Vendor guide power point master

Vendor Guide to Doing Business
with
Miami Dade County
Prepared By

What We Will Cover…
• 1. Introduction
• 2. Getting Started
• 3. Vendor Enrollment
• 4. Vendor Registration
• 5. BidSync
• 6. Procurement Processes
• 7. Getting Paid
• 8. Marketing Your Contract
• 9. Frequently Asked Questions and Myths
• 10. Getting More Help

1. Introduction
• State and local governments in the United States spent close to $3 trillion on goods and services
last year, the U.S. Federal government spent about $250 billion. Miami Dade County manages in
excess of 1,300 active contracts valued at approximately $4.9 billion. Each year they negotiate
and award new contracts that exceed $900 million.
• Miami Dade County currently has approximately 70 annual contracts in place for uniforms,
apparel and textiles, such as sheets, blankets, towels and other related items. These have an
estimated value of $45,000,000. The largest contract value is $12,900,000 and the smallest is
valued at $7,600.
• With such wide ranges in mind, there is a large opportunity for bidders of all sizes to meet the
financial, technical, and production capabilities necessary to perform these contracts, on a case
by case basis.
• Miami Dade County is always looking for qualified new vendors to compete for County business
This guide will take you through the steps of how to do business, assist you with finding bid
opportunities and get you on the way to becoming a successful vendor with Miami Dade County.
• The Procurement Management Services Division is a Division of the Internal Services
Department of Miami Dade County. They are located at 111 NW 1st Street, 13th Floor, Miami,
Florida, 33128. Their main phone number is # 305-375-5289. DPMdept@miamidade.gov. Miriam
Singer, Director.
• The information contained in this manual is provided for general informational purposes only.
Nothing contained herein shall be construed to modify, amend, override, or nullify any statute,
policy, or procedure of Miami Dade County or the State of Florida, or any specific provision of any
given solicitation used in any competitive procurement.

2. Getting Started
• Understanding how to successfully become a supplier/vendor for local
governments in the United States can be quite confusing. There are a lot of
rules and regulations, and understanding why and how decisions are made
is important to your success.
• This guide is designed to encourage potential supplier/vendors to form
profitable partnerships with Miami Dade County.
• What is Procurement? Procurement is simply government’s word for
purchasing or buying goods and services. While textbooks have been
written on the subject, the bottom line is, governments have been charged
with the responsibility to get the best value, when spending public money, in
a way that is fair and transparent for everybody. There are state, federal and
local rules, laws and standards of practice that all need to apply to each
purchase. Higher dollar values create more complex processes in order to
purchase. Lower dollar values can sometimes be purchased by getting
three quotes from vendors.

3. Vendor Enrollment
www.miamidade.gov/dpmww/enroll.aspx
• In order for Miami Dade County to know that your company is
interested in doing business with them, you need to enroll first.
• Enroll online as a County vendor today for immediate notification of
business opportunities in the area(s) that you have identified in your
enrollment application. Go to the website above and the following
form will appear.
• Note: *Fields marked with an asterisk are required. There is a slight
problem with this requirement on the application that Miami Dade is
aware of…if you Are selecting a Country from the drop down menu,
you will still only be able to select states in the United States. While
they are working on correcting that, you should select Florida from
the States and enter 12345 as the zip code.

Adding Commodity Codes…
• You must select at least one (1) commodity code, but you can select
as many as you want. Remember that for everyone that you select,
Miami Dade County will notify you about bidding opportunities, so
while it seems like a good idea to select all possible commodities,
remember that you will get many more emails than you may want.
• To Add a New Commodity
Enter your search criteria which will best describe the products
and/or services you provide. You can enter more than one word and
even the Commodity Codes, if you are familiar with them. By
selecting "Matches on any word", those commodities that have at
least one of your words/codes in their description will be displayed
for you in a selection box. If you select "Matches on all words",
those commodities which contain all the words/codes you provide
will be displayed for you.

Adding Commodity Codes Continued:
• By clicking on the "Find Commodities" button,
you will be provided with a list of commodities
which match your request. When you see a
commodity that you want to select, double click
on it and it will be added to your commodity code
list. If you click on the "Display All Commodities"
button, you will be provided with the entire list of
commodities, regardless of your request. By
clicking the "Return/Done" button, you will exit
this page and return to your form.

Adding Commodity Codes Continued:
• If you have already added a specific commodity
to your list and you select it again, a note will
pop up to say, “this commodity is already
selected.” Remember, you can always add or
delete commodities at any time.
• It’s time to click “submit” at the bottom of the
page. It will ask you to verify your information. If
the information is correct, click “Submit” at the
bottom, if you still want to make changes, click
“return.”

