How to do Business with Wake County

Wake County Government's Division of Procurement Services strives to provide all vendors an opportunity to bid on items and services that the County needs to operate efficiently, effectively and with the highest accountability.  To achieve these goals, Wake County Government employs both centralized and decentralized procurement operations. As a division of the Wake Count Finance Department, all purchasing activities are governed by N.C. General Statutes.

How to do Business

Purchasing Methods

Purchase Orders

Used primarily for supplies, equipment and materials

Bidding required

Greater than $2,500

Contracts

Used for services and construction projects

Bidding encouraged for services, required for construction projects

Greater than $5,000

P-Cards

Used for small dollar, low volume purchases

No bidding required

Less than $2,500

Bidding/Quotes

Formal bids required a "published notice".  That notice may either be a legal ad in the newspaper, or an electronic notice published on a website.  Wake County publishes its bids on the Wake County website - Bids and RFPs page.  Wake County also publishes and receives electronic bids through our Bonfire portal. Select this link to view opportunities in Bonfire.

 

Informal Bids

Formal Bids

Equipment, Supplies and Materials

$30,000 - $90,000

$90,000 and up

Construction, Renovation & Repair

$30,000 - $500,000

$500,000 and up

 

Award is made to the lowest responsible, responsive bidder, taking into consideration quality, performance, and time specified in the contract or RFP.

Wake County may also utilize various cooperative purchasing agreements when needed or necessary.

Surplus Property

Wake County disposes of surplus equipment through an arrangement with the NC Department of Administration, Division of Surplus Property. Wake County property is sold via sealed bids or on-line auctions on the Division's website, www.surpluspropertydivision.com

Vendor Enrollment

Wake County utilizes PaymentWorks for vendor enrollment in our financial system.  Vendors can create or update their account through this portal.  More information about enrolling can be found here - WC Vendor Enrollment

Items required for enrollment:

  • Current address information
  • Social security number (SSN) or employer identification number (EIN)
  • One of the following: A bank letter that includes account information, voided check, voided deposit slip, letter on company letterhead or a copy of a bank statement

Contact our Vendor Enrollment team at vssvendor@wake.gov with any questions or issues