The City of Buffalo is committed to using local businesses and local products. Its efforts are primarily handled by the Division of Diversity, Opportunity, and Inclusion and the Division of Purchase.

The mission of the Division of Diversity, Opportunity, and Inclusion is to enhance Buffalo’s prosperity through inclusion efforts to ensure continued participation, leadership, innovation, and progress for all our residents.

The Division of Purchase is committed to buying from local vendors whenever possible while still choosing the lowest responsible bidders and without compromising price or quality.

Both departments work collaboratively on behalf of the City of Buffalo to promote the use of local products and businesses.

Diversity and Procurement

The City of Buffalo actively promotes workplace diversity by advocating for the use of minority and women owned businesses (M/WBE) for City projects.

Its outreach initiatives build strategic partnerships between the City of Buffalo, Erie County, contractors, and the larger community to create opportunities that will achieve the city of Buffalo’s M/WBE goals. The City holds all contractors bidding on each City contract accountable for working toward a minority workforce goal of 25% and women workforce goal of 5%.

Procurement is managed by the Division of Purchase while compliance with Mayor Brown’s mandates for diversity and use of local residents is monitored through the Division of Diversity, Opportunity, and Inclusion.

The Division of Diversity, Opportunity, and Inclusion actively monitors the diversity of each workforce throughout every contract over $35,000 and can withhold payment for failure to comply.

The Division of Purchase secures goods and services from the lowest responsible bidder based on price, specifications, product evaluation, and delivery. Purchasing welcomes vendor contacts at 716-851-5222. The Division of Purchase maintains a file of catalogs, product literature and price listings and welcome updates and new information.

Bids

Formal bids are required for any bid over $25,000 for hard/tangible goods and for services over $35,000. The formal bid process will be advertised ten days prior to the bid opening. Interested vendors can see all formal bid postings and can subscribe to the City of Buffalo’s website at https://www.buffalony.gov/bids.aspx. Interested vendors can apply to be added to the buyer’s vendor list to receive informal bids. Vendors can attend pre-bid and pre-conference meetings to get a better understanding of the scope of the goods or services needed. It is good to meet with the Inclusionary Compliance Officer and seek to become a certified M/WBE.

All bids require a complete package which include: compliance forms, a bid bond, a performance bond, and insurance certificates. Packages must be properly labelled and timely submitted to be considered.

The City of Buffalo has a commitment to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. To further this commitment, the City requires all bidders to commit to working towards a minority workforce goal of 25%, and women workforce goal of 5% prior to the awarding of a contract. See Executive Order 16-02.

RFPs

The City of Buffalo encourages the selection of individuals, firms and businesses that provide professional services to City government that are active in the recruitment, training and retention of Women, Blacks, Hispanics and all other minority groups. See Executive Order 16-04. For Requests for Proposals (RFPs), of the total score: 15% is weighted for the bidder’s minority workforce development, community involvement and vendor procurement policies; and 5% is weighted for the bidder’s women workforce development, community involvement and vendor procurement policies.

The City of Buffalo supports the Buffalo Niagara Partnership’s “Buy Local Initiative Program.”

Supplier needs for the City of Buffalo:

• Elevator Suppliers and Repair
• Asphalt Supply
• Technology Services
• Portable Toilets
• Landscaping, Grass Cutting, snow removal
• Marine Work
• Various Materials
• Construction Trades
• Engineering

Contacts:

Deja L. Middlebrook, LMSW, JD
Inclusionary Compliance Officer
Office of Diversity, Opportunity, and Inclusion
City Hall 65 Niagara Sq. Rm. 226
Buffalo, NY 14202
Phone: (716) 851-9662
Fax: (716) 851-4360

 

Mayor Byron W. Brown’s Office
Division of Diversity, Opportunity, and Inclusion
City Hall 65 Niagara Sq. Rm. 226
Buffalo, NY 14202
Chantele M. Thompson, MPA, M.Ed, Chief Diversity Officer
Deja L. Middlebrook, LMSW, JD, Inclusionary Compliance Officer

 

Division of Purchase
65 Niagara Square Rm. 1901
Buffalo, NY 14202
Division of Purchase:
Donna Estrich, Commissioner
William L. Sunderlin, Director
Brian Kinyoun, Assistant Director