City Purchasing Overview

The City of Seattle has three types of purchasing and contracting:

• Purchasing (goods and routine services)
• Construction and Public Works
• Consultant Contracting

City Purchasing is centralized within the Department of Executive Administration, for goods, products, materials, supplies and routine services. All purchases for any Department that aggregates above $44,000/year are centrally managed by City Purchasing. Call 206-684-0444.

Construction contracting is also known as Public Works. Each Department handles their own projects, although bids and contracts are centralized under the Contracting Services Division, Department of Executive Administration. Call 206-684-0430.

Consultant contracting, advertising and solicitations are decentralized among departments. Rules and procedures are managed by Contracting Services Division, Department of Executive Administration. Call 206-684-0430.

City Purchasing Bid Process

Formal sealed bid or sealed proposal processes are conducted for acquisitions above $44,000. Bids and solicitations are posted online and in the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce newspaper. Bid results are available from the City Purchasing Buyer or call 206-684-0444. Any protests must follow Protest Procedures.

Purchases less than $44,000 are not formally advertised. Informal bids are decentralized, and may be conducted by departments or City Purchasing.

Interlocal Agreements

The City of Seattle enters into cooperative purchasing agreements with various local agencies and non-profit public purchasing cooperatives, to promote government cooperation and to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of shared public bid and contract processes. RCW 39.34.030 is the authorizing state statute.

Contact Us

For questions or more information regarding the acquisition of goods and routine services, call City Purchasing at 206- 684-0444.