Department of Transformation and Shared Services
Office of State Procurement
501 Woodlane Street, Suite 220
Little Rock, AR 72201-1023
(501) 324-9316
https://www.transform.ar.gov/procurement/
Serving the citizens of Arkansas by ethically, efficiently and transparently procuring
quality commodities and services for the State of Arkansas
State of Arkansas
Procurement Manual
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How to Use This Manual
Each Table of Contents listing is a clickable link that takes you directly to the specific
topic in the material.
Throughout the manual, you may also click on the provided links to access additional,
in-depth information about a procurement subject or process.
To follow a link, position your cursor over the link and CTRL+Left Click.
Notice
This publication is designed to provide accurate and current information about the law
and State policies. Readers should consult the relevant codes and rules when relying
on cited material.
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................................... 4
CHAPTER 1: PROCUREMENT OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................... 5
1.1 WHAT IS PROCUREMENT? ......................................................................................................................................... 5
1.2 PROCUREMENT LAWS AND ETHICS .............................................................................................................................. 5
1.3 HOW TO READ ARKANSAS PROCUREMENT LAW CITATIONS .............................................................................................. 6
1.4 ARKANSAS PROCUREMENT ROLES AND FUNCTIONS ........................................................................................................ 6
1.5 THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS IN ARKANSAS .................................................................................................................. 7
1.6 PROCUREMENT METHODS OVERVIEW ......................................................................................................................... 7
1.7 PURCHASE CATEGORY AND TYPE ................................................................................................................................. 9
1.8 PROCUREMENT RESOURCES ..................................................................................................................................... 10
CHAPTER 2: PURCHASE REQUISITIONS ................................................................................................................ 11
2.1 ABOUT PURCHASE REQUISITIONS .............................................................................................................................. 11
2.2 CREATING A PURCHASE REQUISITION ......................................................................................................................... 12
2.3 INITIATING THE PR APPROVAL PROCESS AND MONITORING THE PR STATUS ..................................................................... 13
2.4 APPROVING A PR ................................................................................................................................................... 13
2.5 REJECTING A PR APPROVAL REQUEST ......................................................................................................................... 14
2.6 CHANGING A PR AND CANCELLING A PR .................................................................................................................... 14
2.7 WHEN PR APPROVALS ARE COMPLETE ...................................................................................................................... 14
CHAPTER 3: WHEN A BUYER RECEIVES A PR ........................................................................................................ 16
3.1 REVIEWING THE PR ................................................................................................................................................ 16
3.2 PROCUREMENT AUTHORITY ...................................................................................................................................... 17
3.3 PREPARING A SOLICITATION ...................................................................................................................................... 18
CHAPTER 4: SMALL ORDER PROCUREMENTS ....................................................................................................... 20
4.1 ABOUT SMALL ORDERS (SO) ................................................................................................................................... 20
4.2 EXECUTING A SMALL ORDER PROCUREMENT................................................................................................................ 20
4.3 SMALL ORDERS WITH CERTIFIED CONTRACTORS ........................................................................................................... 22
4.4 SMALL ORDER PURCHASING PATTERNS ...................................................................................................................... 24
CHAPTER 5: COMPETITIVE BID PROCUREMENTS ................................................................................................. 25
5.1 ABOUT COMPETITIVE BIDS (CB) ............................................................................................................................... 25
5.2 EXECUTING A COMPETITIVE BID THROUGH COMPARISON SHOPPING ............................................................................... 25
5.3 THE CB TAB SHEET ................................................................................................................................................ 27
5.4 OBTAINING AT LEAST THREE PRICE QUOTES ................................................................................................................ 28
5.5 WHEN TO USE THE CB SOLICITATION TEMPLATE .......................................................................................................... 29
5.6 AWARDING A COMPETITIVE BID ................................................................................................................................ 29
CHAPTER 6: INVITATION FOR BID (IFB) PROCUREMENTS .................................................................................... 32
6.1 ABOUT INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) ............................................................................................................................ 32
6.2 WHEN TO USE THE INVITATION FOR BID PROCUREMENT METHOD .................................................................................. 32
6.3 EXECUTING AN IFB................................................................................................................................................. 33
6.4 AWARDING AN IFB ................................................................................................................................................ 36
CHAPTER 7: RFP PROCUREMENTS ....................................................................................................................... 37
7.1 ABOUT THE RFP ..................................................................................................................................................... 37
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7.2 WHEN TO USE THE RFP PROCUREMENT METHOD ....................................................................................................... 37
7.3 EXECUTING A RFP .................................................................................................................................................. 38
7.4 AWARDING AN RFP ................................................................................................................................................ 45
CHAPTER 8: ISSUING A SOLICITATION THROUGH TSS OSP .................................................................................. 47
CHAPTER 9: ADDITIONAL PROCUREMENT METHODS .......................................................................................... 48
9.1 REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ) ....................................................................................................................... 48
9.2 REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ............................................................................................................................ 49
9.3 EXEMPT BY LAW (EL) .............................................................................................................................................. 50
9.4 SOLE SOURCE (SS) .................................................................................................................................................. 53
9.5 SPECIAL PROCUREMENT (SPECIAL) ........................................................................................................................... 54
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Introduction
In order to be considered a positive good, government should make the lives of the governed
better than they would be without the activity of the government. In the aid of good
governance, a state will enact laws and develop programs to promote the general welfare of
its people. In effectuating its laws and implementing its programs, a state will need people to
provide services. It will also require property. Under Arkansas Procurement Law, the buying,
purchasing, renting, leasing, or otherwise obtaining of any commodities or services is called
procurement. Ark. Code Ann § 19-11-203(20)(A).
