Vendor Guide
Howard County Government seeks to fulfill its needs for commodities and services through open competitive bidding wherever practical and possible.
Howard County Government is bound by purchasing laws which are set forth in the Howard County Charter, the Howard County Code, and the Purchasing Manual. These publications are available for review at the Office of Procurement and Contract Administration.
The Office of Procurement and Contract Administration is responsible for procuring all commodities and services required by Howard County Government. This office also administers the procurement of professional services and construction for capital projects. All purchasing contact with County Government agencies must be made through the Office of Procurement and Contract Administration, located at:
6751 Columbia Gateway Dr. Suite 226
Columbia MD 21046
Phone (410) 313-6370
Fax (410) 313-6388
TTY (410) 313-2323
Vendor sales efforts to a county agency are not prohibited and may be the best way to achieve small sales (i.e., sales less than $10,000). County agencies often request product and service information to stay current with the latest technologies, materials, source of supply, etc. Furnishing sales literature or other product information is considered normal sales effort. However, such requests do not imply that you will receive an agency's order. Depending on a number of conditions, an agency's final requirement may result in a solicitation being issued by the Office of Procurement and Contract Administration.
Similar to sales visits, product demonstrations are considered normal sales efforts. Vendors often have a product or service that may be of interest to many agencies within Howard County government. In this case, the Office of Procurement can make arrangements for "product demos" where a number of similar vendor products or services may be demonstrated in one central location (similar to a "product expo"). Please contact the appropriate buyer for additional information.
Suppliers are encouraged to frequently view our Current Solicitations for formal bid opportunities. Suppliers may also want to register on PlanetBids Vendor Portal and eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA). Howard County does not maintain a Bidders List.
Formal solicitations for commodities, contractual services, professional services, and Capital Projects are advertised on this website. To view current opportunities, click here to be directed to our Current Solicitations page
The Howard County Office of Procurement and Contract Administration subscribes to the Code of Ethics of the Institute for Public Procurement (NIGP), and is a charter member of the Maryland Public Purchasing Association, Inc. Further, acceptance of gifts or gratuities of any kind is prohibited by governmental purchasing ethics, Howard County Charter Sec. 901, and Howard County Code Sec. 22.204.
It is the policy of Howard County to encourage participation in the Equal Business Opportunity (EBO) Program by Minority-owned Business Enterprises (MBE), Woman-owned Business Enterprises (WBE), and Disabled-owned Business Enterprises (DBE). For more information about our EBO Program, please contact Mahesh Sabnani, Coordinator, (410) 313-3694 or msabnani@howardcountymd.gov.
Howard County is committed to creating a competitive and balanced economic environment within the County by ensuring community growth through the Local Business Initiative. For more information, please contact Mahesh Sabnani, EBO Coordinator, at (410)-313-3694 or msabnani@howardcountymd.gov.
The Veteran-Owned Business Enterprise Program is designed to foster participation by Veteran-Owned Businesses in the County's procurement process. For more information about the VOBE Program, please contact Mahesh Sabnani, Coordinator, (410) 313-3694 or msabnani@howardcountymd.gov.
Howard County Code Sec. 4.122A establishes a wage rate tied to the federal poverty guidelines that is applicable to most service contracts with an expected annual value over $100,000. Please see the current Wage Rate Requirement form for more information. Questions may be directed to Mahesh Sabnani, Coordinator, (410) 313-3694 or msabnani@howardcountymd.gov.
Depending on the amount of a purchase, Howard County Government uses different Procurement methods.
- $9,999 or less: Procurement Card. User agencies make direct purchases using procurement cards.
- $10,000 - $29,999: Informal Quotes. Purchasing obtains written quotations from a minimum of three bidders.
- $30,000 and over: Formal Bids. Formal solicitations, Invitations for Bids or Requests for Proposals, are posted on the Office of Procurement website and/or PlanetBids, where potential bidders are encouraged to view solicitations and addenda. Addenda to solicitations often occur within as little as 48 hours prior to the opening date. It is the potential bidder's responsibility to frequently visit the Procurement website and/or PlanetBids to obtain addenda once a solicitation is made available.
Plans, specifications, and addenda for capital construction projects are available to prospective contractors electronically on PlanetBids. To view, please click on Current Solicitations on the left side of this page. The County does not maintain a bidders list for architectural and engineering services or capital construction projects. These solicitations are advertised on this website.
All services and construction contracts require insurance certificates of general liability, workers' compensation, and automobile liability naming Howard County as an additional insured.
Howard County requires Contractors to be registered to do business in, and must be in good standing in, the State of Maryland. Contractors not registered must obtain registration information from the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation website, or call 410-767-1184 or toll free 1-888-246-5941.
Howard County solicitations may also have additional requirements; any additional requirements shall be specified in the solicitation package.
Procurement Procedures
Depending on the amount of the purchase, Howard County Government uses different procurement methods:
Procurement Card ($9,999 or less)
User agencies make direct purchases using procurement cards issued to individuals.
Informal Quotes ($10,000 - $29,999)
Purchasing obtains written quotations from a minimum of three bidders.
Formal Bids ($30,000 and over)
Formal solicitations, Invitations for Bid or Requests for Proposals, are posted on the Office of Purchasing web site and/or Planetbids where potential bidders are encouraged to view solicitations and addenda. Addenda to solicitations often occur within as little as 48 hours prior to the opening date. It is the potential bidder's responsibility to frequently visit the Purchasing web site and/or Planetbids to obtain addenda once a solicitation is made available.
Howard County solicitations may also have additional requirements, any additional requirements shall be specified in the solicitation package.