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Doing Business With
The State of Tennessee
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I register
with the State and get on the Purchasing Division's bid list?
Each bidder is required to complete a bidder's
application form to register to do business with the State and get
on a specific bid list. Once your company is registered through the Purchasing
Division, your company is placed on the Tennessee On-Line Purchasing System
(TOPS), and is registered to do business with all state agencies for goods
and services. The bidder's application form is available from the Purchasing
Division, by contacting the bid officer at 615-741-6875.
2. I only want to do business
with a local state agency; do I have to register and get on a bid list?
Yes. The Purchasing Division website is where a bidder’s application is available which will place your company on our TOPS data base and allow you to do business with any state agency. Statute requires all vendors to register in order to do business with the state.
3. Does it cost anything to
register to bid with the state?
No.
4. How do I know if my company
has already registered with the state?
When you contact the bid officer or the Go DBE liason,
they will check the TOPS vendor data base and advise if your
company has previously registered. Additionally, they can identify active
bid lists (if any) for which your company is registered.
5. How can I get help in completing
the bidder's application form?
Our office will help you complete the application form; contact the
bid officer at 615-741-6875 or the GO DBE Liason at 615-741-4592.
6. If I am already registered,
but need to make minor changes in the previous information supplied (i.e.
address change, adding commodities), who do I contact?
Contact the bid officer to change or update information. Written confirmation
from your company is required.
7. After being placed on a
bid list will I receive an Invitation to Bid (ITB) for every purchase?
Due to the large number of vendors on individual bid lists and / or
the estimated amount of the purchase, it is often not practical to send
bids to every vendor on a bid list. The Tennessee Online Purchasing System
does allow for random computer selection of vendors. To encourage participation,
we give Certified Diversity businesses priority in the vendor selection
process. All sealed bids for the Purchasing Division are publicly posted
on our bid board which is located outside our office at the W.R. Snodgrass Tennessee Tower,
312 8th Ave. North, 3rd Floor and our website. Potential bidders may obtain a copy of any
ITB posted.
8. If I have a question about
a bid I received, whom do I call?
Contact the purchasing agent. The purchasing agent's name and telephone
number are listed on the face of each solicitation. Please refer to the
solicitation number and bid opening date, listed on the face of the ITB,
in order to identify the bid when you call.
9. If I respond to a sealed
bid, when is it due and how do I know what others bid?
All sealed bids are due at the time, date, and place specified on the
front page of the bid document. All bids are date- and time-stamped upon
receipt. All late bids are rejected. You may attend the bid opening where
bids are publicly opened and examined. If you are unable to attend the
bid opening you may view the bid tabulaton at our website after the
solicitation is awarded.
10. If I do not respond to
a bid will I be removed from the bid list?
If you do not respond to three consecutive bids for the same commodity,
the Tennessee Online Purchasing System will automatically remove you from
that specific commodity code (bid list). A letter will be mailed to your
company notifying you of this change.
11. How are bids awarded?
After the bid opening and tabulation, the buyer evaluates the bids received
to ensure compliance with the specifications, terms and conditions contained
in the bid document. Award is made to the lowest responsive and responsible
bidder whose bid meets the requirements and criteria set forth in the Invitation
to Bid.
12. How are procurements under
$5,000 handled?
Each agency is responsible for its local purchases not exceeding $5,000.
The agency procurement officer contacts the vendors directly to secure
informal bids. The agency utilizes the State's registered vendor data base
to assist in vendor selection.
13. How are procurements over
$5,000 handled?
Agency procurements which exceed $5,000 are competitively bid by the
Purchasing Division. However, agencies which have been granted delegated
purchasing authority (by commodity) by the Board of Standards will competitively
bid their procurements exceeding $5,000.
14. What is a Statewide Term
Contract (SWC)?
The Department of General Services is a service agency to all state
agencies. As part of their service, statewide contracts (SWC) are established
by the competitive sealed bid process for commodities or services that
are commonly used by all agencies. The contract requires the vendor to
supply the awarded items at the contract price to all state agencies regardless
of their location, unless otherwise stated in the ITB. The items, estimated
quantity (volume), and estimated expenditures of the contract are listed
on the ITB, and are based on the agency estimated consumption for a specified
period of time. The Purchasing Division does not guarantee that the state
will buy any or all estimated amounts of any specified item or any estimated
total expenditure amount.
15. How are awards for Statewide
Term Contracts issued?
The lowest responsive and responsible bidder whose bid meets the requirements
and criteria set forth in the ITB will be issued (by mail) a notice of
award for the item or items awarded. The notice of award is to establish
a source or sources of supply for the requested items. The state does guarantee
any purchase from any term contracts awarded. Agencies may issue purchase
order releases against a statewide contract. The purchase order release
authorizes the purchase from a term contract.
16. What is a cooperative
purchase?
A cooperative purchase allows the use of the contract to other specified
purchasers (Piggyback). At the time the Statewide Contract bid is submitted,
the bidder is to indicate in the space provided in the ITB, if they will
allow local government agencies or political subdivisions to purchase items
from the contract at the same price and contract terms and conditions.
There is no obligation for the local government agencies or political subdivisions
to utilize the contract. The volume and expenditure estimates contained
in the ITB do not include local government agencies or political subdivision
usage.
17. How do I get paid?
After successful performance or completion of the contract you must
invoice the agency. The invoice pricing must match the purchase order document.
The agency name and billing address is listed on the purchase order document.
After the agency processes the invoice, payment is issued by the Department
of Finance and Administration, Division of Accounts. Inquiries can be made
to the Division of Accounts for information on the electronic transfer
of funds. Payment is made within 45 days from the receipt and acceptance
of the goods or invoice (whichever is later).
These questions are provided for general information
purposes only. Nothing contained herein shall be construed to amend, modify,
override, or nullify any statute, rule, policy or procedure of the Department
of General Services, or the provision of any document used in any competitive
procurement.
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