One of the duties of the Office of State Procurement (“OSP”), a division of the Department of
Transformation and Shared Services (“TSS”), is to procure or supervise the procurement of
commodities and services for each state agency not having an agency procurement official
and, when requested to do so by such an official, procure commodities and services not
otherwise under state contract. Ark. Code Ann. § 19-11-217(c)(1). This manual is intended to
provide a basic overview of procurement for agency procurement officials and purchasers
responsible for procuring commodities and services. It is intended to provide practical
guidance consistent with the law, but it is not an official statement of the law. Its guidance is
intended to serve as a support and not as a substitute for statutes and official rules. Whenever
there is any question about what the applicable law is as to a procurement issue that may
arise, such questions should be answered by reference to applicable law and not by resort to
this manual.
With that introduction out of the way, TSS OSP hopes that you find this procurement manual
useful. TSS OSP intends to continually update, supplement, and improve the manual. We
welcome any suggestions you may have for how TSS OSP can improve it.
Respectfully,
Edward R. Armstrong
State Procurement Director
Office of State Procurement
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Chapter 1: Procurement Overview
1.1 What Is Procurement?
At its most basic, procurement is simply the act or process of obtaining something.
Public procurement is doing so on behalf of the public and with public funds.
Arkansas Procurement Law prescribes the processes that most Departments of the
State must follow whenever they procure commodities and services. The stated
purposes of Arkansas Procurement Law are:
• Increased public confidence in the procedures followed in public procurement.
• Fair and equitable treatment of all persons who deal with the procurement
system of this State.
• Increased economy in State procurement activities by fostering effective
competition.
• Maintenance of a procurement system of quality and integrity.
TSS OSP is the central procurement authority for the State. TSS OSP is tasked with
procuring, or supervising the procurement of, commodities and services for the State.
The mission of the Office of State Procurement is to serve and support the State
and its citizens through effective, efficient, and ethical procurement.
Generally, TSS OSP handles procurements greater than $75,000, and other
Departments handle their own lower-dollar procurements.
1.2 Procurement Laws and Ethics
Procurement laws provide requisitioners, buyers, and other procurement officials an
ethical and legal framework for purchasing and contracting on behalf of the public.
(Refer to A.C.A. § 19-11-701 – 718 for procurement laws regarding ethics.)
According to A.C.A. § 19-11-703 Statement of Policy, “public employment is a public
trust.” As a guardian of the public trust, you should execute your duties as a State
employee with the utmost integrity.
The primary collection of laws governing Arkansas procurement can be found in Title
19, Chapter 11, Subchapter 2 of the Arkansas Code Annotated titled “Arkansas
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Procurement Law.” With certain exceptions, Arkansas Procurement Law applies to
every State agency expenditure of public funds under any contract.
1.3 How to Read Arkansas Procurement Law Citations
Example: A.C.A § 19-11-241
• The 19 is the Title where the law can be found, in this case, Title 19.
• The 11 is the Chapter of the title in which the law can be found, in this case,
Chapter 11 of Title 19.
• The 2 is the Subchapter of the Chapter and Title where the law can be found, in
this case, Subchapter 2 of Chapter 11 of Title 19.
• The 41 is the Section of the Subchapter, Chapter and Title where the law can be
found. In this case, it’s the 41st section of Subchapter 2, Chapter 11, Title 19.
Rules created by TSS OSP clarify the statutory law or provide a process for the law to
be implemented. The Rules must be followed to the same extent as the statutory law.
1.4 Arkansas Procurement Roles and Functions
The three most common roles in Arkansas procurement are:
• Requisitioner
• Buyer
• Approver
The main function of the requisitioner is to initiate the procurement process. This is
typically achieved by creating a purchase requisition (PR). To create a PR, the
requisitioner must understand the purpose of a PR in the procurement process and the
information that is required to accurately create the document.
