Micro Purchases
When we're buying goods and services valued at up to $ 5,000, we contact vendors by telephone or fax to ask for price quotes rather than advertise. We turn to our vendors list and other sources to locate qualified vendors.

Small Purchases
For purchases valued at $5,000 to 100,000 invitations to bid are sent to a number of vendors who have been randomly selected from a bidders list. The purchase is awarded to the qualified vendor that provides the lowest responsive bid.

Competitive Sealed Bids (CSB)
A CSB is used to obtain bids when a procurement value is expected to exceed $100,000. All vendors on the appropiate bidders list are mailed invitations to bid and the procurements are publicly advertised in the City Record. Vendors submit bids that are opened in a public meeting and the contract is awarded to the qualified responsible vendor submitting the lowest responsive bid.

Request for Proposal (RFP)
RFP's are used to obtain professional services when price is not the most important factor.  Vendors on a bidders list are emailed notices of solicitation and the procurements are publicly advertised. An evaluation committee chooses the best proposals and then negotiates with the top proposers before making a selection and awarding a contract.

Intergovernmental Procurements
DCAS may procure IT services or other items through the New York State Office of General Services (OGS) or other government entities. In such cases we utilized vendors pre-qualified by those entities.