After you click the “submit” button, you will get the
following message:
• You will be receiving an email with your system
generated Enrollment Number and Password.
This will confirm your enrollment, so please keep
this information in a safe place.
•
If you do not receive an email with your system
generated Enrollment Number and Password
please contact the Vendor Information Center
(VIC) at 305-375-5773.

Within a very short time you will then receive the following email:
• Thank you for enrolling with Miami-Dade County! Enrollment functions as a
"mailing list" that allows us to send you announcements via e-mail for
possible business that coincides with the products and services your
company provides. Please see note below regarding registration, which is
the next step in the process.
If you would like to change any of your Enrollment information, you must use
the enrollment number and password below and log onto:
https://www.miamidade.gov/DPMww/Inter_Logon.aspx
Your enrollment number is: XXXXX
Your password is: XXXXXXX

IMPORTANT NOTE:
• Registration is a separate process that must be
completed prior to a contract being awarded to you.
Registration requires the submittal of several documents,
including notarized affidavits.
• While Enrollment only allows you to be notified of
bid opportunities, Registration is required prior to a
contract being awarded, so that Miami Dade County
has the ability to pay you for the goods or services
you provide. So, that’s a good thing!
• We’ll talk about Registration in the following section.

4. Vendor Registration
http://www.miamidade.gov/procurement/vendo
r-registration.asp
• What is Vendor Registration?
• Vendor Registration is the next step in doing
business with Miami Dade County and the most
important step if you want to be awarded a
contract and get paid after winning a contract
with the County. It also adds your company
name to computerized listings of vendors
available to the Procurement Management staff
and other County departments when they are
looking to acquire quotes under $10,000.

Vendor Registration Continued:
• The Vendor Registration package consists 26
pages in the following four sections:
• Section 1. General Business Information (Page
1-4)
• Section 2. Vendor Affidavits Form (Requires
Notarized Signatures) (Page 5-8)
• Section 3. Vendor Commodity Code Checklist
(Page 9-23)
• Section 4. Vendor Documents and Additional
Forms (Pages 24-25)

• Completed Vendor Registration Packages
can be mailed or hand delivered to:
• MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
• VENDOR SERVICES SECTION
• 111 NW 1st Street
• Suite 1300
• Miami, FL 33128
• (305) 375-5773

• Let’s take a look at the application by Section and page.
• Page 1.
• At the top right it asks for your Federal Employer Identification
Number (FEIN)
• Chances are you will not have a U.S. FEIN Number. In that case,
you should
• submit the appropriate W-8 form and the County Finance
Department will provide you with a number (created by Finance) that
identifies you as a foreign firm.
• There are several W-8 forms to choose from. Each one is a
Certificate of Foreign Status of for United States Tax Withholding
and is used by foreign persons (including corporations) to certify
their non-U.S. status.

• The forms establish that one is a non-resident or a
foreign Corporation to avoid or reduce tax withholding
from a U.S. source of income, such as sale of products
to the U.S. These forms and the instructions for
completing them are found online or can be obtained by
calling the County Finance Department for help in
determining, obtaining and completing the appropriate
form for your company. Call the Finance office at 305-
375-5111
• The selection of the correct form will depend on the type
of business/relationship your company will have with the
US.

• Below are the links to the IRS site with the W-8
instructions for each form. These are also found in the
printed Guide book.
• http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/iw8.pdf - W-8
• http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw8ben.pdf - W-8BEN
• http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw8ce.pdf - W-8CE
• http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw8exp.pdf - W-8EXP
• http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw8eci.pdf - W-8ECI
• http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw8imy.pdf - W-8IMY

• Directly under the FEIN Number they ask for
your NAICS Code. NAICS stands for North
American Industry Classification System
(NAICS). There are hundreds of codes for every
industry and for every facet of an industry. You
can search key words for a specific code at
www.census.gov/cgi-bin/sssd/naicsrch or you
can enter the following high level codes:
• 313210 - Textiles (Except Apparel)
• 315210 - Uniforms and Apparel
• The balance of page 1 is general information
regarding your address.

• Page 2.
• This page asks about your contact information, type of
business organization and years in business. When
entering the firm’s telephone and email address, do not
put a general phone number and/or email address. Make
sure it goes to a key person in the firm and that it will be
accessible if that key person is no longer at the
company. Many times companies put a general phone
number and email address on a form, and when that
person changes jobs the company never receives
another call or email from the County.

• Page 3.
• This page asks for the type of business,
specifically what commodity or service you can
provide. It also explains the County conflict of
interest ordinance and asks if any owner,
principle or family members are County
employees. To the right of 9a and 9b, select no
and go to the next page. If you need to answer
yes, you will need to follow the instructions in 9.

