Purchasing Policies – Doing Business With

COUNTY BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS:
PURCHASING POLICIES

The following Purchasing policies represent the basic intentions and goals of the County and the basic procurement standards by which the County operates. These policies have been prepared to provide information and direction to our vendors.

The Purchasing Policy Manual is currently being revised. The revision will be available at a later date. Thank you for your patience.

A-0000
Foreward

A-0100
Authority – Government Code

A-0200
Authority – County Code

A-0300
Departmental Authority

A-0350
Code/Guidelines for Ethical Conduct Procurement
Decision Making Personnel

A-0400
Definitions

P-0100
Antitrust/Unfair Competition Violtions

P-0200
Badges

P-0300
Bid List Maintenance

P-0400
Cancellation of Requisition

P-0600
Documentation

P-0800
Negotiated Purchase Transactions –
Documentation Form

P-0900
Emergency Purchases

P-1050
Purchase Of Environmentally
Preferable Products (“Green Purchasing”)

P-1100
Escalator Clauses

P-1200
Most Favored Nations –
Price Guarantee Provisions

P-1300
Inspection of Public Records

P-1400
Insurance Requirements

P-1500
Late Bids

P-1700
Lost or Stolen Vendor Owned Property

P-1800
Non-Exclusive Negotiated Agreements

P-1900
Vizient Agreements

P-2000
Pre-Payment To Vendors

P-2100
Price List Agreements

P-2200
Printing – Personalized Stationery

P-2300
Processing Time For Requisitions

P-2400
Proposition “A” Contracts

P-2500
Purchases from County Employees

P-2600
Purchases from State CMAS Contracts

P-2700
Purchase Methods

P-2710
Purchase of Fixed Assets in
Excess of $250,000 (Unit Cost)

P-2800
Purchase Order

P-2810
State “Cal – Card” Credit Card

P-2850
State “Voyager” Fuel Credit Cards

P-2900
Public Works

P-3000
Reimbursement for Damage to Employee’s Personal Property

P-3100
Rent/Lease vs. Lease/Purchase of Equipment

P-3200
Request for Proposal

P-3300
Return of Bid Samples

P-3400
Safety Recall of Defective Equipment/Material Purchases

P-3500
Safety Requirements – Cal/OSHA – Electrical

P-3600
Purchase Orders for Services

P-3700
Sole Source Purchases

P-3800
Standardization

P-3900
Surplus Property Disposal Program

P-4000
Surety Bonds

P-4100
Testing of Chemical Products

P-4200
Training

P-4300
Trade-ins

P-4400
Vendor Performance

P-4500
Vendor Printed Forms(Agreements)

P-4600
Vendor Demonstrations, and No-Cost Service or Equipment Proposals/Offers

P-4700
Simplified Acquisition Process

PP-0400
Rejection of Low Bid

PP-0510
Bid Solicitation by Client Departments

PP-0520
Bids – Formal

PP-0521
Bids – Informal

PP-0530
Bid Amendments/Extensions

PP-0580
Bid Referral Letter

PP-0600
Blanket Purchase Orders

PP-0900
Change Order/Supplement or Reduction of Purchase Order

PP-1000
Cancer Causing Chemicals (Carcinogens)

PP-1100
Retroactive Purchase Orders – Prohibited

PP-1200
Consulting Services

PP-1300
Consumption Information

PP-1400
Delinquent Deliveries

PP-1500
Do Not Substitute Requests

PP-1600
Engraving

PP-1700
Evaluating Price

PP-1800
Agreement Extensions

PP-1900
Holiday Items

PP-2000
Local Small Business Preference Program

PP-2100
Market Test (Survey)

PP-2300
Printing

PP-2400
Printing of Public Information Brochures

PP-2500
Rebates/Coupons/Premiums/Incentives

PP-2700
Freight and Shipping Instructions

PP-2900
Claim Letter

PP-3210
Return for Credit

M-1000
Specifications

M-1100
Bid/Vendor Protest

M-1200
Sales or Use Tax

M-1310
Agreement Standards and Pricing Principles

M-1400
Software Upgrades, Maintenance and Support

M-1500
Cash Discounts

M-1700
Bid Sheets

M-1800
Competitive Negotiations

M-1900
Items Exempt From Sole Source Documentation

M-2000
Tie Bids

M-2100
Community Business Enterprise & Small Business

M-2200
Child Support Compliance Program

M-2300
Greater Avenues to Independence (GAIN)

Definitions

The following terms are commonly used in the Purchasing and Contracting process:

Addendum

A written document attached or added to a solicitation after it has been released, to clarify, modify, or support the information in the original document. An addendum becomes part of the solicitation document.

Amendment

A change to a contract made by adding, modifying, or omitting a certain provision or term. Amended contracts, when properly executed (signed by all parties concerned), retain the legal validity of the original contract.

Bid

A document submitted by a Bidder in response to an Invitation for Bids or Request for Bids.

Bidder

One who responds to a solicitation with a bid.

Board of Supervisors

The five-member governing body of the County of Los Angeles.

