1. Invitation for Bid Goods and services. Formal solicitation with specifications. Award to low responsive, responsible bidder. May include options to renew, price adjustments.

2. Request for Proposal Not for routine goods and services, but allowed. More complex acquisitions. Evaluate and award on a points matrix Cost………………....... 25 points Experience…………….... 25 points Delivery / completion……..30 points Training……………………20 points Total

3. RFP Evaluation Suggest minimum of three on panel; Purchasing, operating dept., other dept. Individuals evaluate, total scores. Skewed scores merit discussion. May award on first evaluation.

4. RFP Evaluation / Negotiation If many offerors, pick top 3 – 5 and request Best and Final Offer (BAFO). Negotiate with top rated offeror. Everything is negotiable. Negotiations successful? Award. Not successful? Try next best vendor.

5. Request for Qualifications and Experience (aka SOQs) Generally for Professional Services: Engineers, architects, financial service providers, medical personnel, clergy, surveyors, auditors, computer, Attorneys? Seeking best qualified and experienced for the task. Select best qualified / experienced, then negotiate cost. Negotiations successful? Award. Not successful? Try next best provider.

6. Direct Select Method Generally for consultants and professional service providers. Allowed in COC Ordinance # 287, App. A Generally a good practice for low cost projects, to achieve standardization, avoid re-learning a project. Suggest competition for lower cost on large projects.

7. Request for Information Does not result in an award. Enables City to gather industry expertise. May become basis for a future bid specification or Scope of Work. Generates industry interest. Industry is usually happy to cooperate. Free, valuable advice!

8. Local Vendor Preference Previously declared unconstitutional in Arizona courts. AZ Attorney General on school districts: violates affirmative duty to get the best return for public funds Federal Guidelines (Circular A-102) prohibit preference using grant funds.

9. Local Vendor Preference Alternatives: Vendor outreach program. Generate local interest. Require at least two local vendor quotes. City of Goodyear approach: consider sales tax in total of vendors bid. Not a preference, but a consideration of total cost and best value. Preference Pitfalls: may discourage competitive bids. may result in higher bids. may frustrate staff.

10. Cooperative Purchasing Savings generated via volume buying power. Save by avoiding the advertisement, bid, evaluation, award process. Create faster delivery for customers. Many local, state and national co-ops available: SPO, ADOT, Mohave, GPPCS, U.S. Communities, NACO, BuyBoard, HGAC, TCPN, 1122 Federal program (PD and emergency equip.) May also co-op with other entities if agreement has co-op language and similar acquisition. Be a lead agency on cooperative purchases.

11. Questions? Robert.Combs@chandleraz.gov 480-782-2403