• Page 4.
• This page asks you to affirm that the information in
pages 1-3 are true and correct. Make sure that someone
who is authorized to sign contracts for the company is
the one who signs this page.
• Page 5.
• Again, as on page 1 at the top right it asks for your
Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN). Directly
under the FEIN Number they ask for your NAICS Code.
• This page has to do with the ownership of the business,
the legal names, titles and % of ownership.

• Page 6. and Page 7.
• The top section of this page is interested in the
employees of the company, their race, national
origin, gender and their employee benefits.
Section 3. through Section 10 explains several
County Ordinances that all vendors must comply
with, even if they are a foreign company. While
this seems odd, the County Attorney’s Office has
ruled that when these affidavits were
established, the County did not differentiate
between companies that were in the United
States or located somewhere else.

• Page 8.
• This page requires you to affirm that the information in
pages 6 and 7 are true and correct. Again, make sure
that someone who is authorized to sign contracts for the
company is the one who signs this page.
• Page 9-15.
• These pages ask you to select the commodities and
services that your firm is interested in providing to the
County.
• Pay particular attention to page 11, section 5 entitled,
Apparel, Uniforms, Gloves, Shoes, Etc. and page 16,
section 34, entitled, Leather Goods, Luggage, Purses,
Fabric, Notions and Accessories.

• Page 17.
• This is a checklist of documents that need to be
submitted as part of the Vendor registration
package.
• Again, as on page 1 and 5 at the top right you
are asked for your Federal Employer
Identification Number (FEIN). Directly under the
FEIN Number you are asked for your NAICS
Code. Except for the W-8, these documents will
probably not apply to your company.

• Page 18 - 25.
• This is a notice concerning the use of Social
Security numbers and/or FEIN numbers in order
to have a “County Vendor Number.” Remember,
in the case of a non-US company case, after you
submit the W-8 form, the County Finance
Department will provide you with a number
(created by Finance) that identifies you as a
foreign firm and that will serve as your County
Vendor Number.
• NOTE: Please refer to the printed Guide book
for a copy of the Vendor Registration Form.

5. BidSync
• www.BidSync.com
www.miamidade.gov/procurement/electronic-
bidding-solution.asp (Select “Free Registration)
• Now that you have enrolled as a vendor
and you’ve completed the Vendor
Registration Application, it’s time to
register with BidSync. Note: You can
actually register with BidSync before you
complete the Vendor Registration
Application, whichever you want to do first.

BidSync Continued:
• Miami-Dade County is now issuing all
competitive solicitations for goods and services
issued by the Procurement Management
Division of the Internal Services Department,
through the BidSync Electronic Bidding System.
You will be able to view and submit your
bid/proposal responses electronically through
the BidSync system. Paper proposals will not be
accepted for solicitations issued/advertised after
January 21, 2014.

BidSync Continued:
• If you have not already done so, register with BidSync by choosing
the “Please Register with BidSync” option from Miami-Dade County
website http://www.miamidade.gov/procurement/.If you prefer, you
can also register directly through www.BidSync.com by choosing
the “Free Registration” option on their website.
The use of the BidSync System for Miami-Dade-County solicitations
does not require your firm to participate in any of the BidSync
subscription services or options. Miami-Dade County does not
endorse BidSync subscription services besides the FREE service
provided by BidSync for Miami-Dade County business.

BidSync Continued:
• When you click on the link to register with BidSync
you will get this message…
• You are now leaving the official website of Miami-Dade
County government. Please be aware that when you exit
this site, you are no longer protected by our privacy or
security policies. Miami-Dade County is not responsible
for the content provided on linked sites. The provision of
links to these external sites does not constitute an
endorsement.

BidSync Continued:
• Please click 'OK' to be sent to the new site,
or Click 'Cancel' to go back.
• Once you are on BidSync’s webpage a form will
appear asking for your contact information. It will
also ask you to create a user name and a
password. The password needs to be at least 8
characters long and have at least one letter and
one number in it. This user name and password
is very important for future use of this website…
write it down and keep it in a safe place.
Complete step #2 and then click “next step.”

BidSync Continued:
• The next page will ask what your primary
industry is from a drop down list. Select
“Clothing, Textiles.” It will also ask for keywords
that describe what you can provide. Enter words
such as; apparel, uniforms, fabric, etc. and click
the tab button. When you do that it will
automatically suggest additional keywords that
you may or may not want to use. It will then ask
where you do business. Feel free to select any
of the choices. You can then click “next step” to
move forward or “previous step” if you want to
go back and make any changes.

BidSync Continued:
• The next page will give you a selection of
commodity codes based on the keywords
you selected on the previous page. It will
also give you the option to look at other
codes that companies like yours have
selected. Select as many as you want.
You can then click “next step” to move
forward or “previous step” if you want to
go back and make any changes.

