General Information
The El Paso Water Utilities has a centralized
purchasing system though physically it is decentralized.
The Utility procures the bulk of its daily operational
supplies, equipment and/or services through its
outlying plants and other sites. Purchases that
require a formal bid process are advertised in
the El Paso Times, Monday through Friday. These
formal bids are posted at various sites: the entrance
of the administration building; the Dodge Room;
Small Business Development Center at the El Paso
Community College and our web page on the Internet.
In addition, companies who have expressed an interest
in bidding on our requirements are notified through
E-mail or a fax that the bid is available.
Purchases up to $1,500
Non-routine items for less than fifty ($ 50)
dollars are currently being purchased with either
petty cash or the El Paso Water Utilities Credit
Card. The Utility has implemented a credit card
system for these purchases up to fifteen hundred
dollars.
Only purchases up to $1,500 within El Paso County
will be approved. Purchases shall not
be split - divided over a period of time to get
under $1,500 and then making multiple purchases.
The following procedures shall apply:
Within El Paso County
- If the company does accepts credit cards,
make the purchase and follow the procedures
for credit card purchases.
- It the company does not accept credit cards,
one signed quote and a requisition shall be
provided to purchasing.
Outside of El Paso County
- If the company accepts credit cards, provide
a signed quote and forward to purchasing with
a request to purchase the item (s) with the
credit cards. Purchasing shall make the purchase.
- If the company does not accept credit cards,
one signed quote and a requisition shall be
provided to purchasing.
Purchases from $1,500.01 to $5,000
For purchases from $1,500.01 to $5,000, one signed
quote is required. It is recommended that quotes
be obtained from a small locally-owned, minority
or woman-owned business enterprise.
Purchases from $5,000.01 to $25,000
Three written quotes are required - two quotes
must be from an available Historically Underutilized
Business (HUB). The definition of a Historically
Underutilized Business follows:
- A corporation formed for the purpose of making
a profit in which at least 51 percent of all
classes of the shares of stock or other equitable
securities are owned by one or more persons
who have been historically underutilized (socially
disadvantaged) because of their identifications
as member of certain groups, including, but
not limited to: Black Americans; Hispanic Americans;
Women; Asian Pacific Americans; and Native Americans
who have a proportionate interest and demonstrate
active participation in the control, operation
and management of the corporation's affairs.
- A sole proprietorship created for the purpose
of making a profit that is 100 percent owned,
operated and controlled by a person in 1 above.
- A partnership formed for the purpose of making
a profit in which 51 percent of the assets and
interest in the partnership is owned by one
or more persons described in 1 above and have
a proportionate interest and demonstrate active
participation in the control, operation and
management of the partnership's affairs.
- A joint venture in which each entity in the
joint venture is a historically underutilized
business.
- A supplier contract between a HUB and a prime
contractor in which the business is directly
involved in the manufacture or distribution
of the supplies or materials or otherwise warehouses
and ships the supplies.
If a HUB vendor is not available for a specific
commodity, then the Utility is free to contact
any three vendors for a quote. Both routine and
emergency requirements shall be handled in accordance
with State requirements.
Purchases Over $25,000
Formal bids for supplies, material and/or services
over $25,000 are required by State law. All bids
are posted on this website. All
bids may be downloaded from this site. For construction
bids, the advertisement is provided - bid documents
are available in the purchasing department after
receipt of a non-refundable payment, which covers
reproduction costs.
Ready To Do Business
Business or construction representatives wishing
to do business with the Utility should visit the
El Paso Water Utilities' Purchasing Department
to exchange information on the material or services
they can provide relative to items being purchased.
The Purchasing Department personnel are located
at the El Paso Water Utilities Administration
Building at 1154 Hawkins Boulevard, El Paso, Texas
79925. Phone: 915-594-5628 Fax: 915-594-5689.
> Click
here for a list of EPWU purchasing contacts.
Businesses may also contact an authorized
purchasing agent at EPWU plants to solicit or
submit quotations.
> Click here for a list of EPWU plant contacts.
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