The function of the buyer consists of facilitating the steps in the procurement process,
beginning with the assignment of the PR through the completion of the purchase.
Buyers need to understand the fundamentals of executing the various procurement
methods, negotiating, and creating outline agreements and purchase orders.
The function of an approver in procurement may consist of reviewing and releasing a
PR, approving various steps in the solicitation process, or releasing the resulting
contract documents in the State’s electronic system of record for procurement, the
Arkansas Administrative Statewide Information System, or “AASIS”.
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Approvers must understand the fundamentals of any of the tasks that they approve in
the PR process, the buying process, or both.
This procurement manual provides practical guidance and step-by-step instructions for
those fulfilling these roles.
1.5 The Procurement Process in Arkansas
Procurement touches almost every commodity or service that State government
provides. State procurement professionals have the opportunity to help ensure that the
State is making economically sound procurement decisions.
All procurements follow a general procurement process, which is outlined in the
following flowchart.
1.6 Procurement Methods Overview
Arkansas Procurement Law addresses a variety of procurement methods that can be
used. The typical methods of procurement are:
1. Small Order (SO)
2. Competitive Bidding (CB)
3. Invitation For Bid (IFB)
4. Request For Proposal (RFP)
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As you might expect, the procurement processes for smaller procurements are simpler
and less formal. Conversely, procurement processes tend to become more complex and
formal as the dollar amount involved in a potential procurement increases.
Purchases not exceeding the amount of $20,000 are referred to as a “small
procurement” or a small order (SO). Small orders do not require competitive bidding, but
maximum competition should be used to the extent practicable to obtain the best value
for the State. The SO purchase threshold is $40,000 if the vendor is a certified woman-
owned or minority-owned business enterprise. You can read more about this in Section
4.3 of this manual.
Purchases above the SO threshold but at or below $75,000 can be made on the basis
of simple price comparison between three or more competing quotes, where possible.
This procurement method is called quote bidding or “competitive bidding” (CB). You can
refer to Ark. Code Ann. § 19-11-234 in our compilation of Arkansas Procurement Law
and Rules for more information about the competitive bidding process.
The CB, IFB, and RFP methods of procurement are all referred to as “solicitations”
since all of these methods require soliciting a bid or response from multiple prospective
contractors.
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A printable copy of the Typical Procurement Methods job aid above may be found on
the Arkansas Procurement Manual webpage of the OSP website.
1.7 Purchase Category and Type
State purchases are generally broken into two categories: commodities or services.
The purchase category is typically the initial factor to consider in selecting the method of
procurement.
• A commodity, per Arkansas Procurement Law, includes all personal property,
goods, leases of goods, and insurance as commodities.
• A service is the furnishing of labor, time, or effort by a contractor.
Arkansas Procurement Law defines two types of services:
1. PCS: Professional Consulting Services (See A.C.A.§ 19-11-203.)
• The contractor provides professional services or consulting services.
• TSS OSP R1 19-11-203(b) defines consulting services as providing
professional counsel and expert advice.
• TSS OSP R1 19-11-203(e) defines professional services as medical, legal,
financial advisory, architectural, engineering, construction management, and
land surveying services.
2. TGS: Technical and General Services (See A.C.A.§ 19-11-203.)
• The work the contractor is to perform does not typically require a
professional license.
• TSS OSP R1 19-11-203(g) defines technical and general services as the
broad range of services that are not professional services.
Requisitioners must know if a service is PCS or TGS in order to create the purchase
requisition correctly.
KEEP IN MIND
Always follow Arkansas Procurement Law, the policies and best practices
established by OSP, and the policies of your State agency as they
apply to the procurement method you choose.
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1.8 Procurement Resources
In addition to the material provided in this manual, the TSS OSP website
https://www.transform.ar.gov/procurement/ also provides information and tools to assist
you in performing your procurement duties.
Examples of the available resources and tools on the website are:
• Procurement laws, rules, and regulations.
• Job aids, for quick and easy reference.
• Procurement forms and templates.
• Direction on the legislative review process.
• A directory of TSS OSP contacts.
To stay up-to-date on the latest news and events in State Procurement go to the TSS
OSP “News” web page. In the drop-down box on the top right of the screen, select
“State Procurement” to filter to OSP news.
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Chapter 2: Purchase Requisitions
2.1 About Purchase Requisitions
A purchase requisition (PR) is an internal document that initiates the procurement
process by communicating a need to the purchasing staff. It is required for purchases
that exceed $20,000.
A purchase requisition is also known as a “PR,” “Req,” “PReq,” or “Requisition.”
For AASIS-using agencies, the PR is created by completing a transaction in AASIS.
