Procurement 101 Tool Offers Simple Guide to Contracting

The Office of Business Opportunity, in collaboration with the Strategic Procurement Division, has launched a free, online training tool that assists small businesses in navigating the City of Houston’s procurement process.

The Procurement 101 Portal, available via on-demand videos and accessible through houstontx.gov/OBO under Quick Links, walks users through each step of doing business with the City of Houston – from registering for a vendor number to bid submission, the evaluation process, understanding contract terms and conditions, and ensuring intended performance.

“The City of Houston purchases billions of dollars in goods and services from companies in a variety of industries, including those certified under the City’s MWSDBE supplier diversity program,” said OBO Assistant Director Lalla V. Morris, who led the development of Procurement 101.

“When users sign up for training, they will have access to short videos that are easy to understand and that can be replayed anytime. We encourage businesses to use this tool to their advantage, whether new to contracting or as a refresher for those who already do business with the City. Procurement 101 was developed in line with OBO’s mission of cultivating a diverse and competitive economic environment,” she said.

FREE, 24/7 ACCESS: The Procurement 101 Tool is available via on-demand videos and accessible through houstontx.gov/OBO under Quick Links.

Each training video, which runs for 2 to 12 minutes, covers the following:

– Business Registration: Before doing business with the City of Houston, businesses must register for a vendor number.

– Understanding ITBs, RFQs, and RFPs: An overview of the different methods used to procure goods and services for the City.

– Maximizing Pre-Bid/Pre-Proposal Meetings: Examines the purpose, process, and objectives of the pre-bid/ pre-proposal meeting and how vendors can maximize participation.

– Structuring Your Team: Explains the different contractor roles on a project (prime contractor, subcontractor, joint venture), and how to structure one’s team.

– Bidding on Contracts: Presents best practices in process and strategies for increasing one’s chances of success in the bid or proposal submission process.

– Bid Submission and the Evaluation Process: Describes what happens after the City of Houston receives a bid/ proposal. Follow bids/proposals as they are triaged, scored, shortlisted, and awarded.

– Contract Terms and Conditions: A review of the typical terms and conditions of a City contract (nonexhaustive list).

The Procurement 101 Portal also includes a resource link that connects users with important contacts, a list of frequently asked questions, and to portions of the training videos available for download.