BidSync Continued:
• You will then get the following message on the
screen:
• Thank you for registering with BidSync!
• You can now log in and view bid information. Please
allow one business day for us to review and confirm your
registration. You will have “read only” access and will not
be able to place offer, ask questions, etc., until we have
confirmed your account. If you need immediate
assistance and would like to have your account
confirmed immediately, please contact Bidsync Support
at 800-990-9339. Thank you for joining and we hope you
enjoy your experience with BidSync!

BidSync Continued:
• Within a very short time you will get the following email message:
• Welcome to BidSync! Your FREE account is now active. Please go to www.bidsync.com and
login using the username and password you created. You will need to accept the terms and
conditions and review your "Account Profile Setup". This should only take a few minutes.
IMPORTANT: Please review the following sections of the Account Profile Setup. Pay extra
attention to the Classification section to ensure that you receive all relevant bid notifications:
• Regions (areas in which you do business)
• Classifications (codes that describe your products and/or services)
• Notification Types (how you would like to be notified of bid opportunities, fax/email)
• Agency Types (the type of agencies you are most interested in doing business with)
Your username is: _____________
• If you cannot remember your password, please click on the following link:
• http://www.bidsync.com/DPX?ac=loginexception&src=dpx&pwdhint=y

BidSync Continued:
• All of the information that you submitted during registration including
your username and password can be edited under the "Tools" tab in
your account. You must be logged in to view this tab.
If you need assistance with your account or have questions about
the functionality of our system, please contact Vendor Support at
800-990-9339 toll free, or 801-765-9245 locally, Monday through
Friday during normal business hours.
Cordially,
Vendor Support
800-990-9339
vendorsupport@bidsync.com
BIDSYNC
• Congratulations…your Company is now registered with BidSync

6. Procurement Processes
• The Procurement Management Services
Division uses a variety of competitive
methods to acquire goods and services for
the County. They work closely with user
departments to get what they need at the
best value. Here are some of the key
methods they use to acquire goods and
services for the County.

The Procurement Process Continued:
• Small Purchase Orders
• Purchases of less than $25,000.00 are considered small
purchase orders and these purchases may be made
without a formal bidding process by the user department
directly with the vendor. This is another excellent reason
to complete the Vendor Registration package. When a
department has a need for goods and/or services in an
amount less than $25,000 they will go to the registered
vendors list and select a minimum of three vendors who
can supply them with the item(s) and only contact them
for quotes. The department will then issue a purchase
order directly without the need to contact the
Procurement Management Division staff.

• Invitation to Bid (ITB)
• The standard method Miami-Dade County uses to acquire goods or
services is the Invitation to Bid (ITB) process. Here, they look for the lowest
price on specified goods and services. Price is the primary basis for award.
• Below is a brief description of a typical Invitation to Bid process:
• The user department has a need for goods and/or services and notifies the
Procurement Division.
• The Procurement Division drafts the bid for publication and sets a bid
opening date
• A “cone of silence” goes into effect when the bid is advertised and all
communication regarding the bid solicitation must now be in writing only
until an award recommendation is made.
• Bids are reviewed and evaluated and an award recommendation is made
• Award notifications of $250,000 or more are sent in the mail. Award
notifications of less than $250,000 are posted on the County website.

• Important: General Terms and Conditions are a part of each bid
document and you should familiarize yourself with them. To review
the standard terms and conditions, click on the following link:
• http://www.miamidade.gov/procurement/library/general-terms-and-
conditions.pdf
• NOTE: 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
they meet and/or exceed the specifications or scope of work in the
bid document, shall be given equal consideration during the
evaluation process.

• Request for Proposals (RFP)
• The RFP process may be used when the scope of work
cannot be completely defined by the County. Contract
award for Request for Proposals and Request for
Qualifications is not based solely upon price.
• Other factors, such as:
• Qualifications and experience of principals and staff;
• Methodology and management approach;
• Understanding of the project and the County's objective;
• Technical superiority;
• Financial stability;
• Experience and history of the firm, among others, are
taken into consideration.

• Request for Qualifications (RFQ)
• A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process may
be used to determine the qualifications from
proposers when the County cannot or has not
completely established the scope of services. An
RFQ may be used, for example, when creating a
pool of qualified vendors to be used on a
rotational basis, or in a two-step competitive
basis where the scope of services is incomplete
and only those firms selected in the qualification
phase compete when a particular work order is
established.

