The City of Palm Coast Budget and Procurement Office oversees procurement and is located in the City Hall, 160 Lake Avenue, Palm Coast, FL 32164. The division is under the direction of Gwen Ragsdale, Budget & Procurement Manager(GRagsdale@palmcoastgov.com).
The Budget and Procurement Office, which is part of the Finance Department, is responsible for overseeing a decentralized procurement process that ensures competitive bidding in accordance with the City's purchasing policy, state statute and best practices. In coordination with all City departments, staff manages all formal solicitations, prepares and executes contracts, and oversees the vendor registration process.
For questions regarding procurement, please email purchasing@palmcoastgov.com.
Notice of Special Meetings
The City of Palm Coast Review Committee meetings will be held in the City Council Conference Room at the City Hall, 160 Lake Avenue, Palm Coast, FL 32164 for the purpose of ranking and/or short-listing responses to Requests for Proposals, Requests for Qualifications, and Letters of Interest. The meeting date and time will be noted under the solicitation on the City's website.
For questions, please call 386-986-3730 or e-mail purchasing@palmcoastgov.com.
Becoming a Vendor
For questions about becoming a vendor for the City, please call 386-986-3730 or e-mail purchasing@palmcoastgov.com.
Vendor Registration
Procurement Procedures and Guidelines
Bid Process
The City of Palm Coast's procurement portal enables the City to accept and evaluate bids/proposals electronically. You must be registered on the procurement portal in order to download any solicitation documentation. Register & view public opportunities here: https://palmcoastgov.bonfirehub.com/portal
Important Note: Paper submissions will not be accepted. All proposals must be submitted electronically through the procurement portal.
Quote Process
The City of Palm Coast, Florida uses the GovQuote web tool to secure QUOTES for goods and services. This site is NOT used for bids, only for the collection of quotes for goods and services. Please register to ensure you receive notification for all requests for quotes at: https://www.govquote.us. Registration and use of GovQuote is a free service to secure quotes that do not require a Formal Quote or Bid Process.
Local Bid Preference Policy
The City has a Local Bid Preference Policy designed to aid local vendors. The Policy allows Local Vendors to be awarded a solicitation if their cost to the City is within 3% - 5% (depending on amount) up to total of $20,000.
Preference is given first to a vendor/contractor with a business address located within the City of Palm Coast. If no vendors/contractors with a local business address respond to a solicitation, preference is then given to vendors/contractors with a business address located within Flagler County.
Competitive Sealed Bid/Proposal/Qualification Process
- Bid documents are prepared.
- Project is advertised and posted on the City's website
- A pre-bid conference is held (when necessary)
- Bid submittals are due through the Procurement Portal in accordance with the bid documents
- Bids are publicly opened and read by the Procurement staff
- Bid submittals are reviewed and selection is made.
- Award of the selected submittal is recommended to the City Council for their approval
- Contract agreement is sent to the vendor/contractor for signature and to provide the appropriate bonding and insurance information.
- Once signed by all appropriate parties, contract is officially executed
- Notice to Proceed (NTP) and purchase order is issued to the vendor/contractor to begin the work
Do's and Don'ts for Doing Business with the City of Palm Coast
Do's
- Submit all necessary documents requested in the Required Submittals packet (particularly signed and dated addenda)
- Carefully review and sign all required forms (unsigned forms may render the submittal non-responsive)
- Submit all responses on time (allow enough time for the submittal to arrive at the designated City location)
- When bidding alternates, bid only those alternates equal to the item specified
- All submittals get scanned and become public record – please feel free to review your competitors' submittals
- Fill all orders received on a timely basis and as specified
- If you are experiencing problems providing goods/services, advise the user department immediately of said problems so that a mutually agreeable solution can be worked out
- Timely submit invoices that contain all of the information necessary for Accounts Payable to expeditiously process payment
Don'ts
- Don't contact any member of the City Council, City Manager, or City staff members, other than the noted contact person(s), prior to the City Council having voted on the solicitation response
- Don't provide goods/services without a bona fide Purchase Order from the City
- Don't respond to solicitations for which your company cannot provide the required goods/services
- Don't respond to solicitations for which your company cannot obtain the required insurance or bond(s)
- Don't qualify a solicitation in a manner contrary to the terms and conditions of the solicitation (i.e. if an ITB specifies a one year contract period, don't bid on a six month period)
- Don't supply misleading delivery information
- Don't ask to change your prices after a submittal has been opened by the City
- Don't submit your response late or ask to have a late submittal accepted
- Don't omit required information
- Don't use correction fluid (if need be, cross out and initial, in ink, any changes on the required forms)
- Don't price items using units of measure contrary to the units of measures stipulated in the solicitation (i.e. if an ITB requires that you bid discount percentages, don't bid unit prices)
- Don't offer gifts - "No City of Palm Coast official or employee may accept any gift or gifts in connection with their service or employment to the City of Palm Coast."
The City of Palm Coast invites you to bid on its projects and looks forward to doing business with your company.
Palm Coast, FL 32164