The Chief Procurement Officer request City Council approve an ordinance that would authorize the receipt of electronic sealed bids and proposals at a City-wide level.
With the increased use of electronic communications by businesses and government entities, there is a need to provide a process by which City departments can be certified to incorporate electronic bidding technology into their workflow processes. Implementing the use of electronic bidding at a City-wide level will reduce costs, save time, streamline operations, contribute towards a paperless initiative, improve customer experience internally and externally, and promote consistency and interoperability across all City departments. Receipt of electronic bids will be secured, confidential, and reliable. The electronic bid system shall not accept incomplete bids, thus increasing the quality of bids. Bidders will benefit from the increase ease of submitting bids and resubmitting bids before the submission deadline. The City of Houston will benefit as allowing receipt of electronic sealed bids and proposals will lead to a potentially larger group of bidders promoting competitive bids.
Section 252.0415 of the Local Government Code authorizes municipalities to electronically receive sealed bid and proposals responses from vendors. Section 252.0415 of the Local Government requires that internal procedures for ensuring the identification, security, and confidentiality of electronic bids and proposals and ensuring that the electronic bids or proposals remain effectively unopened until the proper time be established and approved by the governing body of a municipality prior to implementation.
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Jerry Adams, Chief Procurement Officer
Finance/Strategic Procurement Division