Procurement which do not exceed $50,000 in price are termed “Small Procurement” (SP). All State agencies have authority to make awards of SP contracts, regardless of the method of source selection, i.e. competitive, sole source, or emergency procedures. Procurements may not be artificially divided in order to use the SP method. In all SPs, competition should be sought to the extent practical considering factors such as availability of vendors, dollar value of the procurement, cost of administering the procurement, and time available to make the procurement including delivery time. Let’s check Small Procurement (SP)
Categories (COMAR 21.05.07.04) Category I – ($1 to $5,000 range). A procurement up to $5,000 is a Category I SP, which can be awarded by authorized purchaser, including procurement officers and/or designated Corporate Purchasing Card (CPC) holders. It is encouraged that purchasers seek more than one price quote and solicit quotes. CPC purchases must be made consistent with the CPC Program policy and Procedure Manual found on Comptroller’s “Form and Manuals” page. http://comptroller.marylandtaxes.gov/Government_Services/State_Accounting_Information/Corporate_Purchasing_Card/default.shtml
Category II – ($5000 + to $15,000 range). A procurement exceeding $5000 up to $15,000 is a Category II SP. Procurement officers should obtain responsive bids or acceptable offers from at least two vendors by oral or written solicitation. Award shall be made to the most favorable or evaluated bid price or most advantageous offer, as specified in the solicitation.
Category III – ($15,000 + to $50,000 range). A procurement exceeding $15,000 up to $50,000 is a Category III SP. Procurement officers should obtain responsive bids or acceptable offers from at least two vendors by written solicitation. Award shall be made to the most favorable bid price or most favorable evaluated bid price or most advantageous offer, as specified in the solicitation. All Category III SP contract awards must be in writing. Additional Category III SP requirements include:
- There must be a notice of the procurement opportunity in eMMA at least three days before bids/offers are due.
- There must be written solicitation.
Step 1: Ensure that you have Small Procurement Delegation Authority by OPASS. If you do not have Small Procurement Delegation Authority by OPASS or if you not sure if you have one, please contact Naisadh [Nick] Desai at 410-767-5794 or by email – Naishadh.desai@Maryland.gov.
Step 2: Check to see if product/service you are procuring is available through a preferred provider listed here: https://dgs.maryland.gov/Pages/Procurement/BidsAwards.aspx
Form: Small Procurement Contract Form
Step 3: If no Preferred Provider, fill out Small Procurement Smartsheet (Small Procurement Portal) here: https://health.maryland.gov/opass/Pages/Small-Procurement-Portal.aspx
