The Procurement Department serves as the City's central procurement authority. Procurement manages competitive solicitations, establishes procurement procedures and controls, supports contract formation and compliance, and assists City departments, the Utility Special District, and the Riviera Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) in acquiring goods, services, construction, and professional services in accordance with applicable law and City Code Chapter 16.5.

See City Code Chapter 16.5 - Procurement, including Sections 16.5-41 through 16.5-44 regarding the Office of the Purchasing Agent and procurement authority.

The City procures a broad range of goods and services, including commodities and supplies; professional services such as engineering, architecture, legal, and financial services; construction and infrastructure; information technology; maintenance and repair services; and other contractual services. The procurement method depends on the nature, value, funding source, and legal requirements of the purchase.

No. Procurement provides citywide procurement and contract-governance support, including solicitation, award, contract documentation, renewals and amendments, and compliance controls. The requesting department and designated Contract Administrator are generally responsible for day-to-day contract administration, including monitoring performance, deliverables, invoices, and operational issues.

The requesting department defines the operational need, develops or supports the scope of work, identifies funding, and manages performance after award. Procurement determines and administers the appropriate procurement process, protects the integrity of the competition, and ensures required procurement documentation and approvals are in place.

There are two primary ways to do business with the City, depending on the value of the purchase:

Purchases of $25,000 or less: Vendors should register with the City and identify the goods and services their business provides. Registration allows the City to identify and contact qualified vendors when departments or Procurement are seeking competitive quotes for purchases within the City's informal purchasing threshold. Registration does not guarantee that a vendor will be contacted or receive work.

Purchases over $25,000: These opportunities are generally competed through the City's formal solicitation process. Vendors interested in competing for formal solicitations must register with BidNet Direct, the City's electronic solicitation platform. Registered vendors can view solicitation documents, receive notifications based on their selected commodity codes, and submit responses in accordance with the requirements of each solicitation.

Vendors are encouraged to register with both the City and BidNet Direct so they can be considered for informal quote opportunities and remain informed about formal competitive solicitations.

See City Code Sections 16.5-61 and 16.5-64 regarding formal competitive bidding and small purchases.

Vendor registration is completed online through the City's designated vendor portal. Vendors should create and maintain a complete profile, select the appropriate NIGP commodity/service codes, and provide all required business and tax documentation.

Visit Vendor Self-Service.

Yes. The City does not charge a fee to become eligible to do business with the City.

Yes. Vendors must satisfy the City's vendor setup requirements before a purchase order can be issued or payment can be processed.

Keep your vendor profile current and select all applicable NIGP commodity/service codes in BidNet Direct. Automated notices are generally based on the codes in your profile. Each vendor remains responsible for identifying opportunities that fit its business.

No. The City does not maintain a preferred vendor list.

Vendors may contact Procurement for general outreach or introductory purposes when no active solicitation creates a communication restriction. Once a solicitation is subject to the City's Cone of Silence or other contact restrictions, vendors must use only the communication methods authorized in the solicitation.

Request a Meeting with Procurement.

Yes. Procurement provides vendor outreach, workshops, training, and other educational resources to help businesses understand City procurement requirements and compete more effectively.

No. Procurement can explain the City's process and clarify solicitation requirements through the official question and answer process, but it cannot prepare a vendor's response, recommend how a vendor should score itself, or give one competitor information or assistance that is not equally available to others.

No. You do not have to be certified to submit a bid or proposal to the City.

However, some solicitations may provide additional points or other preferences to businesses that meet the City's local business requirements. The solicitation will tell you if a preference applies and what you must submit to receive it.

See City Code Sections 16.5-282 and 16.5-283 for the City's local business preference provisions.

Yes. The City provides a preference to qualifying local businesses for certain competitive solicitations. Depending on the type of solicitation, the preference may be applied to the bid price or awarded as additional evaluation points.

To receive the preference, a business must meet the City's local business requirements and submit the required documentation with its bid or proposal.

See City Code Sections 16.5-282 and 16.5-283 for the City's local business preference requirements.

To qualify as a local business, a vendor must meet the requirements established in City Code Section 16.5-282. This includes having a valid business tax receipt for the goods or services being offered and maintaining a permanent, physical place of business within the City of Riviera Beach. A post office box or postal service center does not qualify as a physical place of business.

Vendors seeking a local business preference must provide the documentation required by the solicitation to show that they meet these requirements.

See City Code Sections 16.5-282 and 16.5-283 for the City's local business preference requirements.

