Purchasing Services
Our online tools are designed to provide vendors with the information needed to do business with the City of Bryan. We encourage you to monitor the “Active Bids” page and the “Bid Tabulations” page, as these are updated on a regular basis.
It is also important for all vendors to register. The online vendor registration system allows the vendor to update their information at any time and to receive notifications of bid opportunities in the commodities selected during registration.
Online Vendor Registration and Bid System
Our goal is to purchase products and services which are determined to be the best value for the city. We support open, unrestricted competition and welcome any vendor suggestions or ideas that will improve competition in our bids.
Disclosure requirements
Chapter 176 of the Texas Local Government Code mandates the public disclosure of certain information concerning persons doing business or seeking to do business with the City of Bryan, including affiliations and business and financial relationships such persons may have with City of Bryan officers. An explanation of the requirements of Chapter 176 and a link to the complete text of the new law is available below. If you are unable to obtain such information online, please contact the City of Bryan Purchasing Department, 205 E. 28th Street, Bryan, Texas 77803 or call (979)209-5500.
Contact Us
- Email: purchasing@bryantx.gov
- Phone: 979-209-5500
Payments for Goods and Services
The City of Bryan has partnered with PaymentWorks to automate our vendor management process for payments related to goods and services provided to the city. This protects the financial information of our payees, eliminates payment fraud, and ensures regulatory compliance.
All new vendors and/or vendor updates must be invited to register by the City of Bryan through the PaymentWorks secure site.
Please Note: This new system is for the management and payment of approved City of Bryan vendors only. It does not replace the Brazos Valley Online Bidding System. Any vendors interested in placing bids to provide goods or services to the City of Bryan should still register with the Brazos Valley Online Bidding System.
PaymentWorks is a portal used by vendors to register their businesses with the City of Bryan and provide the required documents and information.
PaymentWorks streamlines our vendor onboarding process by:
- Including the details required for doing business with the City of Bryan
- Reducing the occurrence of duplicate vendor records
- Providing new vendor registration status tracking
- Enabling vendors to submit and update information and supporting documentation
Existing vendors will be invited to register over the next several months but this will not preclude conducting business prior to registration through PaymentWorks.
Vendor Information
Vendor Guidelines
- Call ahead for appointments whenever possible.
- It is mutually beneficial for us to be kept up-to-date on new ideas or products. Please make sure we have your most current catalogs or web site address.
- Do not make “social calls” – in sales, we know time is money to you.
- Be advised that purchasing authority is delegated to the Purchasing Department. A purchase order is awarded after the compliance of state, federal and local regulations.
- Quote realistic delivery dates (in consecutive calendar days).
- Please conduct your business openly and frankly. As a public entity, our records are a matter of public record.
- We expect you to honor all pricing, delivery and service agreements as quoted.
- You are a valued supplier, and we welcome your questions.
- All vendors are asked to help maintain our policy that no city employee accepts any gifts or favors. The best favor you can do for us is to see the City receives the best prices, quality and service.
Vendor Registration, Account Login, Active Bids and Bid Tabulation
The City of Bryan uses the Brazos Valley Online Bidding System for all of its vendor bids. Log in to view view active bids and bid tabulations.
Purchasing Procedures
Purchases $3,000 to $49,999.99
Purchases of $3,000.00 and over require competitive quotes unless an exception is taken according to Chapter 252 of the Texas Local Government Code. A minimum of three (3) quotes are solicited when practical. (A/E services are exempt from this requirement)
- Quotes and proposals must be submitted by the vendor in written form. Quotes can be transmitted via fax, regular mail or by email for any item or service which does not exceed $49,999.99.
- At a minimum, informal quotes and proposals should be submitted by the vendor on company letterhead and must contain an adequate description of the item or services, an itemized cost with a not to exceed contract amount and a time for delivery or completion of the work.
Purchases of $50,000 and more
The Texas Local Government Code requires competitive bidding or proposals for all City purchases exceeding $50,000 (except for those expenditures that fall under an exemption listed in the Code). These purchases require legal advertising and formal sealed bids or proposals. The law prohibits any City employee from making “separate, sequential, or component” purchases to avoid the competitive bidding requirements.
- Certain “on-site” services require proof of insurance. Purchasing staff will assist as needed in specifying and obtaining these documents from the vendor.
- All contracts must be approved by the Department Manager and the City Attorney.
- All contracts exceeding $25,000 must be approved by the City Manager.
- All contracts exceeding $100,000 require approval by the City Council.
- All change orders exceeding $25,000 must be approved by the City Manager.
- All change orders exceeding $50,000 must be approved by the City Council.
Contract insurance requirements
The city requires all contractors, certain vendors and most consultants to supply proof of insurance before a contract is awarded. Typically, if you are providing services on city property, proof of insurance is required. The following requirements apply to most contracts and other policies may be required depending on the scope of services.
Certificates and notices should be given to the city at the following address:
City of Bryan
Attn: Risk Management
P.O. Box 1000
Bryan, TX 77805
Payment of Invoices
- Invoices must be submitted by the vendor to the City of Bryan, Finance Department, P.O. Box 1000, Bryan, Texas 77805, (979) 209-5080, or accountinginvoices@bryantx.gov.
- All invoices to be paid in full within thirty (30) days after satisfactory delivery and billing, whichever is the later.
