Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find out what goods or services are being bid by the city?

Formal solicitations (those with an approximate value of $50,000 or more) are usually advertised in the legal section of the Daily Journal. 

The city utilizes the Rocky Mountain E-purchasing System (BidNet®) in the advertisement and facilitation of formal invitations for bids (IFBs), requests for proposals (RFPs), and some informal solicitations administered by the city's Department of General Services Purchasing Division.  

Registration with BidNet® is available at NO CHARGE and allows vendors access to view governmental bids posted on BidNet®; they offer an additional notification service option with an associated fee. It is the responsibility of the vendor to evaluate and select the service option of their choice.

More information is available at bidnetdirect.com or by calling 1-800-835-4603.

Can anyone attend a bid opening?

Public bid openings are held for those formal invitations for bids (IFBs) with an estimated dollar value of $50,000 or more. These are "formal" solicitations, and the date and time of the bid opening is indicated on the cover page of the bid document. Public bid openings are generally not held for "informal" bids which have an estimated dollar value of less than $50,000 or requests for proposals (RFP). 

Where are bid openings held?

Bid openings are held at the Purchasing Division office at 201 West Colfax Ave, Dept 304, Denver, CO 80202 or location designated in the IFB. The Purchasing Division office is located on the 11th floor at 201 West Colfax Avenue. Interested parties can also ask to have the bid tabulation emailed to them or request (in advance) an online meeting at time of opening to see the bidder names and submitted pricing via a web meeting.  

Are bid opening dates and times firm? 

Formal solicitation opening/deadline dates and times are firm. The Rocky Mountain E-purchasing System (BidNet®) will not allow for a submittal after the deadline has passed. When provisions have been made for a physical receipt, bids must be submitted and time-stamped at the Purchasing Division on or PRIOR TO the solicitation opening date and time indicated

What does the Purchasing Division purchase?

The Purchasing Division procures goods and related services for departments/agencies of the City and County of Denver. The Purchasing Division does NOT procure construction or professional design/construction services; however, we do solicit for limited maintenance and repair services of existing city facilities. The Purchasing Division may solicit on the behalf of city agencies professional or personal services, typically via RFP.

Note: City agencies will often solicit professional or personal services independently without involvement of the General Services Purchasing Division. See Executive Order 8. Also see Related Purchasing Links for our partner agency links.

Does the City and County of Denver have a law or policy that gives local or State of Colorado vendors preference "points" over out-of-state vendors in bid situations?

No. The city has neither a law nor policy that provides bid preference points to local or State of Colorado vendors.

The city does have a program for the benefit of certain certified small business firms. More information can be found at the Division of Small Business Opportunity (DSBO).

Are procurement analysts assigned to the procurement of specific commodities?

While all analysts may procure various types of goods and related services, some specialize in certain commodities and/or service specific city departments/agencies. You can view the commodities/ agencies for specific analysts here: Additional Contact Information.

The Purchasing Division is located at 201 West Colfax Avenue, Dept 304, Denver, CO 80202. Our phone number is 720-913-8100, and our hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday, excluding holidays. Appointments are required if you would like to meet with a procurement analyst.

During the COVID-19 pandemic city building access and staffing levels may vary; please contact via email or phone the analyst you wish to meet with for guidance.

Can agencies of the city buy goods or services on their own, without going through the Purchasing Division?

Yes, departments/agencies of the city are authorized to conduct low-dollar procurements without going through the Purchasing Division. Generally, these low-dollar procurements are restricted to a unit cost of under $2,000 for items which are NOT available on city contracts via procurement card (P-card).

Do all departments/agencies of the city go through the Purchasing Division to buy goods and related services?

Most city departments/agencies are required by law to go through the Purchasing Division for the procurement of goods and related services. Some agencies are not required by law to do this, notably, Denver City Council and the Denver Public Library.

What are pre-bid meetings for?

Pre-bid meetings are a valuable opportunity for potential bidders/ respondents to review with city personnel the terms, conditions, requirements and specifications of a solicitation PRIOR TO the opening/ deadline. Site inspections of the work location may also be held during pre-bid meetings.

Do I have to attend pre-bid meetings to be eligible to bid?

If the pre-bid meeting is MANDATORY, yes, you must attend the MANDATORY pre-bid meeting in order to be eligible to bid. Date and times for pre-bid meetings are shown on the cover page of solicitation documents. The solicitation will state as to whether or not the pre-bid meeting is MANDATORY.

Why should I attend a pre-bid meeting?

It is strongly recommended that you (or a member of your team) attend.

1. Meet the procuring entity
2. Scope out the competition
3. Get a better understanding of the project
4. Get clarification to your questions
5. More likely to prepare a better submission

Does Denver have an approved vendor list? And, do I have to be on the approved list to do business with the city?

The Purchasing Division does not have an approved vendor list.

The department is compiling a vendor/communication list. However, individual analysts may maintain their own vendor/supplier lists. The Purchasing Division does not require vendors/suppliers to register in order to do business with the city.

Vendors/Suppliers are encouraged to register on Rocky Mountain E-purchasing System (BidNet®) to access, view, and submit bids/proposals on published solicitations. Bidnet also serves as a resource for buyers to search for vendors/suppliers.   

How quickly does the city pay vendors?

Departments/agencies of the city are required to pay valid and undisputed vendor invoices within the time period specified by Ordinance (Section 20-107 of the Denver Revised Municipal Code). Generally, for goods or non-construction services, the City's payment terms are Net 30 days.

Should invoices (billings) for goods or services that are delivered to or provided to the city be sent to the Purchasing Division for payment?

No. Your invoice (billing) must be sent to the "Bill To" address indicated on the Purchase Order or indicated in the contract documents.
If you have any additional questions regarding payment, please contact the Accounts Payable Department at 720-913-8811 or AccountsPayable.help@denvergov.org