Agencies who do not use AASIS follow their own internal procedures for creating a PR.
A PR is generally the first step in the procurement process.
HELPFUL HINT
A requisition is not required for a small order (SO), which is a purchase not exceeding $20,000.
Small orders can be purchased with a State credit card or by creating a
purchase order (PO) without a PR.
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2.2 Creating a Purchase Requisition
A PR consists of two types of information:
1. Actual purchasing data that was entered into AASIS as part of the PR
transaction.
2. Supporting documents and other information relative to the procurement that are
attached to the PR in AASIS.
a. These attachments document the PR process and provide information to
the buyer.
Each type of information consists of multiple elements.
The information for the PR may come from various sources.
If purchasing from an existing contract that has established costs and contractual terms:
• The PR data should be provided by the end user from the existing contract.
• The requisitioner can confirm the information from the existing contract.
If a new solicitation will be required:
• The end user should provide information about the commodity or service he/she
wants to purchase (description, quantity, etc.)
End users are encouraged to conduct market research regarding his/her requested
purchase.
To initiate a procurement, the requisitioner will create a purchase requisition for the
desired commodity or service.
For instruction on creating a purchase requisition and how to execute each step in
AASIS, go to the websitel micro link AASIS Steps for Creating a PR.
HELPFUL HINT
The agency’s staff member who requests the purchase is often referred to as
the “end user” because it is that State employee, or their staff, who will be
using the purchased commodity or service.
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2.3 Initiating the PR Approval Process and Monitoring the
PR Status
When the PR is saved with attachments, the creation process is complete, and you are
ready to initiate the approval process.
A PR must be reviewed and approved by one or more approvers, depending upon the
type of purchase and cost. These approvals must be completed before the PR can
move to the next phase of the procurement process.
AASIS automatically determines the levels of required approvals. This ordered list of
approvers is called the release strategy, and it auto-populates in the Release Strategy
tab in the Header section. The requisitioner must initiate the approval process with the
first approver, then AASIS automatically routes the PR through AASIS workflow for any
remaining approvals.
To learn more about initiating the PR approval process and monitoring the approval
status, go to the website micro link for AASIS Steps for Initiating and Monitoring the
AASIS Approval Process.
2.4 Approving a PR
An approver accesses the PR in AASIS to review the data and attachments.
Upon review, the approver can:
1. Release (approve) the PR.
2. Reject the PR.
An approver may reject a PR when:
• The purchase request is denied.
• The PR requires changes.
For more information on approving a PR and instruction on the AASIS steps to release
it, go to the website micro link for AASIS Steps for Approving a PR.
If an approver releases a PR then later decides that the PR should not have been
approved, he/she can reverse the release on the PR if subsequent approvers have not
yet released it.
HELPFUL HINT
An approval of a PR is also referred to as a “release.”
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For instruction on how to reverse an approval on a PR, go to the website micro link
AASIS Steps for Reversing or Cancelling an Approval on a PR, OA, or PO .
2.5 Rejecting a PR Approval Request
Occasionally, an approver may need to reject an approval request to deny the purchase
or because the requistioner needs to change or correct something in the PR.
Before executing a rejection of a PR, you should:
• Document in the PR the reason for the rejection.
OR
• Document in the PR any changes that the requisitioner must make to the PR for
an approval to be executed.
For instruction on how to reject a PR in AASIS, go to the website micro link for AASIS
Steps for Rejecting a PR Approval Request.
Approval Functions in EASE
The State provides another platform from which an approver can access the release
function. This platform is called Empowering Arkansas State Employees (EASE).
For direction on how to approve through EASE, which provides mobile access for
releasing procurement documents, go to the Learning tile on the EASE home page and
look for the EASE Procurement Approval training class.
2.6 Changing a PR and Cancelling a PR
Occasionally, an approver may reject a PR, either to deny the purchase or to request
changes to the document. The requisitioner should check for any rejections or requests
for changes to the PR and take the necessary action.
To learn more about changing or cancelling PR, go to the website micro link for AASIS
Steps for Changing or Cancelling a PR.
2.7 When PR Approvals are Complete
When all approvals are completed, the PR is assigned to a buyer who facilitates the
actual purchase.
• PRs with an Initial Contract Amount (ICA) under $75,000 are typically assigned
to a buyer in your State agency.
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Some agencies have a delegation authority to assign PRs with higher ICAs to
internal buyers.
Each agency may have its own procedure for assigning PRs internally.
• PRs with an ICA of $75,000 or more are typically routed to TSS OSP to be
assigned to a buyer in that office.
To route a PR to TSS OSP, open the PR with ME52N Change Purchase
Requisition, change the Purchasing Group number to C00 in the header
section of the PR, then save.
