Congratulations! You’re well on your way to doing business with the City of Wichita. In the next section, we’ll review certain steps that need to be completed before you can bid on City contracts. Some will take some time, but we’ll go through them step-by-step. Now, let’s get started!
Register as a Vendor with the City
Great! Your business should now be ready to register as a Vendor with the City of Wichita using the Procurement Portal.
What is the Vendor Self-Service Portal?
The City of Wichita’s Procurement Portal is the central location for City contract opportunities. This portal will allow you view all solicitations, respond to bids, and upload relevant documents. If you want to bid on City contracts, you must register on the Procurement Portal.
How do I register on the Procurement Portal?
You can apply online using the Procurement Portal.
How long does it take to register on the Procurement Portal?
The application to become a Vendor typically takes about 30 minutes to
complete.
Submit a W-9 Form to the City
Part of the online application to become a Vendor requires you to complete and submit a W-9 form to the City.
What is a W-9 Form?
A W-9 collects basic information about your business, such as your business name, address, and EIN.
How do I complete a W-9 Form?
You can download a W-9 Form online here.
How long will it take me to complete a W-9 form?
Assuming you have already obtained an EIN, completing a W-9 for your business should take just a few minutes.
Meet City Insurance Requirements
Make sure your business is protected from accidents and liability
The City of Wichita requires that contractors obtain insurance coverage before working with the City. Business insurance is a great way to protect against unforeseen events and catastrophes. The type and amount of insurance coverage your business needs will depend on the type of work your business does.
To meet the City's insurance requirements, file this Certificate of Liability Insurance document.
Meet City Bonding Requirements
If the specifications of the bid require bonds or insurance certificates, the City's Purchasing Manager will withhold issuing the Purchase Order or Contract until the successful vendor has met the specified requirement. There are three types of bonds used in the purchasing process: the Bid Bond, Performance Bond and the Labor and Material Payment Bond.
Bid Bond: When bid security is required, this must be provided by a Bid Bond only, written by a bonding company approved by the United States Treasury Department and licensed to do business in the State of Kansas. No checks or other security will be accepted in lieu of the required bond. The Bid Bond is five percent (5%) of the total bid. An annual Bid Bond must be on file or an original Bid Bond must be provided prior to Bid Opening.
Performance Bond: Construction projects, combined service and equipment purchases, major repairs to building equipment, and any instance in which the City could sustain a critical loss in the event of non-performance will require a Performance Bond. When a Performance Bond is deemed necessary, the successful bidder must furnish one hundred percent (100%) of the total bid. This bond must be issued by a bonding company authorized to do business in Kansas by the Kansas State Department of Insurance.
Labor and Material Payment Bond: According to Kansas State Statute K.S.A 60-1111, all contracts exceeding $100,000, that are entered into by the City for the purpose of making public improvements, constructing any public building, or making repairs, require a bond from the successful bidder guaranteeing payment of all indebtedness incurred for labor furnished, materials, equipment or supplies used or consumed in connection with or in or about the construction, improvements or repairs. The bond is issued to the State of Kansas in a sum of not less than the sum total of the purchase order/contract. The bond shall be approved by and filed with the Clerk of the District Court. This bond must be issued by a bonding company authorized to do business in Kansas by the Kansas State Department of Insurance.
Construction projects, services, and major repairs to building equipment will require all three bonds. Vehicle and major equipment purchases exceeding $100,000 may require a Bid Bond.