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1. I am confused that some of your solicitations are opened publicly and some are not. Is there a reason why?

Yes. The city primarily uses two types of solicitations to award contracts. The most common solicitation is the request for bid (RFB), also known as a "sealed bid." This solicitation is used when the city knows what goods or services are needed, and want to receive the best price. Vendors are asked to submit their best bid in a sealed envelope at a specified date and time, and are open to the public. For more information, please call the Purchasing Division at 770-794-5699.

2. What can I do if I feel an award has been improperly made as a result of a solicitation?

The city Purchasing regulations specifically address the protest procedures and time limits for filing a formal protest. The protest must be submitted to the assigned buyer within five working days of the notice of award. For more information, please call the Purchasing Division at 770-794-5699.

3. What does, "Award will be made to the lowest, responsive and responsible bidder" mean? Even if I am the lowest bidder, is it possible I may not be awarded the contract?

Yes. The statement means that the city plans to award the contract to the lowest bidder. However, the lowest bidder has to submit a responsive bid and be determined to be a responsible contractor. A responsive bid means your quoted price must be considered reasonable, and must meet the requirements of the solicitation. A price that is unreasonably low could be determined to be non-responsive, as well as failure to submit the required bonds or samples. For more information, please call the Purchasing Division at 770-794-5699.