• Here is a brief description of the Request for
Proposals/Qualifications (RFP/RFQ) process.
• 1. The User Department Requests RFP/RFQ.
2. Procurement Management prepares
solicitations in conjunction with user department.
• 3.RFP/RFQ is advertised.
• 4.Procurement Management holds pre-proposal
conference.
• 5.Proposals are received and evaluated
• 6.Negotiations take place.
• 7. Award Recommendation Issued

• Prepare your solicitation with great care.
• Solicitation requirements vary from contract to contract.
Make sure all required information is included. A contract
awarded on erroneous information may result in financial
loss or other difficulties for your business, so it’s
important you pay attention to every detail and make
sure you can meet all of the deliverables listed in the
document. Thoroughly understand the stipulations
regarding purchase, delivery of goods and payments.
You should clearly define the items and services you can
provide, your delivery schedule, and your best price.

• It’s also very important to keep track of your proposal after you
submit it. Once all proposals have been submitted the process of
evaluation will begin and you may be contacted for a pre-award
questionnaire and a chance for you to demonstrate that you can
deliver the items in your proposal.
• Once the contract has been awarded the awarded vendor and
contract price become public information. Whether or not you win
the bid, keeping a record of this information is vital as you move
forward and submit future proposals.
• The biggest lesson is to stay proactive: Research the needs and
show that you can provide the best solution. Making sure you bid
wisely will increase your chances of winning contracts.

Checklist for Submitting a Successful Bid
• _____ Did you type all entries or make them in ink only?
• _____ Did you read the bid thoroughly before you starting to write?
• _____ Did you include transportation costs in you bid price?
• _____ Did you bid on all items if required?
• _____ Did you bid an alternate item that is not equal or better?
• _____ Did you double check all mathematical calculations?
• _____ Did you attend any mandatory pre-bid or walk-thru?
• _____ Did you provide all necessary contact information?

Checklist for Submitting a Successful Bid Continued:
• _____ Did you attach all required forms?
• _____ Did you submit the requested number of copies?
• _____ Did you provide references if requested?
• _____ Did you include any signed addendums if addenda was issued?
• _____ Will your bid arrive before the time and date required?
• _____ Will your bid arrive at the right location?
• _____ Did a person who is authorized sign the bid?

7. Getting Paid
• www.miamidade.gov/finance/vendor-payment.asp
• Vendor Payments
• Miami-Dade County now offers a payment option that will expedite
County payments to your organization via Automated Clearing
House transfers directly to your bank account, instead of the
issuance and mailing of a County check.
• The new Vendor Payment Inquiry application provides vendors and
County departments alike access to invoice check and payment
information literally at your fingertips. This reduces the need for time
consuming phone calls, and expediting invoice follow-ups.
• You can sign up for this payment option by filling out an Automated
Clearing House (ACH) Authorization Agreement by following the link
to the website above and clicking on “Direct Deposit.”

Getting Paid Continued:
• Vendor Inquiry Regarding Payment Status
• The Vendor Payment Inquiry page is designed
to present invoice and payment information to
Miami-Dade County vendors to assist in
expediting payment inquiry resolution.
• Invoice and check payment information is
available on this page; the day payment is due,
the amount paid, any deductions taken, date
check was processed or cleared by the bank,
and whether payment was made by check or
direct deposit are some of the fields
of information that are presented.

• The Vendor Payment Inquiry pages are provided
and maintained by the County Finance
Department. Any questions or concerns about
the application should be addressed by calling
the Finance Department at 305-375-5080.
• After you have registered as a vendor and the
Finance Department has assigned a FEIN
number to your company, follow the link above
and select “Vendor Payment Inquiry.”

• You will receive the following message:
• Welcome to the Vendor Payment Inquiry Website
• To start - In the Login box on your left, please enter
your Federal Employer Identification
Number (FEIN) assigned by the Federal Government or
Social Security Number (SSN) if you do not have an
FEIN number, remember Finance will assign you a
number. Press enter or click login. For your protection,
this number will not show up again once you have typed
it in and it is validated by the system.
• Of course the County still can issue paper checks if you prefer,
however this is a much faster method of getting paid
promptly…it’s your choice.

8. Marketing Your Contract
• Marketing any product or service requires an
understanding of who the buyers are; why they
need the item(s), what they want to buy, where
and how they want it shipped and when they
need to receive it. Marketing to a government is
the same.
• Miami Dade County, like all governmental
purchasing is reactive rather than proactive.
Everything they buy is in response to a need
which is determined by the user departments,
not the Procurement Department.

Marketing Your Contract Continued:
• WHO
• There are usually several players involved in the buying
process. This will usually include several individuals in
addition to the Contracting Officer. There are
Procurement Liaisons in every user department.
• Additionally if you are lucky enough to win a Miami Dade
County contract the County has a User Access Program
(UAP) that allows 110 other governmental entities,
quasi-governmental and not-for profits to purchase from
their vendors at the County awarded price, terms and
conditions. Check to see if the solicitation you are
bidding on has a UAP clause in it.

