Procurement Bid Process

The Department of Procurement, established by Section 414 of the Harford County Charter, is charged with the purchases such as supplies and contractual services (including capital projects and consultant services) for the various County departments and agencies in addition to liaison government agencies such as the Public library, the Health Department, the Board of Elections, the Sheriff’s Office and the Circuit Court.

Agents

The procurement agents are responsible for soliciting and evaluating bids and proposals for each requirement estimated at $25,000 and over in value, and approve open market purchases to ensure agencies with delegated authority for the smaller transactions adhere fully to Section 41-27 of the Harford County Code. Competition is key to all public procurement laws, because it ensures maximum value for our tax dollars, and promotes the open and fair process that our citizens and business community expect.

Purchase Order Terms & Conditions

Harford County's purchasing system has three competitive tiers.

For purchases Up to $4,999.99

No price quotes are required.  Agencies should use the County issued P-Card whenever possible for these purchases.

For purchases from $5,000 to $24,999.99

Three written/faxed/electronic quotes must be obtained by the requiring department/agency before an award can be made.

For Purchases $25,000 & Over

The Department of Procurement advertises solicitations for goods and services by posting those solicitations to our Online Bid Board, eMaryland Marketplace Advantage, and on the bulletin board located outside the Procurement Department’s entrance on the 3rd floor of the Harford County Administration Building at 220 South Main Street in Bel Air, Maryland. Sealed bids must be clearly marked with the company name and address, bid number, date and time, and delivered by that time to the Department of Procurement's Office. Bids received that are not time-stamped in our office by the designated deadline will be returned unopened.

All bids are publicly opened and read, then evaluated by the Procurement Agent and the Department’s representative to determine if the bid meets all criteria specified for that bid in order to be considered responsible and responsive. Bids will be awarded to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder in accordance with Section 41-26 of the Harford County Code. Please note bids may not always be awarded to the lowest bidder. Bid tabulations are posted to the Online Bid Results, as well as the bid bulletin board outside the entrance to the Department of Procurement. The County reserves the right to reject any and all bids.

Recommendations for the award of contracts valued at $50,000 and above and professional services contracts  $25,000 and above in value must be approved by the Harford County Board of Estimates, in accordance with Section 41-25 of the Harford County Code.

Prequalification for Construction Contracts

The county requires prequalification of contractors for construction projects valued at $100,000 or more. To ensure that every construction contractor possesses sufficient capital, bonding capacity, equipment and experience to complete large-scale building and renovation projects for Harford County, the county requires each to submit, biannually, a package detailing its assets, staff, and experience in the areas for which it wishes to be considered for construction projects with an estimated value of $100,000 and over. Representatives of the departments of Procurement and Public Works review completed forms, and recommend issuance of prequalification certificates to qualified firms.

Contractors not previously prequalified should allow 60 days for the Prequalification Committee to review the original submittal, check references, and issue the prequalification certificate. Biannual renewals should be submitted not less than 30 days prior to expiration of a current certificate. Per the County Code Section 41-26 (7) (2) (5) (e); A person who is not prequalified shall not be permitted to submit a bid.

A Certificate of Prequalification is issued to the qualified contractor for a two-year period. It is the contractor’s responsibility to reapply when the 2 year period expires. Pre-qualification applications, updated as of May 2023, can be obtained online. Questions should be directed to the Procurement Department, 410-638-3550.

Professional Services

Procurement of consultant and other professional services (excluding legal and educational services) is accomplished through a request for proposal (RFP) process that evaluates consultants' qualifications, experience, and prices, and may include negotiation. Architects, engineers and other design professionals interested in providing consultant services to Harford County should complete the Online SF330 (PDF) and file/update the form as required.

Advertisements

All Invitations to Bid, Requests for Proposal and Expressions of Interest are advertised on the Online Bid Board on our website, EMarylandMarketplace and on the bulletin board outside the Department of Procurement.  Minority and Small Business Enterprises are encouraged to respond to solicitations.  The Maryland Department of Transportation website, provides important information, including certification, workshops, and other valuable resources to suppliers.  

Bids, Proposals & Expressions of Interest

Most Bid Packages, Proposals and Expressions of Interest can be downloaded directly from the Online Bid Board on our website. If a document in not available for download, instructions on how to obtain the document will be posted on our website.

Bid Results

Bid results may be obtained by using our Online Bid Results or by calling the Department of Procurement. Bid results are also posted on the bulletin board outside of the Department of Procurement.