How the County Buys
(Up to $1,000) Small Purchase: Using agencies place most orders directly with vendors using procurement (credit) cards.
($1,000.01 - $5,000) Open Market Purchase: Price quotes may be obtained by telephone, via email or by fax from suppliers. The information is submitted to Purchasing, and a Buyer will place most orders directly with vendors using procurement (credit) cards. NOTE: Only Purchasing's Buyers can buy on procurement card above $1,000.
($5,000.01 - $25,000) Request for Quotation (RFQ)/Informal Bids: Informal quotations/bids may be solicited via Baltimore County's Current Solicitations page as a courtesy.
(Over $25,000) Request for Bid (RFB) or Requests for Proposals (RFP)/Formal Bids: Formal written, sealed bids/proposals are solicited via Baltimore County's Current Solicitations page. These bids require public posting and procurement affidavits.
Solicitations for Baltimore County General Government can be found as follows:
- Construction Contracts Administration for Capital Improvement Contracts and Professional Service Selection for Engineering & Architecture related services are issued by the Department of Public Works web pages. To bid on these contracts, bidders must be pre-qualified 10 days before bid opening. For information regarding construction contract solicitations and pre-qualification, contact the Department of Public Works at 410-887-3461.
- All other formal solicitations are posted on the Baltimore County Purchasing & Disbursement web pages under Current Solicitations.
Revised July 13, 2009



