Procurement FAQ

Home > Procurement > Procurement FAQ Procurement FAQ Can I contact departments directly to sell my products/services? Vendors may contact other offices and departments; however, if there is an open solicitation that prohibits this contact, please refrain from doing so during the solicitation process. Does Ada County give preference to local companies? While there is an effort to utilize local vendors to the extent possible, there is no local preference law. Do you have any preferences or set-asides for minority or women-owned businesses? Ada County does not have preferences or set-asides for minority or women-owned businesses. Am I supposed to include State of Idaho sales tax in the Bid/RFP price? It depends on the project and the use. For most commodity type purchases, no. For mixed goods and services there might be. Please contact the State of Idaho Sales Tax Commission for more information. Do you have some type of list that I can register for to do business with Ada County? Vendors will want to be registered on Euna Procurement (formerly Bonfire) . Completing the registration does not guarantee business, or that the vendor will be contacted for future solicitation opportunities. Please visit Ada County’s Procurement Portal for current solicitations. How can I find out which services or commodities are currently available for bidding? Please visit our Ada County Procurement Portal . Can I be automatically notified of Bid opportunities or do I need to keep watching for legal notices in the newspaper? Yes, we recommend registering with our e-Procurement system, Euna Procurement (formerly Bonfire) , to receive notifications. We also post our legal notices on Ada County Procurement’s Legal Notices webpage as well as in the Idaho Press. Where do I send my bid? Bids must be submitted electronically through our e-Procurement site, Euna Procurement (formerly Bonfire) . Make sure to read the instructions in the project for information on how to submit a bid. How can I set up an office visit? Contact Ada County Procurement by phone at 208-287-7140 or e-mail. What is a Pre-Bid/Pre-Proposal Meeting? The pre-bid/pre-proposal meeting is a vendor’s opportunity to learn more about the project and ask questions pertaining to the administrative and technical requirements. Who must attend the Pre-Bid/Pre-Proposal Meeting if it is mandatory? Bidders or proposers who plan on submitting a response will need to have a representative of their company attend and sign in at the meeting. Bidders or proposers that do not attend, or do not sign in, and submit a response will be non-responsive. What about insurance requirements? Insurance requirements are listed in the bids and proposals within the agreement. Generally speaking, at minimum, Ada County requires $2M CGL, and Workers’ Compensation to statutory limits. What about Bid/Proposal Security requirements? There are times when a bid or proposal security is required. The security can be in the form of cash, cashier’s check, certified check, or security bond from a qualified surety company. How can I thank an employee of the Procurement Department for their help? If you would like to leave a comment to Ada County Procurement, please send us an e-mail . How often does the County hold auctions? Multiple times per year depending on the surplus available. The auctions are held either online or at a local auction house. Visit our Auctions webpage for current auction listings. Who has authority to sign contracts on behalf of Ada County Government? Only the Board of Ada County Commissioners has signing authority for the county. Does Ada County always award to the lowest bidder? Unless there is an issue with a low bid, Ada County always recommends awarding to the lowest bidder that meets the administrative and technical requirements. Do you always issue an award? In most cases, yes; however, the Board of Ada County Commissioners reserves the right to reject all bids or proposals. What types of Contracts do you use? In short it depends on the service or commodity. Generally speaking for all construction and most services it is a fixed price agreement. How do I submit a bid or proposal? The instructions in the bid or proposal packet will explain in detail the procedures. Are formal solicitation openings public? Yes, we encourage all participants to attend if they can. If not, audio recordings of openings can be accessed on the Ada County Commissioners Meeting Agenda webpage or a video version is available through the “Ada County, Idaho” YouTube channel. What if I make a mistake? Each case is likely different and handled on a case-by-case basis. I submitted a response to a solicitation but wasn’t successful. How can I get feedback on the submittal? Vendors may request a debrief from Procurement to learn more about how their bid or proposal fared. I just received a Purchase Order, what do I do now? The purchase order is our acceptance of your offer. Please proceed with fulfilling the order as described and deliver to the address on the P.O. What if I can’t ship the whole order? Contact the ordering office or department for further instructions. Some accept partial deliveries, others do not. What is the rule on personal gifts from vendors? Ada County Procurement will not accept gifts from vendors. Please do not send or drop off any. Generally, employees cannot accept gifts totaling over $50 in a given year. What are your normal business hours? Monday through Friday 8-5 p.m. excluding County holidays. May I visit County Procurement Staff? Yes, please call or e-mail to arrange a visit. Does Ada County charge fees for solicitation documents? No, they can be downloaded from the Ada County Procurement Portal free of charge. What if my bid is late? Late bids are non-responsive and will not be accepted. How can I obtain solicitation amendments? Amendments can be accessed via our bid website or if you are a registered document taker on the project you will be emailed the addendum. How can I obtain a list of plan holders? Plan holders for each bid or proposal are listed on our procurement portal under the bid or proposal project listing. How long does it take to award a contract resulting from a Bid/RFP? Informal Bids = 2 weeks Formal Bids = 1 month Proposals = 2 months Do I need to register my business with the County in order to submit a bid or proposal? Yes, on our Procurement Portal. Are there qualification requirements in order to submit a bid or proposal? There might be. The instructions to bidders/proposers will outline the process. What are the purchasing thresholds? $7,500 – $25,000 – 3 quotes $25,000 – $100,000 – Informal Quote Process $100,000 – $250,000 – Informal Bid Process $250,000+ – Formal Bid Process Public Works $100,000 – $250,000 – Informal Bid Process $250,000+ – Formal Bid Process Is parking available at Ada County Procurement? Yes, the east parking lot offers the first hour free. How can I get on the County's bid list for construction contracts? Please register for free on our e-Procurement system, Euna Procurement (formerly Bonfire) . Do I have to read the entire solicitation package, including all the attachments and fine print? Yes, read the solicitation documents thoroughly so you understand them and can comply with all the instructions and conditions. Improperly completed bids/proposals may be considered non-responsive. Please submit your bid/proposal well in advance of the deadline because late bids/proposals will be rejected. Who at Ada County is responsible for purchasing goods and services? Ada County has decentralized purchasing. Ada County Procurement is responsible for procuring all goods and services required by Ada County Government in excess of $7,500. Can I attend bid/proposal openings? Yes, at the dates and times noted in solicitations. The county will publicly open all timely bids/proposals at the following location: Board of Ada County Commissioners Ada County Courthouse 3rd Floor, Commissioners Conference Room 200 W. Front St. Boise, ID 83702 How can I obtain bid/proposal results? Bid and Proposal results may be obtained on Euna Procurement (formerly Bonfire) under the project listing’s Award Notice within Past Public Opportunities. What should I do if there is a change in my company’s status, such as a change in ownership, business name, address, contact information or Taxpayer Identification Number? Changes in your business could have an impact on our ability to pay your invoice and obligation to report information to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Please contact Clerk Auditor Recorder at 208-287-6840 . You may be asked to generate a new IRS Form W-9. When will my invoice be paid? Typically, invoices are paid Net 30. However, if you have questions regarding invoice payment please direct your inquiry to the Clerk Auditor Recorder at 208-287-6840 . Who should I contact at Ada County to obtain information concerning current contracts such as the expiration date and incumbent vendor? For information regarding current contracts, please refer to the public records request section on the website. Unable to find your question or answer here? Please email Procurement or call us 208-287-7140 .