UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF MARYLAND
PROCUREMENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Approved by the University System of Maryland
Board of Regents
September 28, 1988; Amended December 3, 1999
Approved by the Board of Public Works on February 9, 2000
Table of Contents
Section I Introduction
Section II Authority and Delegation
Section III Purpose
Section IV Applicability
A. General Applicability
B. Exclusions
Section V Procurement Methods
A. Procurement by Simplified Procurement Procedures
1. Simplified Procurement Limit
2. Procurements Using a Purchasing Card
3. Non-competitive Small Procurement Orders
4. Competitive Simplified Procurements
5. Records
6. Modifications
7. Required Contract Clauses
B. Competitive Sealed Bidding
1. Use of Competitive Sealed Bids
2. Required Solicitation Clauses
3. Publishing
4. Number of Bidders
5. Bid Due Date
6. Pre-Bid Conference
7. Amendments or Addenda
8. Bid Opening
9. Late Bids, Late Withdrawals, and Late Modifications
10. Form of Bids
11. Bid Requirements
12. Mistakes, Errors, and Withdrawals of Bids
13. Bid Evaluation and Award
14. Tie Bids
15. Records
16. Multi-Step Sealed Bidding
C. Competitive Sealed Proposals
1. A Request For Proposals (RFP)
2. Issuance and Content of Proposals
3. Requirement for Notice
4. Pre-Proposal Conference
5. Receipt of Proposals
6. Mistakes, Errors, and Withdrawals of Proposals
7. Late Proposals, Late Modifications, and Late Withdrawals
8. Classification of Proposals
9. Evaluation of Proposals
10. Discussions and/or Negotiations
11. Best and Final Offers
12. Debriefing of Unsuccessful Proposors
13. Required Solicitation Clauses
14. Award of Competitive Sealed Proposals
D. Sole Source Procurements
1. Reason for Use of Sole Source
2. Documentation
3. Continuing Need for Sole Source
4. Sole Source Procurement Procedures
E. Emergency Procurement
1. Defined
2. Determining Need for an Emergency Procurement
3. Limits of Emergency Procurements
4. Documentation
5. Procedures for Emergency Procurements
F. Unsolicited Proposals
1. Defined
2. Documentation
3. Evaluation of Unsolicited Proposals
4. Return of Unsolicited Proposals
5. Requirement to Make an Award
6. Negotiations
G. Procurement by Cooperative Purchasing Agreements
H. Use of Contracts Established by Other Institutions or Agencies
I. Architectural and Engineering Services
1. General
2. Applicability
3. Request for Procurement of Services
4. Qualification Committee
5. Solicitation
6. Review of A/E Services Process
7. Award Phase
Section VI Contract Types
A. General
B. Factors in Selecting Contract Types
Section VII Contract Administration
A. Purpose and Scope
B. Authority and Responsibility
C. Approval of Award Actions
D. Board of Public Works
E. Contract Execution
F. Contract Modifications
G. Delivery and Performance
H. Payment
I. Closeout of Contracts
Section VIII Vendors
A. Debarment/Suspension
B. Vendor Pre-Qualification
C. Vendor Responsibility
Section IX Socio-Economic Policies
Section X Protests and Claims
A. General
B. Protests
1. Definitions
2. Filing a Protest
3. Timing for Filing
4. Requested Information
5. Notification of the Office of the Attorney General
6. Negotiations with Interested Parties
7. Decisions by the Procurement Officer
8. Appeals
9. Awards of Contracts Pending Protests and Claims
C. Claims
Section XI Definitions
Appendix A Uniform Contract Terms and Conditions