With a population of approximately 4.2 million people, Oregon is the 27^th most populous state in the U.S. Currently, Oregon has five target industry groups that provide the state with a competitive advantage in the fields of growth, high wage jobs, and innovation. These industry groups include:

• Advanced Manufacturing – metals & machinery, Aerospace & defense, and Biomedical
• Business Services – professional & technical services, company management, and customer support
• Food and Beverages – brings in $11 billion in sales annually
• Forestry & Wood Products – largest lumber producer in the U.S. with 30.5 million acres of forestlands
• High Technology – semiconductors and electronics, software and IT
• Outdoor Gear & Apparel – home to Nike, Adidas, and Columbia Sportwear

(Source: “Resources.” Business Oregon | Growth Industries. 17 Mar. 20. https://www.oregon4biz.com/Oregon-Business/Industries/)

As these industries continue to expand in Oregon, the economy will continue to flourish, which makes Oregon an ideal place for vendors to do business with public agencies.

This article will discuss how to do business in the State of Oregon, along with how to bid on public opportunities in the Cities of Beaverton and Roseburg. 

Doing Business with the State of Oregon

Doing business with the government of any state involves navigating rules and regulations that are particular to that state. For vendors, it’s best to find out ahead of time what these regulations are before bidding on opportunities.

The official website for state procurement in Oregon describes what requirements need to be met in order to register as a business and bid on opportunities. The main solicitation types the state uses to procure goods and services include Request for Proposal (RFP), Invitation to Bid (ITB), Request for Qualification and Request for Quote (RFQ). Depending on what Oregon is looking to procure, any of these solicitation types may be used.

Oregon also has procurement thresholds that are used to determine the type of solicitation the state will use and what must be included in the solicitation. These thresholds are as follows:

• Up to $10,000 – secretary may contact the vendor directly to establish a contract and does not require a competitive quote
• $10,000 to $150,000 – requires at least 3 competitive quotes and uses an informal procurement process for awarding these contracts
  • The bidder with the lowest bid or highest score is named the successful bidder
• Over $150,000 – formal procurements that can be advertised in a local newspaper. Requires legal review by the Oregon Department Justice before release of the solicitation

(Source: “Oregon Secretary of State.” Contracting Opportunities. 17 Mar. 20. https://sos.oregon.gov/Pages/contractingopportunities.aspx)

Competitive sealed bidding is another method that is used when the cost of a procurement initiative exceeds $150,000. In these cases, an agency will issue an Invitation to Bid (ITB) or a Request for proposal (RFP) depending upon the specified criteria.

An ITB and RFP have a similar procurement process, however the specifications are slightly different, as are the criteria for awarding the contract.

(Source: State of Oregon: Oregon procurement manual - Competitive Sealed Bidding (ITB). 17 Mar. 20. https://www.oregon.gov/das/OPM/Pages/bidding.aspx)

If you are a vendor interested in doing business with the State of Oregon, you must first register their business with the state. Depending on your business type, there are three different authorities with which to register your business.

To do business with the State of Oregon vendors are required to register with the Secretary of State. Any business certified as a minority, women-owned, or emerging small business (MWESB) should register with the Certification Office for Business Inclusion and Diversity (COBID).

Vendors who provide construction related services must register with the Construction Contracts Board.

Once registered, the next step is to register as a vendor with the OregonBuys eProcurement System. From there, vendors can view bid opportunities and submit proposals with ease.

