Sec. 14.27.03.06. Source Selection

A. The Service may use the following procurement methods:

(1) Competitive sealed bidding;

(2) Competitive proposals;

(3) Negotiated award after unsatisfactory competitive sealed bidding;

(4) Intergovernmental cooperative purchasing;

(5) Sole source procurement; and

(6) Emergency source selection.

B. Prequalification.

(1) The Service may require that respondents be prequalified before receipt of bids or proposals.

(2) If the Service determines that respondents shall be prequalified, then the Service shall establish reasonable prequalification criteria. The criteria shall be clearly set forth in a request for qualifications.

(3) The Service may require that architectural or engineering respondents submit U.S. Government Standard Form 330, Architect/Engineer and Related Services Questionnaire (SF-330), in order to be prequalified.

C. Notice of Solicitation.

(1) The Service shall distribute solicitation notices in a reasonable manner sufficient to provide general notice to potential respondents. The Service shall issue solicitation notices in a reasonable time in advance of the date responses are due. The Service may charge reasonable fees for the solicitation documents.

(2) For a procurement estimated to exceed $25,000, the Service shall publish notice of the solicitation in an appropriate publication at least 10 days before the date bids or proposals are due.

D. Small Procurement.

(1) For a procurement estimated to be equal to or less than $5,000, the Service may solicit any number of bids or offers orally, and the Service may enter into either written or oral contracts.

(2) For a procurement estimated to exceed $5,000 and be less than or equal to $15,000, the Service shall, when practical, obtain two or more verbal bids or offers.

(3) For a procurement estimated to exceed $15,000 and be less than or equal to $25,000, the Service shall, when practical, obtain two or more written bids or offers.

(4) In determining whether it is practical to obtain multiple bids or offers the Service may consider factors such as availability of vendors, dollar value of the procurement, cost of administering the procurement, and time available to make the procurement including delivery time.