The regulations of the CPA govern all state procurement. However, the CPA delegates authority to state agencies to make certain purchases. The OAG uses the methods described below to acquire goods and services, depending on the total anticipated cost of an order and the type of items being requested.

CPA Term Contracts

The CPA establishes term contracts for specific goods and services based on the overall needs of the state. Agencies must purchase these goods and services from the term contracts whenever the items meet their functional requirements. However, agencies may obtain orders below specified dollar amounts ("spot option limits") from sources other than the contract vendor.

Delegated Purchases

The methods and bidding requirements outlined below apply to purchases that have been delegated to state agencies by the CPA. These are the minimum bidding requirements needed to satisfy CPA rules and procedures.

Open Market Purchases

For commodity purchases over $25,000.00 and service purchases over $100,000.00, the agency prepares and sends specifications to the CPA. The CPA is responsible for advertising, evaluating and awarding all Open Market procurements, since authority to make purchases at this level has not been delegated to agencies. However, upon review of specifications, CPA has the option of granting authority to an agency on a case-by-case basis.

  • Call and Order
    Goods and Services $ 0.01 - $5,000.00
    For small purchases that do not require competitive bidding, an authorized individual within OAG Procurement Division may issue a purchase order after obtaining pricing from a single vendor.
  • Informal Competitive Bid
    Goods and Services $5,000.01 - $10,000.00
    OAG purchasers solicit a minimum of three informal bids from prospective vendors by telephone or with an informal pricing request. Two of the three bids must be sought from HUBs. The purchaser tabulates responses and awards the order to the vendor that offers the best value to the agency.
  • Formal Competitive (Sealed) Bid
    Goods $10,000.01 - $25,000.00 / Services $10,000.01 - $100,000.00
    For goods or services estimated to exceed $10,000, the OAG issues detailed written specifications, known as an Invitation for Bid (IFB). Vendors must prepare and return bid responses to OAG Procurement Division by a specified day and time.

For purchases up to $25,000.00, purchasers must issue the IFB to a minimum of three vendors. Two of the three bids must be solicited from Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUBs). For services anticipated to cost between $25,000.01 and $100,000.00, bids must be solicited from all eligible bidders listed under the appropriate commodity code on the Centralized Master Bidders List (CMBL). Purchases in excess of $25,000 must also be posted on the Electronic State Business Daily.

Bid openings are open to the public and bid responses will be read aloud, if requested. After evaluating the bids received, the purchaser will make an award to the bidder whose response represents the best value to the OAG. All IFB responses become public record following the award.