The C00 designation triggers AASIS to automatically send the PR into TSS
OSP’s workflow.
See your supervisor regarding your agency’s procedure for assigning a PR to a buyer.
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Chapter 3: When a Buyer Receives a PR
3.1 Reviewing the PR
When a buyer is assigned a PR, he/she should review the PR to gain an understanding
of the purchasing need.
Questions to consider are:
• Does your agency have an existing contract (OA) or does TSS OSP have a State
contract (OA) in place that could be used to make the purchase instead of creating
a new solicitation?
• Will a new solicitation result in an Outline Agreement (OA) or Purchase Order
(PO)?
• What is the Total Projected Cost (TPC)?
• Has a specific procurement method been requested? Which method might be
required by law?
• How much detail is included in the attached specifications? Do you need more
information?
• If it is a PR for services, are performance standards attached?
• If an RFP will be issued, is evaluation criteria attached?
• How have these commodities/services been solicited in the past?
• Is there a more strategic way (saving time, effort, and/or money) to make the
purchase this time?
Answers to these questions will direct the buyer in how to proceed with the
procurement.
Prior to determining if you will purchase from an existing contract or create a new
contract with a solicitation, you must understand the function of OAs and POs. An
outline agreement (OA) and a purchase order (PO) are both purchasing documents that
are created in AASIS, but they have different functions.
An OA serves as a contractual agreement between the State and a contractor
governing the future purchase of specified commodities or services.
A PO serves as an actual order of those commodities or services and gives the
contractor permission to ship. It also commits the State to pay for the order.
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For more information on OAs and POs, go to the website micro link for The Function of
POs an OAs.
3.2 Procurement Authority
When there is not a current outline agreement (OA) in place from which to place a
purchase order (PO), a new contract, OA and/or PO must be created. The anticipated
dollar amount of the purchase will dictate the next steps. Typically:
• An agency may execute a purchase with an initial contract amount (ICA) under
$75,000.
• If the ICA is anticipated to be $75,000 or more, the PR is routed to TSS OSP to
execute, typically, an IFB or RFP.
Some State agencies may have the authority to execute purchases on their own that
surpass the $75,000 ICA threshold. There are two instances in which this is allowed:
1. When the agency has an Agency Procurement Official (APO) on staff.
2. When the agency has been granted a Delegation Order from the TSS OSP
Director.
An Agency Procurement Official (A.C.A. § 19-11-203) is authorized to execute
solicitations with a dollar amount that exceeds $75,000.
• Typically, APO positions are with State public colleges and universities.
• A list of agencies with APO positions may be found in A.C.A. § 19-11-220.
A Delegation Order (A.C.A. § 19-11-218) is a written authorization from the TSS OSP
Director allowing a person or agency to make purchases above the standard thresholds
and policy limits, up to a specified dollar amount.
• Delegation Orders are issued for a maximum of two years.
• A current list of Delegation Orders may be found on the TSS OSP website under
Laws, Rules, and Guidelines.
Buyers for the State of Arkansas work at many different State agencies and have
varying levels of authority for the types of purchasing they may execute.
For example, an agency buyer at a State agency may be authorized to execute
purchases less than $75,000, and an APO may execute a purchase of an unlimited
dollar amount.
Whether you are a buyer at a State agency, an APO buyer, a buyer at an agency with a
delegation order, or a buyer at TSS OSP, Arkansas Procurement Law is equally
applicable to all State purchases and procurement contracting that you may execute.
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3.3 Preparing a Solicitation
When a contract is not already in place for a needed purchase, a buyer must issue a
solicitation to establish a new contract (OA or an independent PO).
It’s critical that a buyer review all the data and attachments in the PR, and plan an
efficient procurement, to achieve a final contract that meets the needs of the State and
provides best value.
Two of the key items that need to be considered when initiating a procurement through
a solicitation are:
1. The type of procurement method to be used.
• To ensure an advantageous resultant contract.
2. The timeline requirements of the chosen procurement method.
• To efficiently plan the procurement tasks involved, and to ensure the
commodity or service is received when it is needed.
When selecting the most appropriate procurement method, it is important to note:
• The total projected cost.
• The information provided regarding the required function of the commodity or
nature of the service (Attached specifications.)
• The contractor selection factors.
Lowest cost, or evaluation of proposals to select the best solution/value.
Use the Typical Procurement Methods job aid (posted on the Procurement Manual
webpage in the micro links) as a guide to help you determine the most suitable
procurement method. The job aid is provided on the TSS OSP website under
AGENCIES, Laws, Rules, and Guidelines.
The job aid provides a reference to the procurement law where you can find further
details and direction for each method.
