large amount of what you sell or only a little. Call OCA/Purchasing at (415) 554-6743 and talk to the buyer.
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6. What are examples of what the contracting departments purchase?
What the Office of Contract Administration buys
The following are examples of the types of products the City purchases. This is not a complete list.
- vehicles: cars, trucks, vans
- petroleum: fuel, lubricants
- office supplies
- printed forms, paper
- computer hardware and software
- food and food services, for hospitals and jails
- animal feed and supplies
- medical equipment and supplies, pharmaceuticals
- laboratory equipment and supplies
- castings
- chemicals
- institutional clothing and laundry service
- electrical supplies, lamps
- glass
- pipe, fittings, valves
- hardware, tools, locks, shovels, rakes, lumber
The following are examples of general services the City buys:
- janitorial
- security guard
- pest control
- landscaping
The items listed above are typical of those that are bid and awarded by OCA as Term Contracts. A term contract is a contract that can be used by one or more than one department. The Term Contract used by all departments is the contract for office supplies.
OCA posts a list of all Term Contracts on the OCA website, under Vendor Opportunities, Term Contracts.
OCA Term Contracts (Excel).
It is the monthly list of all active Term Contracts in place.
What the City’s construction departments contract for
The following are examples of construction services for which the City contracts:
- building
- street repair
- park and playground improvement
- utility systems and repair
The City’s construction departments are:
- San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
- Department of Public Works (DPW)
- Port
- Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA), which includes the Municipal Railway (MUNI)
- San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), which includes the Water Department and Hetch Hetchy
- Recreation and Parks Department (Rec & Parks).
What all departments contract for
The following are examples of professional services the City contracts for:
- management consulting
- accounting and auditing
- medical
- legal
- computer software design and consulting
- architecture and engineering
- facilities management
The departments that will receive the service usually conduct a Request-for-Proposal (RFP) process for these kinds of services. The contract is formally issued most often by OCA.
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7. I want to do business with the City. How do I get started?
After you have done the necessary research to determine that the City buys what you sell, and that it is worthwhile for you to become aware of upcoming bids, you need to get your company into the City’s vendor database. To do this, you must complete several forms, which you can download from the OCA website. In the “Information for Vendors and Contractors” area, click on “Required Vendor Forms.” Once you have submitted the Vendor Profile Application, your firm’s name will be on the City’s vendor file and available to departments seeking what you provide. However, you cannot depend on departments to notify you every time they need what you sell. It is important to check the “Bids and Contracts” database periodically tor keep informed. The database has RSS feeds to help keep you informed.
It is also important to know whether the City will seek bids for what you sell. The City’s general bidding threshold is $10,000. It means that if a department could order less than $10,000 of your product or service, it can do so without seeking bids, and that you need to make yourself known to the departments that might order from you. See section K below.
Please note that completing the Vendor Profile Application is not the same as getting certified as a Local Business Enterpriser (LBE). You must submit a separate LBE certification application to the Human Rights Commission (HRC).
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8. Are there forms to fill out?
Yes. Some forms are mandatory and some are optional. Please return to OCA's Home Page (http://sfgov.org/oca), and then click on “How to qualify to do business with the City".
You must get yourself into the City’s vendor file and you must provide your Federal Employer Identification Number.
You must submit two forms. First, the Controller’s “New Vendor Number Request” form. Second, the IRS form W-9, “Request for Taxpayer Number Identification and Verification,” which provides us with your taxpayer identification number.
Do you owe Business Tax?
The Business Tax Declaration (form P-25) is mandatory. The City uses this form to determine if vendors must register with the Tax Collector, and if so, whether they have. All vendors must sign this form, even if they are not located in San Francisco. Please note that all businesses (sole proprietorships, partnerships, or corporations) that qualify as “doing business in San Francisco” must register with the Tax Collector’s Office, Taxpayer Assistance, located in City Hall, Room 140. Or you may call (415) 554-4400. On the Net, visit the office’s home page: http://www.sftreasurer.org. In the “Business zone” pull-down menu at the top, select “Business registration.”
Compliance form for the City’s Administrative Code Chapter 12B, Nondiscrimination in Contracts and benefits
The Chapter 12B Declaration: Nondiscrimination in Contracts and benefits (form HRC-12B-101) is mandatory. With this form, you tell the City whether your personnel policies meet the City’s requirements for nondiscrimination against protected classes of people, and in the provision of benefits between employees with spouses and employees with domestic partners. Your submission will not be considered complete if it does not include the additional documentation asked for on the form.
Depending on your answers on the Chapter 12B Declaration, you may need to fill out one or two other forms. The first is the Reasonable Measures Application (form HRC-12B- 102). If you have taken all reasonable measures to end discrimination in benefits, have been unable to do so, and plan to offer your employees a cash equivalent, you should use this form to request HRC approval to comply in this way. If HRC approves this form and related documentation, then your company can be placed in compliance with Chapter 12B. The second optional form is the Substantial Compliance Authorization (form HRC-12B-103). If you intend to comply completely with Chapter 12B, but need additional time to do so due to certain specified reasons (such as, you could not change your benefits program in time for the most recent open enrollment period), you should complete this form to document the reasons why you cannot comply now. If HRC approves this form and related documentation, then your company can be placed in compliance with Chapter 12B on a provisional basis, until you are able to complete the compliance process.
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9. How can I become certified as a Local Business Enterprise (LBE)?
If you wish to claim the LBE bid discount, you must be certified by the bid opening date (see Chapter 6). To do that, you must submit an HRC form, “Application for San Francisco Local Business Enterprise Certification.” Click here to get to the LBE section within City Administrator's Contract Monitoring Division.
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