Preparing & Submitting a Bid or Proposal

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Submitting a bid

General guidelines on how to prepare and submit a bid:

  1. Find an opportunity that seems right for your business. For an overview of the opportunity, click the link under Number.

  2. The overview providers a few more details, including important dates. Use the "Click Here" link to find the bidding documents to view.

  3. Each Invitation for Bids has a section called Instructions to Bidders; read carefully and follow all instructions. Closely read the Scope of Work and other solicitation requirements.

  4. Register as a plan holder for the solicitation (PDF) to ensure you receive the current bid information and addenda.

  5. Attend the pre-bid meeting.

  6. Submit any questions in writing by the date and methods specified in the solicitation – typically questions must be submitted in writing no later than 10 days prior to the advertised date for receipt of bids.

  7. Review and acknowledge all addenda before submitting your bid, make sure your bid responds to any changes.

  8. Complete and include all required forms. Failure to submit a properly completed form may result in no further consideration of the bid by the Council. Every bid is different, and the required forms change. Reading the bid documents carefully is important. Examples of forms:

  9. Sign the bid form manually in ink.

  10. Bids must be placed in a sealed, opaque envelope.

  11. Submit your bid on time. Submittals after the stated close date and time in the solicitation document will be returned unopened.

  12. Immediately following the time and date for receipt of bids, the bids will be publicly opened.

  13. Complete and include all required post bid forms within 7 calendar days after the request is made. Examples:

    • Subcontractor Information Form: List all subcontractors, successful and unsuccessful, who submitted bids or quotes to you for this project.

    • Disclosure and Certification Regarding Conflict of Interest (first-tier subcontractors)

  14. The Council may request additional information to demonstrate the bidder, proposed subcontractors and proposed suppliers have adequate experience, have successfully completed work like the types of work required, have adequate resources, and are otherwise sufficiently responsible to complete the work.

Contracts will be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder as confirmed by due diligence conducted by the Council.

Submitting a proposal

General guidelines on how to prepare and submit a proposal:

  1. Carefully read the Request for Proposal (RFP). including all applicable schedules, clauses and attachments. The solicitation is designed to provide proposing vendors with all the information needed to write a successful proposal.

  2. Before developing your proposal, make sure you can comply with all the requirements and can perform the work.

  3. Register as a plan holder for the solicitation (PDF) to ensure you receive the current proposal information and addenda.

  4. Attend the pre-proposal meeting.

  5. Submit any questions in writing by the date and methods specified in the solicitation.

  6. A good proposal clearly explains how it meets the technical requirements and demonstrates it is the best solution for the Council. Differentiate your proposal from your competitors’. General marketing and sales literature may detract from your proposed solution. Your proposal should be creative, not appear as a “canned” response. An Evaluation Panel will review, analyze, and evaluate all proposals based on the Evaluation Criteria that is published in the RFP.

  7. The order of your proposal contents should follow the order of the requirements in the RFP. This allows the evaluators to know that you have addressed all aspects of the RFP requirements.

  8. Review all addenda before submitting your proposal. Make sure your proposal responds to any changes.

  9. Acknowledge receipt of all addenda.

  10. Complete and include all required forms. Failure to submit a properly completed form may result in no further consideration of the proposal by the Council. Every RFP is different, and the required forms change. Reading the proposal documents carefully is important. Examples of forms:

  11. Submit your proposal on time. Submittals after the stated close date and time in the solicitation document will be returned unopened.

  12. During the proposal evaluation stage, you may be asked to clarify your proposal, and enter into negotiations.

  13. Depending on the nature of the services being purchased, proposing firms need to be prepared for the potential for interviews, site visits and demonstrations.

Contracts will be awarded to the to the proposer whose proposal is most advantageous to the Council based upon cost and other factors as confirmed by the Evaluation Panel and the due diligence conducted by the Council.