Creating a Solicitation
A preliminary step in procuring services or commodities is clearly specifying what you
need. Getting a clear understanding from the agency of what is being sought can help
you develop clear specifications. “Specifications” means any technical or purchase
description or other description of the physical or functional characteristics, or of the
nature, of a commodity or service. See Ark. Code Ann. 19-11-241. As deined in
Arkansas Procurement Law, the term “specification” can also be used to refer to any
description of any requirement for inspecting, testing, or preparing a commodity or
service for delivery.
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The PR should provide you with at least a general idea, but you may need to contact
the agency and perform some market research to get a clear idea of what is available in
the marketplace. Market research the process of gathering qualitative and quantitative
information about a commodity or service, and it can provide broad product knowledge
that may help you develop clear and well-informed specifications.
For more information on Market Research, go to the website micro link for Market
Research.
REMINDER
The solicitation you create, especially the specifications section,
becomes a crucial part of the resultant contract.
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Chapter 4: Small Order Procurements
4.1 About Small Orders (SO)
According to A.C.A § 19-11-204 (13)(A)(i), a small procurement means a procurement
not exceeding a purchase price of $20,000.
In the procurement community, the terms “small order procurement”, “small
procurement”, “small order”, and “SO” are used interchangeably to reference this
procurement method.
Refer to A.C.A. § 19-11-231 for laws and rules regarding Small Procurements.
A small order is the quickest and easiest procurement method to execute, and it can be
used to purchase either commodities or services under the threshold.
Small Orders do not require:
• Creating a PR to initiate the purchase (typically).
• Posting a formal, public solicitation.
• Obtaining formal price quotes from multiple prospective contractors.
To obtain best value for the State, TSS OSP strongly encourages:
• Checking multiple sources to find the best price.
• Requesting a lower cost. (For more information, go to the website micro link for
Negotiation.)
4.2 Executing a Small Order Procurement
Because a small order (SO) purchase is typically under $20,000, a Purchase
Requisition (PR) is not required.
• If an end user makes a request for a purchase which falls under this amount, the
buyer can move forward to shop for best value and make the purchase.
Sometimes an end user may not know the anticipated cost of a purchase, therefore a
PR is created for it.
HELPFUL HINT
An easy way to accomplish competitive shopping is to use the State’s Amazon Business
account to shop online. Here, you can easily compare pricing on commodities.
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• If you are assigned a PR for a purchase that could potentially be a small order,
one of the first things you should determine is the expected total dollar amount of
the purchase. You can accomplish this through market research.
• If you find the item or service available for under $20,000, you may begin the
process of executing an SO.
The quickest and easiest way to make a small order purchase is with a State credit
card. The credit card is often referred to as a purchasing card, or p-card.
You may execute the purchase with a p-card:
1. In person at a retail location.
2. Online.
Be sure to:
• Save all receipts and submit them to your accounting department according to
your agency’s directives.
• Ask your supervisor about any additional internal credit card procedures that may
be required by your agency.
Though it is preferable to use a p-card for most small orders, if your agency does not
have a p-card, or the type of purchase cannot be purchased with a p-card, you will
create a purchase order document for the purchase.
A purchase order is a legal document submitted to a contractor either through email or
in person that:
• Authorizes the contractor to deliver commodities or services.
• Binds your agency to pay for the commodities or services at a later time.
o Creating a PO commits your agency’s budget to a purchase.
The contractor will fulfill the order by shipping the commodities or providing the services
documented on the PO. Your agency will receive an invoice from the contractor, and
payment will be handled by your accounting office.
HELPFUL HINT
State agencies are typically encouraged to use a p-card for most small orders.
To obtain a card, see your agency’s credit card liaison or contact OSP at
501-324-9316 and ask to speak with someone from the credit card services team.
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For agencies who are AASIS users, create the PO by signing into AASIS and
completing the PO transaction. The resultant PO document can be printed from AASIS
and sent to the contractor. For non-AASIS users, follow your agency’s accounting
procedures to create a PO for the contractor.
Be sure to clearly identify the commodity or service being purchased. Use an accurate
AASIS material number and include an identifying item or model number, and a precise
description, to ensure a correct purchase.
4.3 Small Orders with Certified Contractors
There is a provisional condition that applies to extend the upward limit of $20,000 for
SO procurement. Purchases up to $40,000 may be made from a contractor who is a
Certified Minority-Owned Business Enterprise (CMBE) or a Certified Women-Owned
Business Enterprise (CWBE) under the small order procurement method. Refer to TSS
R1: 19-11-231 for more information about CMBEs and WMBEs.
A minority-owned business is defined by A.C.A § 15-4-303 as a business owned by a
lawful permanent resident of this State who is:African American
• American Indian
• Hispanic American
• Pacific Islander American
• A Service-Disabled Veteran as designated by the United States
Department of Veteran Affairs
Being “certified” means that a minority-owned or woman-owned contractor has been
vetted by the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) and has been
issued an Arkansas certification number from AEDC.
