Bids and Procurement
In accordance with legal and ethical practices of the procurement profession, the Procurement Department of Harford Community College has the sole authority to issue purchase orders, order supplies, materials and equipment and to obligate the College for contractual services. They are responsible for conducting the procurement function to obtain the greatest value and benefit for the College.
The authorization to make purchases is typically given through the issuance of a College purchase order signed and issued by the Director, Procurement. The College shall honor no purchases or commitments to purchase commodities or services unless directly authorized by the Procurement Department.
PROTEST PROCEDURES
Any actual or prospective Offeror whose direct economic interest is affected by a solicitation or proposed contract award may file a written protest with the Director, Procurement. Any protest not timely filed in accordance with these procedures shall be rejected as untimely without further consideration.
A protesting party may submit only one (1) protest per protest category for each solicitation. The protest shall include all factual and legal grounds known to the protesting party at the time of filing. Additional grounds not included in the original protest may be deemed waived unless the Director, Procurement determines that good cause exists for their consideration.
Protest Requirements
All protests shall be submitted in writing and shall include, at a minimum, the following information:
a. A clear statement that the communication constitutes a formal protest.
b. The name, address, telephone number, and email address of the protesting party.
c. Identification of the procurement, including the solicitation number and title.
d. A detailed statement of the factual and legal grounds supporting the protest.
e. Copies of all supporting documents, exhibits, and evidence upon which the protest is based.
f. The specific relief requested.
g. The original or electronic signature of an individual authorized to bind the protesting party.
The protesting party bears the burden of demonstrating that the solicitation or proposed contract award failed to comply with the College's Procurement Policies, the solicitation requirements, or applicable law, and that such failure resulted in prejudice to the protesting party.
The Director, Procurement may summarily dismiss any protest that is untimely, incomplete, frivolous, repetitive, fails to state sufficient factual or legal grounds, or otherwise fails to comply with these procedures.
Protest Categories
A. Protest of Solicitation
Any protest concerning the terms, conditions, specifications, scope of work, evaluation criteria, or other requirements contained in a solicitation shall be received by the Director, Procurement no later than the date and time established for receipt of bids or proposals.
The filing of a protest concerning a solicitation shall not automatically suspend the procurement process. The Director, Procurement may suspend, amend, cancel, or continue the solicitation if determined to be in the best interest of the College.
B. Protest of Contract Award
Any protest concerning a proposed contract award shall be submitted in writing to the Director, Procurement within ten (10) calendar days after the College issues written notice of the intended contract award or written notice that the Offeror was not selected.
The filing of a protest shall not automatically stay the contract award or procurement process. The Director, Procurement may suspend the award if such action is determined to be in the best interest of the College. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the College may proceed with award or contract performance when the Director, Procurement determines that an award is necessary to protect the health, safety, welfare, operations, or other compelling interests of the College.
Review by the Director, Procurement
The Director, Procurement may request additional information or documentation from the protesting party. Any requested information shall be submitted within the timeframe established by the Director, Procurement. Failure to timely provide the requested information may result in dismissal of the protest or a determination that the protest has been withdrawn.
The Director, Procurement shall review the protest and issue a written determination setting forth the basis for the decision within ten (10) business days after receipt of all information necessary to evaluate the protest. The Director, Procurement may extend this period when additional time is reasonably necessary, provided the protesting party is notified of the extension.
Nothing contained in these procedures shall limit the College's right to reject any or all bids or proposals, cancel a solicitation, waive informalities or minor irregularities, or otherwise act in accordance with the College's Procurement Policies and applicable law.
Appeal
A protesting party may appeal the written determination of the Director, Procurement to the Associate Vice President, Finance.
A written Notice of Appeal shall be submitted to the Director, Procurement within two (2) business days after receipt of the Director, Procurement's written determination.
The written Appeal shall be submitted within seven (7) calendar days after receipt of the Director, Procurement's determination and shall include a detailed statement of the factual and legal basis supporting the requested reversal or modification. The Appeal shall specifically identify any alleged errors of fact or law contained in the Director, Procurement's determination.
Failure to timely submit either the Notice of Appeal or the Appeal shall constitute a waiver of the right to further administrative review.
The Associate Vice President, Finance shall review the Appeal and issue a written decision as expeditiously as practicable. The decision of the Associate Vice President, Finance shall constitute the College's final administrative determination.
General Provisions
The filing of a protest or appeal shall not entitle the protesting party to recover costs, attorney's fees, bid preparation expenses, or any other damages from the College unless otherwise required by applicable law.
These protest procedures are administrative in nature and do not provide for discovery, depositions, interrogatories, evidentiary hearings, or other litigation procedures unless expressly authorized by the Director, Procurement.
Following the filing of a protest, all communications concerning the protest shall be directed solely to the Director, Procurement or the individual designated by the College.
The College reserves the right to waive informalities or minor irregularities, reject any or all bids or proposals, cancel or reissue any solicitation, or take any other action authorized by the College's Procurement Policies or applicable law.
When a contract or purchase order is awarded on some basis other than price alone, unsuccessful bidders may request a debriefing from the Director for Procurement within a reasonable time. Requests for debriefing shall be made in writing. Debriefings shall be provided at the earliest feasible time after the final recommendation has been made and approved the College’s Board of Trustees (if applicable). The debriefing shall be conducted by the Director, Procurement.
The debriefing shall be limited to discussion of the unsuccessful bidder’s proposal and may not include discussion of a competing bidder’s confidential or proprietary information. The debriefing shall be factual, consistent with the evaluation proposal and may provide information on areas in which the unsuccessful bidder’s proposal was deemed weak or deficient.
The debriefing may not include discussion or dissemination of the thoughts, notes or rankings of individual members of an evaluation committee, but may include a summary of the rationale for the decision and recommended contract award.
To review or obtain copies of Harford Community College records, you must make a written request under Maryland’s Public Information Act (“MPIA”) to the Chief Communications Officer (ndysard@harford.edu).
The MPIA, which gives the public the right to review and obtain copies of disclosable public records, is found in the General Provisions Article, §§4-101 through 4-601, of the Annotated Code of Maryland.
BID BOARD
Harford Community College will advertise/post all large dollar solicitations in the Procurement Department Bid Board links below and on the electronic commerce system, Emaryland Marketplace, administered by the Maryland Department of General Services.
Vendors must register on the EMMA site vendors to receive email notifications of solicitations posted in the category(ies) for which they registered. There is no fee to register. Questions regarding the EMM site may be directed to eMMA.helpdesk@maryland.gov.
Solicitation Documents | Solicitation Results
PROSPECTIVE VENDORS
The Procurement Department, guided by Maryland law, is charged with the responsibility of obtaining the greatest value and benefit for the College, in accordance with legal and ethical practices of the procurement profession. The centralized Procurement Department has the sole authority for issuing purchase orders for materials, supplies, contractual services and equipment for the College.
The Procurement Department actively supports diversity and is committed to promoting a supplier base and business partners that are diverse. The Procurement Department makes every effort to advance equal economic opportunity aimed at increasing utilization of qualified minority and women owned suppliers.
The College is committed to campus-wide sustainability initiatives and has a general preference for recycled and environmentally preferable products.
Vendors requiring completion of credit application information should forward documents to the Procurement Department. Harford Community College is generally exempt from Federal excise and Maryland Sales and Use Tax. A tax exemption certificate is available upon request.