How to Bid in the City of Beaverton

Beaverton is a growing city in Oregon and a great location to start a business and begin bidding on local opportunities. The most common purchases made by the city of in Beaverton include requirements contracts, personal/professional services, engineering & related services, construction, and public improvement contracts. The city also divides its procurements into two main categories: small & intermediate and formal. The guidelines for these types of procurement are as follows:

Small & Intermediate Procurement:

• Goods and trade services
  • Up to $10,000 – awarded directly without obtaining quotes
  • $10,000 - $100,000 – three written quotes are required
  • Informal quotes – obtained by contacting suppliers by phone, email, fax, or mail
• Personal Services
  • Less than $25,000 - can be appointed without quotes
  • $25,000 to $100,000 – three written quotes required
• Architectural & Engineering (A&E) Services
  • Up to $100,000 – awarded by direct appointment

Formal Procurement:

• Greater than $100,000 – must go through a competitive bid process that includes an advertisement and a sealed bid or proposal

(Source: Doing Business with the City | Beaverton, OR - Official Website. 17 Mar. 20. https://www.beavertonoregon.gov/1639/Doing-Business-with-the-City)

The type of solicitation used for the formal procurement process is typically an Invitation to Bid (ITB), a Request for Proposal (RFP) and a Request for Qualification (RFQ). When a solicitation is issued, a public notice will be placed for ITB’s and RFP’s and a notice will also be posted on the city’s website.

For certified businesses, the city of Beaverton requires vendors to go through the State’s COBID program. A firm can be certified as follows:

• Emerging Small Business (ESB)
• Minority-owned Business Enterprise (MBE)
• Women-owned Business Enterprise (WBE)
• Service-Disabled Veteran-owned Small Business (SDV)
• Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE and ACDBE)

As with any other state or city, in order to be qualified as a certified business, there are certain requirements that must be met. Businesses can learn what the requirements are to get certified and to register for free through COBID. There is no formal vendor registration for the city, but vendors will need a valid Beaverton business license in order to do business with the city.

To view bid postings and receive notifications, vendors can visit the city’s current bid and proposal opportunities to receive up-to-date bid information.

How to Bid in the City of Roseburg

The City of Roseburg is a small city in the State of Oregon, known as the Timber Capital of the Nation. Roseburg is a great location for businesses to bid on local government opportunities. Any businesses interested in providing products or services to the city must first register prior to bidding on any opportunities. When bidding with the city there are seven different types of solicitations to look out for, which include:

1. Direct Selection - contract prices up to $10,000
2. Informal Verbal Quote or Proposal – contracts valued at $10,000 to $25,000
3. Informal Written Quote or Proposal – contracts valued at $25,000 to $50,000
4. Formal Sealed Bid – contracts above $50,000 that will be requested by an ITB or an RFP
5. Invitation to Bid – a bid for a specific product, service or project where the lowest bidder is awarded the contract.
6. Request for Proposals – formal written proposals that are awarded based on specific criteria (qualifications, product features etc.) rather than just price
7. Request for Qualifications – Used for professional services that are worth more than $100,000 or when an agency is looking to identify certain criteria or a solution to a problem or issue

(Source: “Bidding Opportunities.” Bidding | City of Roseburg. 17 Mar. 20. http://www.cityofroseburg.org/bidding/vendor-types-buying)

To determine whether your business is can help meet the procurement needs of any city, it’s important to find out what the city typically buys. The City of Roseburg has stated that they buy construction materials, vehicles and equipment, operating and cleaning devices, office equipment, consulting and management services, and engineering and architectural services. If you know your business can provide the city with any of the following products or services, it’s worth it to starting bidding on opportunities as they arise. To find new information and opportunities for the City of Roseburg, you can visit the city’s bidding page.   

A Reliable Bid Service for Your Business

Instead of wasting valuable time looking for bid opportunities in multiple locations, BidNet can provide your business with bid opportunities and awards from federal, state, and local agencies from all over the U.S. Whether you’re bidding in the State of Oregon or the Cities of Beaverton and Roseburg or any other location, BidNet provides something for everyone. With their customized BidAlert® Bulletin, businesses will receive daily email notifications of targeted opportunities related to their area of expertise from any location(s) of their choosing. With BidNet, your business can spend more time bidding and winning contracts and less time searching for – and possibly missing out on – opportunities.

Andrea Cortina | BidNet.com