To see a list of Arkansas certified contractors, see the AEDC website:
https://www.arkansasedc.com/community-resources/Minority-and-Women-Owned-
Business-Enterprise-Resources.
When executing a small order from a certified contractor which is between $20,000 and
$40,000, you must document the certification number in your procurement records.
To help support equal opportunity and economic development in every sector of the
State, A.C.A § 15-4-302 requires State agencies to strive to ensure that their
HELPFUL HINT
Some contractors do not accept POs for purchases. Check
with the contractor first before creating a PO for a purchase.
LM07182023 23
expenditures in State-funded and State-directed public construction programs and in the
purchases of commodities and services each fiscal year are paid to Minority Business
Enterprises and Women-Owned Enterprises with the following goals:
10% of the agency’s annual expenditures for minority enterprises, allocated in the
following amounts:
• 2% for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Minority Business Enterprises
• 8% for all other minority business enterprises
This includes 5% of the agency’s annual expenditures for Women-Owned Business
Enterprises
Agencies are required to report their spending with Minority and Women-Owned
businesses on their Minority Spend Report. By utilizing the certified vendors listed on
the AEDC website, these goals are more easily achievable.
See your supervisor for direction on how your agency documents and tracks these
purchases.
It is not common to use a p-card to execute a SO between $20,000 and $40,000 from a
CMBE or a CWBE, but if you do, you may make the purchase either in-person or online
as you would any other SO purchase with a p-card.
To document spending with a certified contractor, submit your receipts to your agency’s
contact and be sure that your agency’s credit card reviewer compiles the necessary
data regarding the purchase so that it can be included in your agency’s report.
Small orders are the simplest and quickest way to make a purchase and will most likely
be the method used for the majority of your agency’s small procurements. Use the job
aid flowchart, Small Order Procurement Process, to help you determine whether a
simple small order purchase is permitted. It is posed on the Procurement Manual
webpage in the Job Aids micro links.
For direction on the possible required documentation for a small order, see the Job Aid
Required Supplemental Documents for Contracts.
REMINDER
Procurements that exceed $20,000 require a PR to initiate the purchase. If you are using a
PO for a small order purchase from a Minority or Women-Owned business that exceeds
$20,000, a PR must be created prior to creating the PO. After the PR is approved and
assigned to a buyer, the buyer typically creates the PO to submit to the contractor.
LM07182023 24
4.4 Small Order Purchasing Patterns
With small order procurements, be aware of your purchasing patterns. A purchasing
pattern refers to the usual way in which commodities and services are purchased.
Purchasing patterns include:
• Frequency: How often a purchase is made.
• Quantity: The amount of the commodity or service for each purchase.
• Purchasing method: The repetitive use of the SO method for identical
purchases.
Be cautious not to allow split purchasing.
Split purchasing means artificially dividing a purchase that exceeds a purchase limit or
threshold into two or more transactions as a means of avoiding the rules or restrictions
that apply to purchases above the limit or threshold.
Splitting a purchase into smaller purchases to avoid controls based on purchasing
thresholds is a crime under Arkansas law (A.C.A. §19-11-231).
Regular purchases of a commodity or service should be set up as an outline agreement
where multiple purchases can be made over a period of time.
To help you determine if the small order procurement method is appropriate for your
purchase, review the Small Order Policy on the TSS OSP website. The policy is under
the AGENCIES category on the Laws, Rules, and Guidelines page.
Procurement Law Governs
Remember that procurement law always governs all purchases, and there may be some
rare exceptions to different types of small order purchases; for example, leases and
printing.
If you have questions, always refer to procurement law and seek the guidance of your
supervisor or your agency’s legal counsel.
Other Considerations in the SO Process
A P-Card does not track assets in AASIS. Any purchase of capital assets made with a
P-Card will require the additional step of tracking that asset. See your supervisor for
direction.
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Chapter 5: Competitive Bid Procurements
5.1 About Competitive Bids (CB)
A competitive bid (CB) is a procurement method used for purchases between $20,000
and $75,000. CBs require the buyer to request price quotes (bids) from at least three
different prospective contractors to allow for competitive pricing. Low cost determines
the successful contractor. Refer to A.C.A. § 19-11-234 for laws and rules regarding
competitive bids.
When you receive a request to make a purchase for which a contract does not already
exist, first evaluate the anticipated total dollar amount of the purchase. The cost
estimate of the PR and market research should help you determine if the cost will be in
the range to execute a competitive bid. If the anticipated total exceeds $20,000 and is
less than $75,000, then you should initiate the competitive bid procurement method.
