Policies and Procedures

The County intends that its purchasing be conducted in accordance with State laws so taxpayers receive full value for each dollar of public funds spent. To that end, the County’s procedures conform to open, ethical and sound procurement policies. Qualified suppliers; therefore, are invited to compete for the County’s business, which consists of a variety of goods and services.

In order to achieve fair and equitable competition and to maintain the integrity of the purchasing process, vendor discussions with County personnel concerning bids or quotes should be coordinated through the Purchasing Agent.

The Invitation for Bid, Request for Proposal or Request for Qualifications provides all the necessary instructions and a complete description of the requirement with specifications and terms and conditions to enable appropriate preparation of a response. Each responding vendor is responsible for carefully reading and understanding the documents. Any questions related to the bid documents should be directed to the Purchasing Agent or their designee.

Responses to Invitations for Bid and Requests for Proposal are opened at the specific time and place cited in the instructions. Bids delivered after such time will not be considered for evaluation. It is important to note that upon opening, bid documents and information is public record. At the discretion of the Purchasing Agent, vendors may be contacted where clarification is necessary for proper evaluation. Generally, awards for purchases valued at less than $90,000 are made by the Purchasing Agent; awards for purchases valued at more than $90,000 are presented to the Board of Commissioners. Applicable sales and use tax should be added to invoices as a separate line item. Payment terms are normally “net 30 days”. County departments are encouraged to directly contact the vendor in an effort to resolve any dissatisfaction with product, warranty or service performance. Vendors who do not act responsibly to quickly resolve legitimate complaints may be removed from contracts. Vendor protests regarding contract awards should be addressed to the Purchasing Agent. All protests must be submitted in writing.

Prospective vendors are encouraged to submit a Vendor Information Form or email the Purchasing Agent with specifications of items and services provided by their company. If a vendor feels the need to make personal contact, appointments are preferred. Sales contacts are normally scheduled on Tuesday and Thursday between the hours of 9:00am—11:00am and 2:00pm—4:00pm. Late arrival for a scheduled appointment may result in a reschedule.

North Carolina General Statute 133-32 addresses the legal implications of governmental employees accepting gifts and favors. Briefly summarized, this statute states it is unlawful for any vendor who has a current contract with a governmental agency, has performed under such a contract within the past year, or anticipates bidding on such a contract in the future to offer gifts or favors to any employee of a governmental agency who is charged with preparing plans, specifications, or estimates for public contracts, awarding or administering such contracts, or inspecting or supervising construction. It is also unlawful for a governmental employee to willfully receive or accept such gifts or favors.

 

The purchasing decisions of our employees and contractors can positively or negatively affect the environment. The goal of Cabarrus County is to reduce the adverse environmental impact of our purchasing decisions by buying goods and services from manufacturers and vendors who share our commitment to the environment. By including environmental considerations in our purchasing decisions, along with our traditional concerns with price, performance, and availability, we will remain fiscally responsible while promoting practices that improve public health and safety, reduce pollution, and conserve natural resources.

65 Church Street, SE - Room 288

PO Box 707

Concord NC 28026-0707

Phone: 704-920-2884

Fax: 704-920-2881

E-mail: smbarnhardt@cabarruscounty.us