Information from the Oconee County Vendor
Guide:
How
Does the Oconee County Procurement Buy?
Oconee
County Procurement Services buys almost
exclusively through a competitive process.
The techniques and procedures vary depending
on the nature of the materials or services to
be purchased, however all procedures for these
purchases are designed to encourage maximum
competition. Purchasing records are available
for public inspection at our office, upon
request. Where estimated costs are below
$10,000, bids may consist of telephone or
written quotations. Where estimated costs are
$10,000 and over, sealed bids are solicited.
Specific forms are supplied and must be used
and signed. Bids are due at a specified time
and place, date stamped, and the bids are
opened publicly.
Local
Vendor Preference
A local
preference credit of 5% for qualifying Oconee
County businesses will be permitted when
evaluating bids for supplies, equipment,
materials and personal services that are not a
part of a public project. Interested bidders
may contact the Procurement Office for details
on qualifying criteria.
What
the County Buys
The
County is responsible for:
-
Maintenance of buildings and facilities
which require janitorial supplies and
equipment, plumbing and electrical products,
lights and controls, HVAC equipment, office
machines and supplies, and filing, printing
and mailing equipment;
-
Offices which require furniture, computers
and related equipment, telecommunications
equipment, office machines and supplies, and
filing, printing and mailing equipment;
Institutions which require personal and
professional services, laboratory, and
medical supplies and equipment, clothing,
bedding, food and food processing items;
-
Parks
and grounds which require landscape
maintenance equipment, fencing, seed,
plantings, and fertilizer;
-
Car
and truck fleets which require fuel and
lubricants, replacement parts, tires,
batteries, and body and engine services;
-
Roads
and highways which require road materials,
signs, markers and heavy equipment;
-
Law
enforcement and public safety operations
which require communications equipment,
firearms and ammunition, fire apparatus,
rescue equipment, forensic investigation
supplies, emergency medical and safety
supplies;
-
Design and construction of buildings, roads,
and facilities which require architectural,
engineering and environmental services, and
construction services.
Some
Things to Know
Make
your sales investment wisely. Sometimes a
seller will devote considerable time and money
to presenting a product to an individual
County department in hopes of making a sale.
If you do this, remember that the purchase may
eventually be made by competitive bid. All
specifications are carefully reviewed by the
Procurement Office to eliminate undue
restrictions or other limitations
unnecessarily reducing competition. The
purchase will eventually be made from the
lowest responsible bidder meeting these
objective specifications and best value. Your
investment of time or other resources that you
provided the County department in developing
their purchase request cannot be considered in
the award. process.
What
We Need and Expect From our Suppliers
-
Dependable products, service, and delivery
-
Service work completed on schedule
-
Competitive pricing
-
Good
communication with buyers to keep them
informed on new products and changes within
the suppliers or contractors’ organizations
-
Opportunity for buyers to visit suppliers’
facilities to increase their knowledge of
products, personnel and operations
-
Suggestions for substituting products or
material of equal performance to reduce cost
-
Settlement of warranty claims on a timely
basis
Mission Statement
To
provide centralized, value based, efficient
purchasing services to all County departments
or the procurement of materials, equipment and
services of the best quality and price, from
the right source, and at the right time.
To
ensure purchasing policies and procedures are
followed to maintain consistency in
procurement practices and in compliance with
Federal, State and Local laws and regulations.
To
promote a competitive, fair, and impartial
environment throughout the vendor community.
Fair
Contracting Policy
Any
actual or prospective bidder or contractor who
is aggrieved in connection with the
solicitation or award of a contract may appeal
to the Board of Commissioners. All bids must
be made without any previous understanding,
agreement or connection with any person, firm
or corporation making a bid for the same
project and is in all respects fair, without
outside control, collusion, fraud or otherwise
illegal action. The County reserves the right
to take any action available if it discovers
inappropriate or illegal actions by a vendor,
including but not limited to, a determination
that the vendor should be declared
non-responsible and/or non-responsive, and/or
suspension or debarment of the vendor.
Ethical Standards
It is
the policy of Oconee County to promote
integrity and guard against even the
appearance of impropriety by prescribing the
following essential standards of ethical
conduct. County employees shall discharge
their duties impartially to assure fair
competitive access to governmental procurement
by responsible vendors, and to foster public
confidence in the integrity of the County
procurement system. County employees shall not
solicit, demand, accept or agree to accept a
gratuity or an offer of employment in
connection with any decision, approval,
disapproval, recommendation, or preparation of
any part of a program requirement
specification standard or contract. County
employees shall not participate directly or
indirectly in a procurement where there is an
actual or potential conflict of interest.
Back to Top