Cash Discount

An allowance or deduction granted by the vendor that reduces the price of goods received. This is typically used as an incentive to pay an invoice within a specific time frame.

Commodity

A commercial article (goods).

Conference, Bidders'/Proposers

An open forum for vendors to receive clarification on the points outlined in the solicitation and ask questions concerning the solicitation.

Contract/Agreement

A legal, binding document between the County and a vendor as a result of a solicitation process. A contract may also result by a sole source determination.

Contractor

A vendor with whom the County has entered into a contractual relationship.

County

The County of Los Angeles.

Department

The departments, commissions, or committees under the jurisdiction of the County of Los Angeles.

Director

The department head.

Evaluation

The process by which the County reviews and analyzes bids/proposals in comparison to established criteria and which result in the recommended selection of a contractor.

Invitation for Bids (IFB)/Request for Bids (RFB)

A solicitation based on a very specific and non-negotiable statement of work. Contract award is made to the lowest most responsible and responsive bidder.

Job Walk/Site Visit

An on-site visit by potential bidders/proposers to a location to observe the operation, layout of a facility, a system or equipment.

Living Wage

A program that requires contractors to pay its full-time employees, who provide Proposition A and Cafeteria services to the County, the applicable living wage pursuant to Los Angeles County Code, Chapter 2.201.

Master Agreement

A legal, binding document between the County and a contractor as a result of a Request for Statement of Qualifications solicitation process. The Terms and Conditions of a Master Agreement are not negotiable.

Non-responsibility

Finding a vendor incapable of performing as a responsible County contractor, based on performance history or other relevant documentation.

Non-responsive

The failure of a vendor to comply with all solicitation requirements making the Proposal/Bid/SOQ ineligible for consideration during the evaluation/review process.

Oral Interview

An interview between the Evaluation Committee and the Proposer to clarify the contents of the proposal or to conduct a product demonstration.

Proposal

A document submitted by a Proposer in response to a Request for Proposals. A Proposal provides services and/or solutions to an identified need at a particular price under given Terms and Conditions.

Proposer(s)

One who responds to a solicitation with a proposal.

Proposition A

Contracts subject to Los Angeles County Code, Chapter 2.121, which permits contracting when more economical or feasible.

Quotation

A statement of price, terms of sale, and description of goods or services offered by a vendor to the County.

Request for Information

A market survey used to solicit information and/or interest level from potential vendors, gather information on new developments/ technology in certain industries, and/or identify project price estimates for budgeting purposes. An RFI does not result in contract award.

Request for Proposal (RFP)

Solicitation based on proposed solutions in response to a defined need of the County. Contract recommended for award to the proposer who submits the proposal deemed to be in the overall best interest of the County (generally the highest-ranking proposer).

Request for Statement of Qualifications (RFSQ)

Solicitation based on establishing a pool of pre-qualified contractors to provide services on an as needed basis through Master Agreements.

Responsible

A bidder/proposer that has conducted themselves in an acceptable manner as determined by the Board of Supervisors (see County Code 2.202.030), and has the financial and managerial ability to perform the required work.

Responsive

Vendor who submits a bid/proposal to the County that complies with all solicitation requirements.

Service

Work activity performed by a vendor to fulfill the needs of the County.

Solicitation Document

A document developed by the County to obtain bids, proposals, and other information from bidders/proposers.

Statement of Qualifications (SOQ)

A document submitted by a vendor in response to a Request for Statement of Qualifications. SOQs provide information on the vendor’s background, experience, and financial capability in order to qualify for a Master Agreement.

Statement of Work (SOW)

A detailed statement of the services being provided or requested.

Submission Deadline

The time and date specified by the County for receipt of bids/proposals.

Vendor

An organization/company submitting a bid or proposal in response to the County's solicitation for goods and/or services.

WebVen

The County’s database and website, hosted by the Internal Services Department, used by vendors to register to do business with the County of Los Angeles.

Work Order

A document, which includes a Statement of Work, requesting bids for specific services from a pre-qualified pool of contractors that have Master Agreements. An executed Work Order becomes part of the Master Agreement.

VENDOR REGISTRATION

MANAGE YOUR VENDOR ACCOUNT

VENDOR PROGRAMS

SOLICITATIONS AND CONTRACTS

POLICIES AND TERMS & CONDITIONS

MASTER AGREEMENTS

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

DEPARTMENT CONTACTS

COUNTY BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS:
PURCHASING POLICIES

DISABLED VETERAN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

COMMUNITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISE

LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE

HOSPITAL EQUIPMENT

WHAT WE BUY

WHO BUYS IT

AUTOMOBILES AND SUPPLIES

WHAT WE BUY

WHO BUYS IT

CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS

WHAT WE BUY

WHO BUYS IT

FOOD

WHAT WE BUY

WHO BUYS IT

COMPUTER EQUIPMENT

WHAT WE BUY

WHO BUYS IT

FURNITURE

WHAT WE BUY

WHO BUYS IT

COUNTY BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS: PURCHASING POLICIES

COUNTY BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS:
PURCHASING POLICIES