Selling to the City

Purchases Over $25,000

Purchases over $25,000 are generally bid through the electronic sealed bid process. These bids are advertised and posted to the webpage at least 15 days prior to bid opening and the contract award must be approved by the Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Savannah. Bids are advertised in the Savannah News-Press, on the City’s Government Channel, and posted on the City’s website.

Pre-bid conferences are held for formal sealed bids to provide bidders with the opportunity to ask questions regarding the bid. The bid solicitation outlines the time and place for the pre-bid conference.

Electronic Bids

A public bid opening is required for formal sealed bids. Public bid openings are generally held on Tuesday at 1:30 pm in the Purchasing Conference Room on the third floor of City Hall on the date specified in the solicitation. Bids must be electronically submitted via the purchasing supplier portal prior to the 1:30 pm deadline in order to be accepted.

Annual Contracts

Annual contracts are used to purchase many goods and services which the City buys repetitively over the course of a year. Annual contracts are bid for estimated quantities of commodities, equipment, or services, at a firm price, for a specified period of time, usually one year with possible renewals. Awards are made to qualified single or multiple vendors who meet specifications and conditions. Estimated quantities are based on prior usage by City departments but are not guaranteed.

Purchases Under $25,000

Purchases under $25,000 are considered small purchases. Small purchases are handled using small quotes. A minimum of three vendors are contacted. Vendors should become familiar with the Buyers in the Purchasing Department who handle particular commodities and let them know what products you are interested in furnishing to the City. A list of Purchasing personnel, phone numbers and the commodities they handle is available on this web site.

Departmental Purchases

City departments have the authority to purchase up to $1000 using an agency purchase order. If you sell small dollar items which are not covered under an annual contract, you may be able to sell directly to a City department. Your first contact, however should be the City’s Purchasing Department who can advise how the City buys the item you are selling and who to contact.

Construction Services

Construction services are processed under the competitive bid process described earlier for purchases of $25,000 or more but cannot be submitted electronically. Construction bids must be submitted directly to the Purchasing Department Office at:

Physical Address
2 E. Bay Street, Third Floor
Savannah, GA 31401

Mailing Address
PO Box 1027
Savannah, GA 31402

Requirements

Construction contractors are required to post performance and payment bonds in an amount equal to the contract award unless the contract is under $100,000. Construction bidders are also generally required to post a 5% bid bond at the time of bid submission. Evidence of liability and workmen’s compensation insurance are also required after bid award. Any waiver of bonds will be noted clearly in the solicitation.

All construction contracts are bid through the City Purchasing Department. The same supplier registration process as previously described should be used to register to bid on construction services.