Open formal solicitations are posted on BidNet Direct, the City's electronic solicitation platform.

View Current Solicitations.

ITB – Invitation to Bid: Used when the City knows exactly what it needs and the requirements can be clearly defined. Award is generally made to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.

RFP – Request for Proposals: Used when the City is seeking a solution or when factors other than price are important. Proposals are evaluated using established criteria, which may include experience, qualifications, approach, technical capabilities, and price.

RFQu – Request for Qualifications: Used when the City selects a firm primarily based on its qualifications, experience, and ability to perform the work. Price may not be considered during the initial evaluation and may be negotiated after firms are ranked, depending on the type of procurement and applicable law.

ITN – Invitation to Negotiate: Used for complex procurements when the City needs flexibility to negotiate with one or more respondents. Negotiations may include the proposed solution, scope, terms, conditions, and price before a final selection is made.

Source: NIGP: The Institute for Public Procurement, procurement terminology and public procurement best-practice guidance.

An informal quote is used for purchases within the City's small-purchase authority ($25,000 or less) and generally involves a simplified competitive process. A formal solicitation is publicly advertised and uses formal submission, opening, evaluation, and award procedures. Formal competitive requirements apply to purchases over $25,000, subject to authorized exceptions.

See City Code Sections 16.5-61 and 16.5-64 regarding competitive sealed bidding and small purchases.

Responsive means the bid or proposal meets the requirements stated in the solicitation, such as submitting the required forms and signatures, acknowledging changes to the solicitation, and accepting the required terms and conditions.

Responsible means the vendor has the financial and technical capacity to perform the requirements of the solicitation and resulting contract.

A vendor must be both responsive and responsible to be eligible for award.

Source: NIGP: The Institute for Public Procurement.

No. In an ITB, award is typically made to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder unless the solicitation or applicable law provides otherwise. In an RFP, RFQ, or ITN, the City may evaluate multiple factors and the highest-ranked or best-value respondent may not be the lowest-priced respondent.

See City Code Sections 16.5-61 and 16.5-62 regarding competitive sealed bidding and competitive sealed proposals.

Yes. The City may cancel a solicitation or reject any or all bids or proposals when it is determined to be in the City's best interest.

See City Code Section 16.5-67, Cancellation of solicitations and rejection of bids or proposals.

Yes. Procurement may issue a written addendum to revise the scope, requirements, schedule, forms, terms, or other solicitation provisions. Vendors are responsible for monitoring the official posting and acknowledging addenda when required.

No. Only written information issued through the authorized solicitation process is official. If verbal guidance appears inconsistent with the solicitation, submit a written question before the question deadline and rely on the City's written response or addendum.

Submittal instructions are included in every solicitation.

Late responses are not accepted.

A vendor can generally modify or withdraw a response before the submission deadline. After the deadline, correction is not allowed. Contact the Procurement Department for withdrawal.

Attendance is required only when the solicitation states that the meeting or site visit is mandatory. If attendance is not mandatory, participation is still encouraged when it would help the vendor understand the project, site conditions, or City expectations.

Each solicitation identifies the forms and documents that must be submitted. Missing signatures, required forms, addendum acknowledgments, pricing, certifications, bonds, or other material information will result in a response being rejected as nonresponsive.

The City may require a bid bond, performance bond, payment bond, or other form of security for construction or non-construction contracts. The solicitation will tell you if a bond is required, the amount of the bond, and when it must be submitted.

For public construction projects, Florida Statute §255.05 generally requires the contractor to provide a performance and payment bond before beginning work.

For non-construction contracts, a bond may also be required when the City determines that additional protection is appropriate for the contract. If a bond is required, the requirement will be clearly stated in the solicitation.

See Florida Statute §255.05 for performance and payment bond requirements applicable to public construction contracts.

Florida's public-records laws apply to procurement records. A vendor claiming that specific information is exempt or confidential must identify the legal basis for the claim and follow the solicitation's instructions. Merely marking an entire proposal 'confidential' does not make it exempt from disclosure.

See Chapter 119, Florida Statutes, including Section 119.071, for public-record requirements and applicable exemptions.

Submit questions in writing using the method and by the deadline stated in the solicitation. Procurement will issue official written responses by addendum. Verbal answers are not binding.

The Cone of Silence limits communication about an active competitive solicitation to protect the fairness and integrity of the procurement process.

Under City Code Section 2-166, the Cone of Silence begins at the deadline for submitting bids, proposals, or other responses and remains in effect until the City Council awards or approves the contract, rejects all responses, or otherwise ends the solicitation process.