• The User Access Program (UAP) allows for a two
percent (2%) discount on prices, collected through a
deduction on your vendor invoices. The UAP discount,
on these contracts, applies to purchases by County
departments; other governmental, quasi-governmental
and not-for-profit entities accessing County-issued
contracts. While giving an additional 2% discount may
seem a hardship, keep in mind the potential of providing
goods and/or services to 110 additional governmental
entities without the need to bid on each of their contracts
can mean a huge profit for your business.

• WHAT
• They buy anything from fire trucks to
underwear. In addition to products, they
also buy services. The key component in
your offering is to ensure you have a
solution that fits the needs and budget.

• WHERE
• Although the Procurement office is the hub of
the centralized purchasing function, much of
what happens is at the user department level.
Major and minor purchases take place at various
locations around the county. Goods and/or
services are never delivered to the Procurement
Department and according to your purchase
order may have several delivery locations. Make
sure you know where to deliver your items.

• WHEN
• When goods and/or services need to be
delivered can be the most important factor in
deciding which vendor is awarded to contract.
Be realistic in your delivery dates. Failure to
deliver when promised will reflect on every
decision to award to your company in the future
and will penalize you in your late delivery of a
current award.

• HOW
• If you don’t have a website, get one. If you do have a
website, keep it current. Post your award sheet prices on
your website and consider sending email blasts to the
110 governmental entities that are able to access your
contract through the UAP. Each entity will issue it’s own
purchase order when they want to access the prices,
terms and conditions of your County contract.
• If you can attend the FREE classes that are offered by
Miami Dade County, you should take advantage of them.
Occasionally Miami Dade County sponsors trade shows
that you can take part in if you are in the area.

9. Frequently Asked Questions
• Q - Who can sell goods or services to Miami Dade
County?
• A - Any vendor who sells goods and/or services can sell
to Miami Dade County. The County purchases a wide
variety of goods and/or services in nearly every category
specified in the commodity code listing.
• Q - Does my company need to register as a vendor?
• A – Vendors must register in order to receive payment
from Miami Dade County. In addition, you will be placed
in additional areas that allow using departments to call
upon you for small purchase orders. Registering does
NOT create a contract or guarantee that the County will
buy from you.

Frequently Asked Questions Continued:
• Q - After I have registered my company, how
long does it take before my company will be
in the County system?
• A – It usually takes one business day.
• Q - How can I correct or update my company
information once I have registered?
• A – It is your responsibility to keep your vendor
information current. Once you are registered,
you may correct/update company information by
contacting the Vendor Assistance Unit of the
Procurement Management Division at (305)
375-5773.

• Q - How can I market my business to the County?
• A - Procurement specialists are constantly seeking new reliable
sources for products and services. Determine the needs of the
County based on previous purchases and communicate how you
could meet those needs or solve their problems in advance for the
next bidding cycle. This information is public record and can be
requested in writing to the Specialist in charge of your specific
contract or commodity interest.
• Additionally, the County has a User Access Program (UAP) that
allows all other governmental entities to access awarded contracts
and pricing. Make sure you obtain a list of key contacts in these
other entities and let them know you were awarded a Miami Dade
contract and your company is available to provide the same goods
and/or services to their government as well.

• Q - When is an Invitation to Bid (ITB) most likely to be used?
• A – An ITB is used to select a supplier when the price will be the
basis of the award. The County will award the contract(s) to the
lowest responsible, responsive bidder. Generally speaking, this
means a bidder who:
• • Meets all the specifications
• • Has the capacity and is qualified to perform the contract
• • Agrees to comply with the terms and conditions of the ITB
• • Completes and provides all applicable pricing information
requested in the ITB
• • Provides an authorized signature on the Proposal Form
• • Submits the bid as instructed, by the due date and time specified
• • Submits any and all information or documents required in the ITB
• • Offers the lowest price

• Q - Who evaluates an Invitation to Bid (ITB)?
• A – Bids are evaluated by the user
department(s), who submits a recommendation
to the Purchasing Division. The bid
recommendation is reviewed thoroughly by the
Purchasing Division. The recommendation is
made to the lowest responsive and responsible
bidder. “Responsive” means the supplier
conforms in all material respects to the
requirements set forth in the bid document.
“Responsible” refers to the ability to perform as
specified.

