Purchasing Office

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Purchasing Department

 

Our mission is to purchase or lease goods and services for the City at the lowest cost possible so the City can provide the very best services to the citizens of the city.

Duties And Responsibilities:

The Purchasing Agent for the City, pursuant to Title 3, Chapter 3 of the City Code, is responsible for:

  1. Establishing and enforcing specifications for supplies, materials and equipment required to carry out the operations of the City.
  2. Operating a City Warehouse that maintains inventories of commonly requested supplies and materials.
  3. Transferring obsolete, unused, or surplus supplies, materials and equipment to City Departments who have a need for them.
  4. Selling or disposing of surplus supplies, materials or equipment no longer needed by any City Department.
  5. Purchasing, in accordance with the State Bid Law and City Code, all goods and services needed by City Departments to ensure their ability to provide required services to the citizens of the City.
  6. Providing graphic artistry and printing support for all City Departments.

Doing Business With The City of Birmingham:

  1. Getting on the Bid List The City of Birmingham maintains in excess of 200 separate bid lists ranging from Air Compressors to Wrecker Services. If you wish to have your company’s name added to our bid list(s) you may either call (205)254-2265, fax your request to (205) 254-2484, or fill out ourĀ Online Vendor Registration Form. Be sure to include name of your company, mailing address and the type supplies and/or services you offer. Keep in mind the State Bid Law allows your name to be removed from any bid list(s) if your company fails to respond to three consecutive solicitations.
  2. Responding To Bid Solicitations – The State Bid Law requires goods and services to be solicited by using sealed bid procedures if the dollar amount is expected to exceed $15,000.00. In those instances, all vendors on the bid list(s) for the good or service desired will be sent a solicitation by mail. If the good or service requested is not expected to exceed $15,000.00, Purchasing buyers will usually contact three vendors in the local area by phone, email or fax and request verbal or written quotes. If no local vendors exist for the requested good or service, then several vendors will be arbitrarily selected from the appropriate bid list(s) used for sealed bids, and contacted for a quote.
  3. Obtaining Bid Award Results three (3) to five (5) days after a sealed bid opening, bid results should be available to the public. To obtain a copy of the bid tabulation for any sealed bid, contact the Purchasing Division at (205) 254-2265.

In an effort to encourage businesses to relocate within the city limits, or not leave the city limits, purchasing utilizes a provision of the State Bid Law and City Code that allows municipalities to give a preference to bids for personal property received from vendors with a place of business in the city limits. In the event the bid of a vendor in the city limits is no more that 5% higher than the lowest bid of a vendor not located in the city limits, the vendor in the city limits will receive the award.

 

Carmen Jones, Purchasing Agent
Finance Department
City Hall-1st Floor P-100
710 North 20th Street
Birmingham, Alabama 35203