See City Code Section 2-166 – Cone of Silence.

Not when the communication is prohibited by the Cone of Silence, the solicitation, or another applicable ethics or procurement rule. Vendors should use the designated Procurement communication channel and should not attempt to influence an evaluation or award outside the official process.

Yes. Formal bid openings are public and are conducted in accordance with the solicitation and applicable Florida law. The opening generally identifies the responses received; it is not the time for evaluation, discussion of responsiveness, or a final award decision.

See Florida Statute §286.011 and Section 119.071(1)(b), Florida Statutes, as applicable to public meetings and competitive solicitation records.

Under Florida Statutes section 119.071(1)(b), sealed bids, proposals, or replies received in a competitive solicitation are temporarily exempt from public disclosure until the City provides notice of an intended decision or until 30 days after opening, whichever occurs earlier. Additional exemptions may apply to specific records.

See Florida Statute §119.071(1)(b) regarding the temporary exemption for sealed bids, proposals, and replies received in response to a competitive solicitation.

The evaluation method is stated in the solicitation.

Yes. Evaluation committee meetings are generally open to the public in accordance with Florida's Government in the Sunshine Law.

However, Florida Statute §286.0113(2)(b) provides exceptions for certain portions of meetings involving a competitive solicitation. The statute provides that a portion of a meeting is exempt when a vendor:

participates in negotiations with the City;

makes an oral presentation; or

answers questions as part of the competitive solicitation.

The statute also exempts portions of a team meeting when negotiation strategies are discussed.

These exempt portions must be recorded, and no portion of the exempt meeting may be held off the record.

See Florida Statute §286.011 and §286.0113(2)(b)-(c) regarding public meetings and exemptions for specified portions of competitive solicitation meetings.

Procurement posts or issues the applicable award recommendation, notice of intended award, tabulation, or other award information through the City's official procurement process. A recommendation is not the same as a fully executed contract or authorization to begin work.

Yes, when negotiation is authorized by the procurement method, solicitation, or applicable law. The scope and sequence of negotiations will depend on the solicitation. Vendors should not assume that every procurement permits post-submission negotiation.

Yes. Under City Code Section 16.5-241, an actual or prospective bidder, offeror, or contractor who is aggrieved in connection with a solicitation or contract award may file a protest.

See City Code Section 16.5-241 – Bid Protests

No, unless the City provides written authorization that expressly permits work to begin. A notice of award, recommendation, verbal instruction, or pending contract does not by itself authorize a vendor to incur costs or perform work.

Yes. Vendors should not provide goods or services without an authorized purchase order or other written purchasing instrument issued by the City, unless Procurement confirms that an approved exception applies. A City employee's request alone does not create purchasing authority.

Before proceeding, contact Procurement or the appropriate authorized City representative and request confirmation that the purchase is properly authorized. Performing unauthorized work may delay payment and may create a dispute regarding the City's obligation to pay.

For day-to-day performance, deliverables, or invoice questions, contact the Contract Administrator or requesting department identified for the contract. For procurement authority, amendments, renewals, solicitation history, or purchasing-document questions, contact the Procurement Department at (561) 845-4180 or via email at purchasing@rivierabeach.org.

After award, the contract is executed, and the Contract Administrator and the appropriate City department oversee performance and compliance with the contract requirements.

Yes, when authorized by the original contract, applicable procurement requirements, available funding, and required approvals. All amendments, extensions, and renewals must be in writing and fully approved before the change takes effect. A vendor should not perform additional or changed work based only on a verbal request.

No. Even when a contract contains renewal options, renewal is generally subject to City approval, vendor performance, funding, continued need, and the terms of the contract. Vendors should not assume an option will be exercised until the City provides written authorization.

The City reviews deliverables, invoices, deadlines, required documentation, inspections, and other contract requirements to ensure satisfactory performance.

The City will notify the vendor of a performance or compliance issue and may require corrective action under the contract. Depending on the circumstances, the City may also withhold acceptance or payment for deficient work, exercise contractual remedies, decline renewal, terminate the contract, or pursue suspension, debarment, or other remedies allowed by law and contract.

Vendors are responsible for maintaining all required documentation throughout the contract term and providing updated documents before they expire.

Invoices should be emailed to the City's Accounts Payable Division at ap@rivierabeach.org.

Your invoice should include the applicable purchase order number and all information required by the purchase order or contract. Providing complete and accurate information helps avoid delays in processing payment.

