COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT FOR PERSONAL SERVICES

• Seeking competition is always recommended, though not required for this dollar range.
  
  
• Telephone calls can be made to firms or individuals describing the services desired and requesting price, schedule, and qualifications to perform.
  
  
• Written contract is entered into upon selection of contractor, regardless of dollar amount.
  
  
• Sign contract and begin work.

• Prepare written document to include, at a minimum: description of services required, project schedule, request for consultant's qualifications, request for costs or fees, and due date for responses.
  
  
• Send to a minimum of three firms or individuals. May be faxed or e-mailed and responses may be faxed or e-mailed back to agency to expedite processing.
  
  
• Evaluate responses and make award decision.
  
  
• Negotiate contract.
  
  
• Document for the file: names of firms solicited; copy of solicitation document; copy of bids received; basis for award decision; and copy of the contract.
  
  
• Sign contract and begin work.

• Prepare formal solicitation document, e.g., Request for Proposals (RFP) or Request for Qualifications/Quotations (RFQQ). Include all requirements in order for proposers to understand what the agency needs and how the agency will evaluate responses.
  
  
• Publish legal notice in major daily newspaper in Washington State to notify firms of upcoming solicitation, or post on the Washington Electronic Business Solutions (WEBS) Bid Posting and Vendor Notification System. Develop mailing list from firms responding to notice, internal agency listings, and so on.
  
  
• Post solicitation document on agency website (optional).
  
  
• Develop score sheets for use by evaluators.
  
  
• Issue RFP or RFQQ to a minimum of six firms/businesses. Agencies may also just send a notification to six or more businesses that the solicitation document is posted on their web site and can be accessed there. If fewer than six firms are contacted, document this information in the file and state the reason why.
  
  
• Conduct a pre-proposal conference if required in RFP or RFQQ, and issue addendum.
  
  
• Provide answers to bidders' questions via addenda to all who receive the RFP or RFQQ. Or advise those who download the RFP or RFQQ from the web site to check back for any addenda that may be posted.
  
  
• Date and time stamp proposals received by the due date. Electronic proposals will have the date and time automatically noted.
  
  
• Evaluate proposals strictly against criteria set forth in the RFP or RFQQ and score. Must use a minimum of 3 evaluators for scoring and score proposals using score sheets. Tabulate scores and determine ranking of proposers.
  
  
• Schedule and conduct oral interviews of top finalists, if desired.
  
  
• Determine final scoring and select apparent successful contractor.
  
  
• Notify successful and unsuccessful firms.
  
  
• Negotiate contract with apparent successful contractor.
  
  
• Conduct debriefing conferences with unsuccessful proposers, if requested.
  
  
• File contract with OFM. See Notes.

1. Institutions of higher education will need to file only if the contract contains 20K or more in state funds.
   
   
2. Competitively bid contracts for the following contracting categories are subject to approval by OFM and the ten-working day filing period before the contractor can begin work. Other competitively awarded categories of contracts may be effective the date filed with OFM and work may begin then.

CA - Management/ Organizational Services
CG - Marketing
CH - Communication Services
CJ - Employee Training
CK - Employee Recruiting Services

• Sign contract (contingent upon OFM approval for those contracts subject to OFM approval.)
  
  
• Begin contract work.