TRA Procurement Policies-- Doing Business With TRA

The Authority annually expends several million dollars on goods, services, and supplies. In 2006, these expenditures (excluding professional services) exceeded $39 million.

With respect to procurement, it is the TRA’s intent to promote competitive pricing and broad participation of vendors in purchasing.

VENDOR PARTICIPATION

A Vendor Solicitation List (VSL) will be used for both solicitation of bids and for pricing purchases, which fall below the required bid amount. Pricing of purchases not required to be bid will be made through HUBs, non-HUB vendors , and the consolidated purchasing sources.

Vendors will be deleted from the VSL at the vendor's written request.  Vendors may also be deleted from the VSL when goods or services are non-conforming, fail to meet quality standards or fail to be delivered as promised.

DISADVANTAGE BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PARTICIPATION

Business enterprises, including disadvantaged, minority, women owned, or Historically Underutilized Business (HUB), will be encouraged to submit a vendor profile to a TRA purchasing site for inclusion in that location’s VSL.

TRA will accept the statement of the vendor as to 51% ownership by an individual or class of individuals who qualify as HUB owners, i.e. Black Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Pacific Americans, Native Americans, and Women. TRA will accept vendor certification of HUB status by the North Central Regional Certification Agency, North Texas Women’s Business Counsel, and the consolidated purchasing sources.

TRANSACTIONS REQUIRING COMPETITIVE BIDS

Purchases in Excess of $50,000

For contracts of $50,000 or more where purchases are available through the consolidated purchasing sources, the manager will obtain three other quotes. If the consolidated purchasing sources' price is the lowest and best price, the  purchase order may be initiated after approval from the General Manager.

For contracts over $50,000 where the purchase is not available through the consolidated purchasing sources, the Authority shall advertise the letting of the contract, including the general conditions, and time and place of the opening of sealed bids.  The notice shall be published in one or more newspapers with general circulation in the state, or with general circulation in the Authority's jurisdiction.  The notice shall be published once a week for two consecutive weeks before the date that the bids are opened, and the first publication shall be not later than the 21st day before the date of the opening of the sealed bids.

Publication of Bid Notices will be made by the appropriate manager only after a determination of the availability of the products or services.

Bid awards based on the lowest and best bid will be determined by an analysis of the bids received and what is available from the consolidated purchasing sources.  Recommendations for bid awards will be made to the General Manager and/or the Board of Directors.

Purchases Between $25,000 and $50,000

For contracts over $25,000 but not more than $50,000, the Authority shall obtain proposals based on uniform written specifications from at least three parties, and subject to the adequacy of budgeted funds.

Purchases Below $25,000

The Authority is not required to advertise or solicit proposals for contracts that are not more than $25,000.