Florida's Local Government Prompt Payment Act governs payment timing. For nonconstruction purchases, the due date is calculated under sections 218.73 and 218.74, Florida Statutes. Construction payment timing is governed by section 218.735 and may be stated in business days depending on whether an agent must approve the payment request.

Vendors should also follow the payment terms in the contract and submit a complete, proper invoice to the designated recipient.

See Florida Statutes §§218.70-218.80, Local Government Prompt Payment Act, including §§218.73, 218.735, and 218.74.

Vendors should not rely on after-the-fact payment approval. Unauthorized purchases may require additional review and may not create an enforceable obligation in the same manner as a properly authorized purchase. Vendors should confirm purchasing authority before performing work.

Requirements vary, but may include a W-9, vendor registration information, insurance certificates, licenses, E-Verify documentation, bonds, corporate registration information, conflict disclosures, local-business documentation, and other forms required by the solicitation, contract, law, or funding source.

Yes. Florida Statute §448.095(5) requires contractors and subcontractors doing business with a public agency to register with and use the E-Verify system to verify the work authorization status of all new employees.

If a contractor uses a subcontractor, the subcontractor must also provide the contractor with an affidavit stating that it does not employ, contract with, or subcontract with an unauthorized alien. The contractor must keep a copy of the affidavit for the duration of the contract.

See Florida Statute §448.095 – Employment Eligibility, particularly subsection (5), Public Agency Contracting.

Insurance requirements are based on the risk and nature of the work and are stated in the solicitation and contract.

Yes. Vendors must have all licenses, registrations, permits, and business tax receipts required by law to perform the work.

Businesses that are required to register with the Florida Department of State must be properly registered and authorized to do business in Florida.

A City of Riviera Beach business tax receipt may also be required depending on the work being performed. Vendors seeking a local business preference must meet the City's local business requirements, including the applicable business tax receipt requirements.

See Florida Statutes §§607.1501 and 605.0902 and City Code §§16.5-282 and 16.5-283.

Yes, when the solicitation and contract permit subcontracting. Vendors remain responsible for their subcontractors' work and for compliance with all applicable flow-down requirements. Some solicitations require subcontractors to be identified in the proposal or approved before substitution.

Yes. The City may use cooperative purchasing agreements or contracts established by other governmental agencies instead of issuing its own solicitation when permitted by the City's Procurement Code.

City Code Section 16.5-261 authorizes the City to participate in cooperative purchasing agreements for supplies, services, and construction.

City Code Section 16.5-263 authorizes the cooperative use of supplies or services with other public procurement units.

City Code Section 16.5-267 allows the City to purchase an item or service at a contract price established by another governmental agency when the requirements of the Code are met. This is commonly referred to as “piggybacking.”

The decision to use a cooperative or piggyback contract is made by the City. A vendor's participation in a cooperative or another governmental agency's contract does not guarantee that the City will use that contract.

See City Code Sections 16.5-261, 16.5-263, and 16.5-267.

No. Holding a state, cooperative, or other public contract may provide the City with an authorized purchasing option, but it does not create an obligation for the City to use that contract or vendor.

A sole-source purchase is a purchase where the City's need can only be met by one provider, making competition impractical because no other source can meet the requirement.

Under City Code Section 16.5-65, a sole-source purchase may be made when the Director of Procurement determines in writing that there is only one source for the required supply, service, or construction item.

See City Code Section 16.5-65 – Sole Source Procurement.

Source: NIGP: The Institute for Public Procurement and City of Riviera Beach Code of Ordinances.

Procurement records are subject to Florida's Public Records Law, Chapter 119, Florida Statutes, except where a statutory exemption applies. Competitive responses are temporarily exempt during the period specified in section 119.071(1)(b). After the exemption expires, records may be requested through the City's public-records process, subject to any other applicable exemptions.

See Chapter 119, Florida Statutes, including Section 119.071(1)(b), for public-record requirements applicable to competitive solicitations.

Visit the Office of the City Clerk for the City's public-records process.

A conflict of interest occurs when a personal, financial, family, or business interest could influence or appear to influence a decision involving a public contract.

Vendors doing business with the City must disclose potential conflicts of interest as required by the solicitation. This includes relationships or financial interests involving City employees that could create a conflict in the procurement process.

See City Code Chapter 16.5, Article XI – Ethics in Public Contracting, including Section 16.5-322, Employee Conflict of Interest, and Chapter 112, Florida Statutes.

Source: NIGP: The Institute for Public Procurement; City of Riviera Beach Code of Ordinances; Chapter 112, Florida Statutes.