• Q - What are some of the reasons a vendor may be deemed non-responsive or
non-responsible
• A – The reasons may include:
• a. Previous vendor performance problems as documented in a vendor performance
file
• b. Failure to meet contractual obligations after an award has been made
• c. Failure to conform to required delivery, specifications, or detailed requirements
• d. Submission of a bid or offer in such a manner that would prevent the establishment
or determination of a firm bid price. Such as, refusing to
• hold firm prices or submitting bid prices subject to change due to
• manufacturer increases/decreases, market conditions, or minimum quantity
requirements
• e. Submission of a bid that is contingent upon receiving the award of another bid
• f. Failure to provide a bid surety or meet insurance requirements when specifically
required in the bid
• g. Submission of solicitation exceptions when not acceptable to the County based on
its own best interest.
• h. A record of financial difficulty and/or business instability
• i. Criminal sanctions, civil sanctions

• Q - When is a Request For Proposal (RFP) or
Request For Quotation (RFQ) most likely to be used?
• A – An RFP or RFQ is used when the County intends to
award a contract to a responsible supplier whose
proposal is determined to be the most advantageous to
the County. When using the RFP/RFQ process, the
County may conduct negotiations or allow proposal
modifications to obtain the best value. Generally
speaking, this means:
• • When qualifications, performance levels, expertise,
quality of
• service or product performance are more important than
the cost.

• Q - Who evaluates a Request For Proposal (RFP)
and/or Request For Qualification (RFQ)?
• A – Proposals are evaluated by an evaluation team. The
proposals are scored based on the criteria set forth in
the proposal. The committee may create a short list from
proposals received, based on the criteria. The top firms
may be interviewed and the price, terms, or the scope of
work may be negotiated with the highest scoring firm.
Once the firm has been selected, the user department
submits a recommendation to the Purchasing Division,
who in turn presents it to the Board of County
Commissioners for its approval or rejection

• Q - Can I review previous contracts or
bids/proposals that have been submitted to the
County?
• A - This information is public record and can be
requested in writing from the Specialist in charge of your
specific contract or commodity interest.
• Q - What if I discover a mistake in my bid or a
problem with my County contract?
• A - Call and discuss the mistake or problem with the
procurement specialist assigned to the purchase or
contract. Often, the procurement specialist can find a
solution if the mistake or problem is discovered in time

• Q - Can I charge separately for delivery costs?
• A – It is highly unusual for the County to pay freight
charges separately. Shipping charges, if applicable,
must be included (built into) in the unit price of the
item(s) bid. All purchases are made F.O.B. destination,
unless otherwise specified. The County’s title to goods
occurs upon satisfactory delivery and acceptance at the
delivery point shown on the purchase order. All
shipments to the County must be made to the locations
designated on the purchase order. Deliveries may be
required to be made to different departments in various
parts of the County. Make sure to check the purchase
order for that information and put the purchase order
number on each shipping ticket.

• Q - What if I can’t meet the delivery dates I stated in the bid
proposal?
• A - Vendors should always state, on the bid form, the number of
calendar days required before delivery of a product can be made, or
they should indicate the specific date upon which delivery will be
made. The time required for delivery may be one of the most
important considerations in determining who shall be awarded the
bid.
• Successful bidders will be expected to deliver the materials and/or
services they are providing within the specified time. If delivery
dates cannot be met, the Department of Procurement must be
notified immediately. The Department of Procurement will decide,
after notification of late delivery, what action should be taken.

• Q – Do I have to stick to the terms and conditions in
the bid?
• A –The bid documents contain the specifications for the
commodity or service being purchased and the terms
and conditions governing the bid. The bid form will
become the actual contract, if it is awarded to you. That
is why an authorized representative from your company
must be the one signing the bid, as it is a legally binding
contract.
• Submitting a bid in response to a solicitation obligates
you to honor your bid price and to meet County terms
and conditions for the full term of the contract.

• Q - How soon will I be paid for products and services I sell to
the County?
• A – If the invoice you submit is complete and provides all of the
information needed you should be paid in within 30 days after the
using department has received and accepted your goods and/or
services. In order to receive prompt payment:
• • Send your invoice to the using department’s “bill to” address as
stated in your purchase order
• • Always put the purchase order (PO) number on your invoice.
• • Check your invoice for accuracy and conformance with the price
and other terms of your contract
• • Ask about partial deliveries prior to making one. Some
departments do not accept partial deliveries.
• • Offer prompt payment discounts.
• • Accept the County’s Automated Clearing House (ACH) program to
expedite payments directly to your bank.

• Q - What should I do if I do not receive
payment on my invoice?
• A – On the County Finance Department
website, click on The Vendor Payment
Inquiry page which should tell you the
status of your invoice and payment. If you
still have questions or concerns about the
payment call the County Finance
Department at 305-375-5080.

