Purchasing Opportunities
The Department of Management Services, State Purchasing Office issues and administers both State Term Contracts and State Purchasing Agreements (SPA).
State Term Contract (STC)
State term contracts issued by the Department of Management Services, State Purchasing Office are established by an invitation to bid, request for proposal or invitation to negotiate. State term contracts are for use by eligible users which include state agencies, federal, county, municipality, other local public agencies. Various commodities and services that are commonly used are available from state term contracts. You can view these contracts here.
These contracts are typically from one to two years with option for renewal.
State Purchasing Agreements (SPA)
Price schedules for commodities and services not available on a State Term Contract can be awarded to one vendor, or in certain cases, for example, services requiring local performance or products which require local support, to multiple vendors in different geographic areas of the State, and are optional for use by agencies or other eligible users. In order to be considered for a SPA, a firm must register as a vendor in the MyFloridaMarketPlace and sign up for eQuotes. Requests for SPA's can be made by State agencies or political subdivisions, but not by vendors. After receiving a request, the Division of State Purchasing will solicit quotations from multiple vendors using the eQuote process. The SPA will be awarded to the vendor with the lowest price meeting the specifications and/or requirements of the eQuote solicitation.
SPAs provide an opportunity to evaluate the volume of commodities and contractual services purchased to determine if a State Term Contract is warranted. They also serve as an "incubation" environment that permits introduction of commodities and services not currently on State Term Contracts, as well as providing new vendors with initial access to Florida's economic growth opportunities. SPA streamlines the purchasing process by capturing vendor name, ordering instructions, commodities and/or services offered, and establishing a set price schedule. Any single SPA purchase shall not exceed $25,000.
Other Marketing Opportunities
State agencies have been delegated the authority to make purchases. When a purchase exceeds $25,000 and is not available on a State Term Contract, agencies issue a solicitation for these purchases. Purchases that are less than $25,000 can be made from SPA agreements or by soliciting informal quotations. Marketing opportunities are also available through the State University System, city, county and other local governmental agencies.
For access to solicitation opportunities issued by State of Florida and Community Colleges visit the Vendor Bid System.