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The Contracts and Procurement Division of the City of Topeka,
Kansas is responsible for the procurement of goods and services used by all
City Departments. It is the objective of the City to purchase the necessary
supplies, equipment, and services at the lowest possible cost consistent with
the quality needed to meet its requirements and to ensure that its citizens
receive the maximum value for each dollar expended.
The Procurement offices are open from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday through
Friday at City Hall, 215 SE 7th Street, Room 60-Basement, Topeka, Kansas 66603 . Visits by sales representatives are welcomed and encouraged. It is
recommended that visits be scheduled by telephoning for appointments in order
to more productively use the time of both buyers and salespersons. The
Contracts and Procurement Division telephone number is (785) 368-3749.
How To Become
Eligible To Sell To The City (NEW IRS W9 form
Must be used)
All vendors who are interested in doing business with the City of Topeka
should register with the Contracts and Procurement Division by completing and
submitting a Bidder's Application. Once your completed application has been
received, your company will be placed on the vendor's mailing list with an
indication of the products or services it provides. The vendor's mailing list
is consulted when a commodity or service is needed, and it is used for
notification of bid solicitations. Vendors may be removed from the vendor's
mailing list when they fail to perform in accordance with contract
provisions, or by submitting a written request to do so.
The Procurement
Process
The City of Topeka has a centralized purchasing function. The Contracts and
Procurement Division is the authority for all purchases. Vendors shall not
make sales to City employees without a properly authorized purchase order,
except as described below. The Contracts and Procurement Division uses five
basic types of procurement methods for the purchase of material, equipment,
and services.
The five methods
are:
 Small Dollar
Purchases
The Contracts and Procurement Division has delegated the authority to all
City departments to make direct purchases with a value of $999.99 or less.
This is accomplished by the use of a City of Topeka Procurement Card or Field
Purchase Order (FPO).
Open Market
Purchases
Purchases of less than $5,000.00 are obtained on the open market following a
formal request by a using department. Generally, these are one-time purchases
of a definite quantity of product or service. Buyers will consult the
vendor's mailing list and solicit quotations from qualified suppliers in
order to obtain competition consistent with the size and nature of the
purchase. A purchase order will be issued as the vendor's authorization to
provide a product or service.
Informal Purchases
All purchases that exceed $5,000.00 but not more than $50,000.00 are
accomplished after receipt of written, sealed quotations following at least
three days notice posted on a public bulletin board located at the entrance
of the Contracts and Procurement Division office. Informal purchases are
solicited by Requests for Quotation mailed to a minimum of three vendors from
the vendor mailing list.
Formal Purchases
Purchases in excess of $50,000.00 are obtained according to formal
competitive and sealed bid procedures. Formal bids will be solicited by an
Invitation for Bid (IFB) following advertisement in the official City
newspaper. This document will contain general conditions and instructions to
bidders, along with detailed specifications. Bids are opened and publicly
read at the time and date specified, and all interested parties are invited
to attend.
Non-Competitive Purchases
Certain circumstances exist which require purchases to be accomplished by
waiving competitive and sealed bid procedures. In such cases, the Contracts
and Procurement Division shall negotiate price, delivery, and other
contractual terms and conditions. An emergency is the most common situation
requiring non-competitive purchases. An emergency exists when circumstances
occur which create a threat to public health or safety, pose a risk to the
preservation or protection of property, or cause severe interference with the
provision of City services. In very rare instances, there may be only one
vendor able to furnish a certain item or service. The Contracts and
Procurement Division is responsible for making all such sole source
determinations.
Important Considerations For Bidders
Award Policy
Awards will be made to the lowest responsible bidder, taking into
consideration conformity with the specifications, terms of delivery, and
other conditions imposed in the Invitations for Bid or Requests for
Quotation. In cases where tie bids occur, preference will be given to bidders
located within the City limits. The City reserves the right to accept or
reject any and all bids and to determine the best bid. The Contracts and
Procurement Division may reject the bid of any bidder who has failed to
perform satisfactorily on a previous contract with the City.
Competition
It is the intent of the City that acquisitions be made under conditions that
allow for free and open competition. Bidders are encouraged to advise the
Contracts and Procurement Division whenever specifications do not comply with
standard trade practices or impose impractical or unreasonable requirements.
It is the City's policy to encourage the involvement of Disadvantaged
Business Enterprises (minority-owned and women-owned business) in contract
awards. DBEs are particularly invited to submit proposals to perform work for
the City of Topeka, either as a prime contractor or as a part of a joint
venture. Non-DBE firms are encouraged to arrange subcontracts or joint
ventures with DBEs prior to submission of their proposals.
Alternate Or
Equivalent Bids
Whenever the specifications of an article or material are defined by trade
name, brand name, or model and catalog number, the term "or equal,"
if not written, is implied. Any such reference to a particular manufacturer's
product is for the purpose of item identification and to establish standards
of performance, quality and features. Bids on equivalent items are invited.
Alternate bids may be submitted and, if deemed advantageous to the City,
evaluated and considered.
Intergovernmental
Cooperative Purchasing
The City may "piggyback" on contracts established by other
governmental jurisdictions when it is assured that competitive sealed bidding
has been employed. Vendors willing to extend to the City existing price
agreements with other governmental entities should notify the Contracts and
Procurement Division.
Conflict Of
Interest And Gratuities
It is the policy of the City of Topeka that its employees, officers, or
agents shall not have a financial or personal interest that would impair
their proper discharge of official duties. Any employee who knows that he or
she has an actual or potential conflict of interest shall disqualify himself
or herself from involvement in the procurement process. Soliciting or
accepting any gift, gratuity, favor, or kickback from any person who has or
is seeking to do business with the City is also prohibited. Gratuities shall
not mean pens, pencils, matchbooks, calendars, or other incidental novelty
items used for advertising purposes, or meals or other meeting-related
incidentals for the purpose of conducting or discussing official business.
Invoicing
In order to receive payment for goods or services furnished, the vendor must
submit an original invoice. Invoices must show the properly authorized
purchase order number; complete descriptions of the goods or services
furnished; quantity delivered; unit prices and extensions; applicable taxes;
and prompt payment discount terms, if any. Upon delivery, the City using
department will inspect and accept the goods or services and prepare a
receiving report acknowledging receipt for payment. To ensure timely payment,
all invoices shall be sent in duplicate to the user department.
Surplus Property
The Contracts and Procurement Division is responsible for the sale or
disposal of scrap material and surplus property, normally through auctions,
spot sales, or competitive bidding. Questions concerning surplus property
should be referred to the Procurement staff.
Contracting For
Professional Services
All contracts for professional and consulting services are procured through a
competitive selection process, except for contractual services where, in the
opinion of the Contracts and Procurement Division, no competition exists.
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