• Q - Are pre-bid/proposal conferences mandatory?
• A – Occasionally they are mandatory. Please read the specific solicitation
for that information. The nature of some bids and proposals require a pre-
bid or pre-proposal conference to be held. Pre-bid and pre-proposal
conferences are held in order to clarify specifications, answer vendor
questions regarding the spe-cific bid or proposal, or to allow the vendor to
perform an on-site review and inspection. Most pre-bids and pre-proposals
are voluntary.
• Any changes to the original bid or proposal will be made in writing in the
form of an addendum and will be mailed, e-mailed, and/ or faxed to all
vendors who originally received or have requested the solicitation. All
questions and information requests must be directed to the appropriate
Purchasing Specialist listed in the bid document to insure that all vendors
have the same information. Addenda will also be posted on the County’s
website. It is the vendor’s responsibility to obtain any and all addenda prior
to submitting a bid or proposal.
• If the pre-bid is mandatory, your company must send a representative to the
meeting in order to qualify to participate in the bidding process of that
specific solicitation.

• Q - Can County staff accept gratuities?
• A – Unlike the private sector, the public sector
has a much stricter code of conduct and ethical
behavior rules and regulations. It is the policy of
the Purchasing Division to refuse any gift from
vendors, regardless of the monetary value of the
item. Any gift received by mail will be returned to
the sender. If returning the item will result in a
significant charge, the item will be donated to a
charitable organization.

Myths
• Myth - that the company has to be located in the U.S
• Miami Dade County is always looking for qualified new vendors to compete
for County business. There is no “Buy America” requirement and companies
all over the world are encouraged to offer their services to the County. Best
value to the County is what they are looking for, first and foremost.
• Myth - that the company must be a big company
• Miami Dade County currently has approximately 70 annual contracts in
place for uniforms, apparel and textiles, such as sheets, blankets, towels
and other related items. These have an estimated value of $45,000,000.
The largest contract value is $12,900,000 and the smallest is valued at
$7,600.
• With such wide ranges in mind, there is a huge opportunity for bidders of all
sizes to meet the financial, technical and production capabilities necessary
to perform these contracts, on a case by case basis.

Myths Continued:
• Myth - that all orders are huge
• Purchases of less than $25,000.00 may
be made without a formal bidding process
by the user department, directly with the
vendor. These purchases are called
“Small Purchases Orders” and the County
spends millions of dollars through this
process.

Myths Continued:
• Myth - that it’s difficult to get paid
• Miami-Dade County now offers a payment option that will expedite
County payments to your organization via Automated Clearing
House transfers directly to your bank account, instead of the
issuance and mailing of a County check.
• Myth - that there is no way to know what the previous contract
price was
• Having this information is the key to offering a fair and reasonable
price to the County. This information is public record and can be
requested in writing from the Specialist in charge of your specific
contract or commodity interest.
• Myth -that no one will help a new vendor through the process
• There is help available every step of the way with all aspects of the
bidding process. This includes, but is not limited to vendor
enrollment, vendor registration, bid preparation and getting paid.
Whatever area help is needed, help is available.

10. Getting Help
• Vendor Enrollment Help
• If You Need Assistance Please Contact The Vendor
Assistance Unit at (305) 375-5773.
• If you are no longer interested in receiving future
notifications about bid opportunities, send an email
to:VendorEnrollments@miamidade.gov and type
'Unsubscribe' in the subject line. Your email address will
be removed from the distribution list.
• Vendor Application Help
• If You Need Assistance Please Contact The Vendor
Assistance Unit at (305) 375-5773.

Getting Help Continued:
• BidSync Help
• If you need additional assistance regarding the
BidSync registration and training process as a
Miami-Dade County vendor, please contact the
BidSync support team at 1-800-990-9339, or
email support@bidsync.com
• Should you have any questions or require
additional information regarding BidSync, please
contact Miami Dade County staff member, Adil
Khan at 305-375-1436 or Janice Bandhu at 305-
375-5317.

• W-8 Help
• Contact the County Finance Department at 305-375-
5111
• Bid Preparation Help
• 2014 Free Vendor Workshops
• 111 N.W. 1st Street, Miami, Florida - Stephen P. Clark
Center
• 18th Floor, Conference Room 18-4 10:00 a.m.—12:00
noon Contact us to register (305) 375-5773
• Workshop Dates:
•  August 12
•  November 11

• Getting Paid Help
• Contact the County Finance Department
at 305-375-5080 or email
fnpayables@miamidade.gov

Consulting Help
• Jill Klaskin Press, President
• JKP Consulting Group, Inc.
• Phone: 786-484-1242
• Fax: 786-221-4982
• Cell: 305-458-6339
• JillPress@JKPConsultingGroup.org
• JillPress@aol.com
• www.JKPConsultingGroup.org

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