- The City will not be liable for payment of invoices received more than sixty (60) days after delivery of order, or completion of services.
- Invoices must contain the purchase order number.
- All invoices must be submitted in accordance with the purchase order terms and conditions.
- Invoices for commodities or services which are provided through an annual price agreement must match the unit pricing stipulated in the original contract.
Auctions
The City of Bryan is currently disposing of surplus property through a public auction with the following online auction websites.
Please visit the GovDeals online auction website at: GovDeals
For more information, please contact Scott Brooks at 979-209-5508.
Texas Ethics: Conflict of Interest Questionnaire
COMPLIANCE WITH CHAPTER 176 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE
The Texas legislature enacted House Bill 914 which added Chapter 176 to the Texas Local Government Code. Chapter 176 mandates the public disclosure of certain information concerning persons doing business or seeking to do business with the City of Bryan, including affiliations and business and financial relationships such persons may have with City of Bryan officers. An explanation of the requirements of Chapter 176, the applicable form and a complete text of the new law are available below.
BY DOING BUSINESS OR SEEKING TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY OF BRYAN, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF CHAPTER 176 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE AND THAT YOU ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR COMPLYING WITH THEM.
Texas Ethics FAQ: Chapter 176 of the Texas Local Government Code
Q: What is Chapter 176 of the Texas Local Government Code?
A: House Bill 914, passed during the 2005 Texas legislative session, becomes effective January 1, 2006. The bill added a new Chapter 176 to the Texas Local Government Code. Chapter 176 requires certain local government officers and those doing business or seeking to do business with local governmental entities to publicly disclose specified relationships. The new disclosure requirements apply to municipalities, such as the City of Bryan, counties, school districts and certain other local governmental entities. A complete text of Chapter 176 is provided at the end of this discussion.
Q: What persons or businesses doing business with the City of Bryan are subject to Chapter 176?
- A: Any person who contracts or seeks to contract for the sale or purchase of property, goods, or services with the City of Bryan.
- A: An agent of a person who contracts or seeks to contract for the sale or purchase of property, goods, or services with the City of Bryan.
Q: Does this include a person who buys city property?
A: The new law appears to apply to all persons or businesses who conduct business with the City, including those who submit bids for the purchase of surplus city property, or participate in any negotiations, offers, solicitations or other purchase or sales transactions with the City.
Q: To what type of contracts does Chapter 176 apply?
A: The new law applies to all contracts for the sale or purchase of property, goods or services without qualification as to whether the contract is written, verbal or implied. Generally, any exchange of property, goods or services for any other property, goods, services or money, between the City of Bryan and a person or business, regardless of whether evidenced by a written contract, invoice or a receipt, shall be considered a contract for purposes of Chapter 176.
Q: What information must a person doing business or seeking to do business with the City of Bryan disclose?
A: Chapter 176 requires persons to whom it applies to disclose specified affiliations, business and financial relationships that such persons may have with covered City of Bryan officers.
Q: How must a person disclose the information required by Chapter 176?
A: A person doing business or seeking to do business with the City of Bryan must file Texas Ethics Commission Form CIQ, Conflict of Interest Questionnaire, with the City no later than seven days after the date the person begins contract discussions or negotiations with the City, or submits an application or response to a request for proposals or bids, correspondence, or another writing related to a potential agreement with the City. The questionnaire may be downloaded by visiting the following link: CIQ Form A person subject to the requirements of Chapter 176 must file an updated questionnaire not later than September 1 of each year in which any of the activities required to be disclosed is pending and the seventh business day after the date anything occurs that would make the questionnaire on file incomplete or inaccurate.
Q: With whom should the questionnaire be filed?
The questionnaires will be filed with and maintained by the City Secretary. Paper copies of the questionnaire may generally be submitted to the office of the City Secretary at 300 South Texas Avenue , Bryan, Texas 77803 . These forms may also be faxed to (979)209-5003. Individual transactions with the City, however, may carry different instructions for submitting the questionnaire.
Q: What are the consequences of violating Chapter 176?
A: A person who violates the requirements of Chapter 176 commits a class C misdemeanor. A class C misdemeanor is punishable by a fine of up to $500.
Q: Is there a defense to prosecution?
A: It is a defense to prosecution if the person required to file the questionnaire files it no later than the seventh business day after the date the person receives notice of a violation.
Q: What other information must be disclosed about a person doing business or seeking to do business with the City of Bryan under Chapter 176?
A: In addition to the information provided by a person doing business or seeking to do business with the City, City officers to whom the new law applies are required to file Texas Ethics Commission Form CIS, Local Government Officer Conflicts Disclosure Statement, with the City Secretary for public viewing:
- When an officer or the officer’s family member has an employment or business relationship that results in taxable income with a person who has contracted with the City of Bryan or with whom the City of Bryan is considering doing business.
- When an officer or the officer’s family member receives and accepts one or more gifts with an aggregate value of $250 in the preceding 12 months from a person who conducts business or is being considered for doing business with the City of Bryan.
- A family member is defined as a person related to another person within the first degree by consanguinity (blood) or affinity (marriage) (e.g., spouse, father, mother, son, daughter, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, etc).
- Generally, gifts of food, lodging, transportation, or entertainment accepted as a guest, regardless of amount, do not have to be disclosed.
View the complete text of Chapter 176 of the Texas Local Government Code
