FAQs

Q. What do I need to do to be placed on the Gwinnett County bidder's list?
A.  Complete registration online here.

Q. Do I have to be on the mailing list to submit a bid?
A. No. However, you must be a registered vendor prior to contract award.

Q. How does the County advertise goods or services being bid?
A. To better serve the Citizens and Supplier Community and to increase competition, information regarding Gwinnett County solicitations estimated to be over $100,000.00 is available from the following sources: Gwinnett Daily Post (newspaper), Gwinnett County Web site www.gwinnettcounty.com, the Georgia Procurement Registry site https://ssl.doas.state.ga.us/gpr/ and the Solicitation Center located at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center, the Department of Financial Service, 75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville, GA 30046.

Q. How do I contact other Gwinnett County Departments?
A. The department liaisons are listed on the Purchasing Staff page located here.

Q. How long will my firm remain on the County's bidder mailing list?
A. Indefinitely, or until you submit a written request asking us to remove your firm.

Q. Does the County release the estimated cost of projects being bid?
A. No.

Q. Must a company be a resident of Georgia to bid?
A. No.

Q. May I send a bid/proposal package by fax or email?
A. No. Formal advertised sealed bids/proposals will not be accepted by the Purchasing Department via fax or email.

Q. How do I learn about doing business with Gwinnett County?
A. The How to Do Business with Gwinnett County manual can be found on the Purchasing page. Select Documents and Forms.

Q. How do I get on the supplier list for Gwinnett County?
A. Register by completing an application found on the Purchasing page. Select Vendor Login/Registration.

Q. After I have registered does this mean I will automatically receive notifications of bids that pertain to my company?
A. Gwinnett County cannot guarantee that every registered supplier will receive a notification. Given that Gwinnett County has mover 10,000 registered suppliers, suppliers are encouraged to visit the County website or Solicitation Center weekly for new opportunities.

Q. I do not have access to the Web; how can I register my company?
A. Contact the Purchasing Division for an application, which can be sent by mail or fax.

Q. What if I can't find commodity codes that match what my company does?
A. If you need assistance in determining what commodity codes best suit your company, contact the Purchasing Division for assistance. Vendors are encouraged to enter multiple applicable commodity codes.

Q. I registered my company several months ago and have not yet heard anything nor received any solicitations. Can you tell me if my company is indeed registered?
A. An email confirmation will be sent to your company once approved. If you have not received this confirmation, please contact the Purchasing Division.

Q. Does Gwinnett County have a MBE/WBE program?
A. No.

Q. My company has a new product that we would like to present to you. How can I get set up to do that?
A. Such requests can be set up with the user department. If there is a desire/need to meet with the Purchasing Division, an appointment should be made with the responsible Purchasing Associate.

Q. Are pre-bid/proposal conferences mandatory?
A. Occasionally they are mandatory. Please read the specific solicitation for this information.

Q. I was unable to attend a bid opening. How can I find out who the apparent low bidders were?
A. The results are posted the morning after the opening on the Purchasing page. Select Bids & RFPs and Bids & RFPs Responses.

Q. When and where are the Commissioner meetings held?
A. For most Purchasing-related matters, the Board of Commissioners meet on the first and third Tuesday of each month, in the Gwinnett Justice Administration Center auditorium at 10:00am (work session) and 2:00pm (business session). Complete information may be found on our website.

Q. When awarding a bid, are Gwinnett County suppliers given preference over suppliers from other counties or out of state?
A. Gwinnett County does not have a local supplier preference, except in cases of ties. In the event of a tie bid/quote, award would be to a local firm if only one of the suppliers has an office located with the boundaries of Gwinnett County (if applicable).

Q. After a bid or proposal is awarded, is it possible to get a copy of the winning bid or proposal?
A. Please refer to the Open Records Act O.C.G.A. Section 50-18-70 et. seq.

Q. If I submitted a bid on an annual contract, will I automatically be sent a bid the next time it comes up for bid?
A. Great effort is made to send the solicitation to all of the previous suppliers. It is recommended to visit the County website to stay informed of new solicitations.

Q. I would like to meet and introduce myself to the Purchasing Associate who handles my commodity. Do I need an appointment?
A. Yes, please contact the Purchasing Associate for an appointment.

Q. I would like to get a plan holder's list for a particular bid. Can you provide me with this?
A. Yes, contact the Purchasing Associate handling that particular bid.

Q. After a solicitation has opened how long does it take before it is awarded?
A. Every attempt is made to award between 90-120 days of the opening date.

Q. If I am submitting a bid on a project, can I be supplied with the bid tab from the previous award?
A. Yes, contact the Purchasing Associate handling that particular bid.

Q. Where can I look on the website to learn of bid opportunities?
A. On the Purchasing page, select Bids & RFPs.

Q. Are bids and RFPs and related addenda posted on your website?
A. Yes. On the Purchasing page, select Bids & RFPs.

Q. Is award information posted on your website?
A. Yes, award information is posted on the Purchasing page. Select Award Tabulation from the menu. Award tabulations remain posted for approximately 30 days after award.

Q. Do bidders have to be prequalified or on a pre-approved list to submit bids?
A. Some solicitations do require prequalified or pre-approved vendors. If this is a requirement, it will be clearly stated in the solicitation document.

Q. After I have registered my company, how long does it take before my business will be in your system?
A. It usually takes one business day.

Q. How can I correct or update my company information once I have registered?
A. Once you are registered, your company information must be updated every three years by logging into the County system using your unique ID and password. If you have forgotten your user ID or password, you can reset it through the County's website at www.gwinnettcounty.com.

Q. Do I have to provide proof of insurance to do business with Gwinnett County?
A. In some cases, yes. There are five types of Insurance Requirements: Standard, Major Professional Services, Minor Professional Services, Major Construction, and Minor Construction

Q. What are Gwinnett County’s protest procedures in regards to FTA funded solicitations?  
A. Protests concerning the County's purchasing policies, contract requirements, specifications, the bidding procedure, or the contract award, or any other request for explanation or clarification must be submitted in writing to the attention of the Purchasing Director and must include the following information:

•   The name and address of the protester

•   The name and telephone number of the protester's contact person having responsibility.

•    A complete statement of the grounds of the protest with full documentation of the protester's claim.

The Purchasing Director will notify the Transit Division Director of all protests related to FTA funded purchases.

Pre-award protests must be received by the County no less than ten (10) working days before the scheduled bid/proposal opening.  The Purchasing Division will respond to protests in writing and render its final decision at least five (5) working days prior to the bid/proposal opening.  The Transit Division will report such protests to the FTA regional office.

Post-award protests must be received no later than five (5) working days after notification of the award bid/proposal. Post-award protests may only be accepted from bid/proposal responders. The Purchasing Division will have ten (10) working days after receipt of the formal protest package to evaluate, and issue a response. The Transit Division will report such protests to the FTA regional office.