Procurement

Procurement is the purchasing of goods and services. Procurement code in the Colorado Revised Statutes, (Title 24 Article 101-112) directs the State of Colorado on how to buy goods and services.  

The State Purchasing & Contracts Office manages the procurement process for State agencies and institutions of higher education.

There are two entry points to doing business with the State:  

1. Purchases under $50,000 do not have to be competitively solicited. These purchases are a great opportunity for small and diverse businesses!
    
2. When there is no state price agreement or cooperative agreement and the purchase will be over $50,000, a solicitation is required.

To learn more about state price and cooperative purchasing agreements visit the Office of the State Controller’s website. Agencies can purchase goods or services over $50,000 on these agreements of frequently sourced items. State and local governments, institutions of higher education, K-12 education, and certified nonprofits can also purchase from these agreements. 

Where do I start?

• Is government contracting right for my business?
   
• How can I do business with the State of Colorado?
   
• Where do I find bid opportunities (solicitations) for State agencies and institutions of higher education?
   
• Where do I find the other bid opportunities (solicitations) in Colorado and Wyoming?  

Small and diverse suppliers need access to resources to help them compete for State contracts.  There are many resources available at little or no cost. If you have questions about the resource that is best for you, contact our Colorado Supplier Diversity Navigator (below) for assistance.

• Confidential consulting, bid matching, and education opportunities (Colorado Apex Accelerator)
• Consulting and no/low-cost training (Colorado Small Business Development Center)
• Strategic business consulting for small and socially disadvantaged enterprises (Denver Minority Business Development Agency Business Center)
• Consulting, and no/low-cost education opportunities, workshops, and webinars (Mi Casa Resource Center)
• Counseling, low-cost training, and access to capital through an array of financing options (Small Business Administration)
• Business advice and planning, finance, sales, marketing, and management templates, and no/low-cost small business workshops (SCORE Denver)

Having access to capital helps small and diverse businesses expand and grow. Below are some options you may consider.

• U.S. Small Business Administration
• Colorado Startup Loan Fund
• CLIMBER Loan
• Colorado Revolving Loan Fund
• Community Development Block Grant Business Loan
• Colorado Credit Reserve Loan
• Cash Collateral Support

Some State agencies have agency-specific solicitation pages. They are linked below. To find a general contact list of State purchasing officials, visit the Procurement Officials spreadsheet managed by the State Purchasing & Contracts Office.

Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT)

Learn how CDOT buys goods and services, where to view and respond to solicitations, and view the life cycles of solicitations with their Center for Procurement and Contract Services.

Governor’s Office of Information Technology (OIT)

Find open solicitations for IT products and services, award determination criteria, vendor requirements, and more on OIT’s website.