Demolition/Abatement Constracts (Folders 1-2)

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Chaptcr 4: Mcthods of Sclcction http:!/W~~1r. fta.dot.gov/fta/libran~iad min!RYPman~scct_40. htm Does your agency have a"home page" on the Internet's Wor(d Wide Web? Getting the word out on up-coming procurements is one of the primary purposes many transit agencies establish a home page in the first place (the other is posting job vacancies). You may also want to consider using existing state-level home pages or bulletin boards. Don't overlook this as a real medium to reach potential bidders and proposers. The federal government is really encouraging companies of all sizes to utilize computers in the procurement process, and has many initiatives to go "paperless." This is particularly evident in sm~il purchases. As the procurement community becomes more sophisticated in accessing and effectively using the Internet, consider utilizing this relatively inexpensive medium to advertise your procurements to a national audience. • If your commercial environment supports many broad-based newspapers, it may be appropriate to competitively procure newspaper advertising. • If your advertising volume is significant and your media market complex, you may find that an agency can cost effectively negotiate media availability. • One of the most effective ways t4 increase DBE participation in your procurement processes is to advertise in media read by that target community. Your DBE program may require you to advertise in target-specific newspapers to enhance participation by those entities. Your agency's program may be large enough to distribute a regular publication to all vendors certified under your program or to membership lists of such organizations as minority chambers of commerce. Whatever is being done by your agency in terms of advertising the program, you can take advantage of that opportunity and advertise up-coming procurements as well. Because of time requirements in advance of the actual publication, you may not be able to give all of the detail about a specific procurement, but you still can put the community on general notice about the opportunity. • Does the construction industry in your community (AGC, ASA, etc.) advertise to its membership notices of up-coming procurements in the public seetor? If so, try to get your notices published there as well. Frequently there is no charge for this service. We have identified in the "Requirements" discussion above, the only FTA requirements that exist in terms of publicizing notices about up-coming procurements. Even though there are no detailed discussion or set of guidelines other than these general statements.?~ It is a good practice to advertise your procurements in a manner that will encourage maximum competition. Find out if your "general circulation" newspaper has national circulation. That is the sort of information that circulation departments of newspapers love to pass on to prospective customers! Consider advertising your large rolting stock and systems-type contracts in national trade association publieations such as APTA's Passenger Transport and other trade magazines. Also, consider advertising your procurements in the Commerce Business Daily (CBD) which is the required publication for federal government contract actions.?g 4.3.2.2 Solicitation Mailing List In addition to the general requirement for full and open competition which we have discussed above, the only additional requirement dealing (indirectly) with a mailing list is the requirement in FTA Circular 4220.1D § 9.c that, if the IFB method is used, "bids shall be solicited from an adequate number of known sources." DISCUSSION 13 of 45 01/10/97 13:09:30