The two typical ways to execute a CB are:
1. Comparison shopping, which may consist of:
• Calling prospective contractors to get a price quote.
• Emailing prospective contractors with a simple request for a price quote.
• Shopping online.
2. Distributing a formal competitive bid solicitation document to prospective
contractors and receiving an email response with an attachment of the completed
response packet with pricing.
Comparison shopping is the quickest and easiest way to execute a competitive bid;
however, this procedure is not feasible for all competitive bid situations.
5.2 Executing a Competitive Bid Through Comparison
Shopping
You will need to identify at least three prospective contractors who have online pricing
available or from whom you will request a price quote/bid. The end user typically
provides one or more suggested contractors.
HELPFUL HINT
Competitive bids are also commonly referred to as “quote bids” or “3 quote bids”.
“Price quote”, “quote”, and “bid” are used interchangeable with CBs.
REMINDER
Three quotes is the minimum, but it is best practice to contact as many prospective
contractors as feasible to ensure you are obtaining best value for the State.
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As you identify prospective contractors:
• Create a list of prospective contractors who provide online pricing.
and/or
Notate the following contact information for each business so that you can
contact each for a price quote. Business name
Business address
Business phone number and email
Contact person, if available
Contact person’s direct phone number
Contact person’s email address
Comparison Shopping
Examples of suitable purchases for comparison shopping are specific books,
certification classes, and simple equipment that doesn’t have customizable options.
These items can be easily described without ambiguity, such as:
• 90 OSHA-Compliant Forklift Training Manuals, 2020 edition.
• 100 bow rakes and 100 approx. 45” handle digging shovels.
• Lifeguard training and certification for 50 people.
One of the quickest and easiest ways to complete your comparison shopping is by
researching online pricing. This works well for commodities where multiple prospective
contractors will offer the same item, such as a basic shovel.
Make a screenshot of the online product page for the shovel (which shows the pricing)
from at least three suppliers (contractors). This can serve as the required
documentation you need to make the purchase from the prospective contractor with the
lowest price.
To speed up locating three price quotes online, authorized users may utilize the State’s
Arkansas Amazon Business website. Here, you can select three items for comparison
HELPFUL HINT
Remember to check the Minority-Owned and Women-Owned Business Enterprises on
the Arkansas Economic Development Commission website to see if any of those
businesses may provide the commodity or service you will be purchasing.
LM07182023 27
and screenshot the webpage of the comparison listing to have your quote
documentation.
To participate in the State’s Amazon Business website, you must receive authorization
and approval fromTSS OSP. ContactTSS OSP’s State Credit Card team for more
information about becoming an authorized user.
Phone Call or Email Shopping
If online pricing is not available for your purchase, the phone call or email request
methods may provide you with the pricing information you need. This method consists
of simply calling or emailing a prospective contractor to ask the cost of a specific item or
service. This method is best when the commodity or service being purchased does not
require customized functionality or provisions.
A buyer must also properly document the bid pricing for the phone call or email
methods. With phone calls, the buyer will document each prospective contractor’s price
quote information on a tabulation sheet. With email, you may print the email responses
from each prospective contractor as documentation, but it is still best practice to
complete a tabulation sheet for this method as well.
5.3 The CB Tab Sheet
A critical step with comparison shopping as part of a CB is tabulating the competing
price quotes. This tabulation documentation serves as the verification that the buyer
received, or attempted to receive, at least 3 bids.
TSS OSP provides a template for documenting price quotes. It is commonly referred to
as a “tab sheet”. A tab sheet helps you organize the price quote information on one
document. It must be kept in the official procurement record for the purchase. The
Competitive Bid Tabulation (Verbal or Written) template is posted on the TSS OSP
website under the AGENCIES category, Forms and Reporting page. The link to the
form is in the Solicitation Templates section on the web page.
Below is an example of the tab sheet where the buyer filled in the information in blue.
HELPFUL HINT
No matter what method you use to obtain pricing for a CB, it is best practice to always
use a tabulation sheet to have a concise, one-page record of all the price quotes.
LM07182023 28
There are three columns to document vendor information and multiple rows for when
you need to obtain pricing on multiple items. Add additional columns, rows, and/or
pages as needed.
The extended cost and totals will automatically calculate. If purchasing multiple items,
the award goes to the prospective contractor with the lowest total price (bottom row).
5.4 Obtaining at Least Three Price Quotes
On occasion, a buyer may find that even though three prospective contractors were
contacted, one or more may not respond with a price quote (bid). In these cases, the
buyer should attempt to contact additional prospective contractors. If, after a thorough
search for additional prospective contractors, none are found, or if more providers are
found, but they are not interested in offering a bid, a buyer may end up with only one or
two bids.
Receiving only one or two bids is acceptable only if the buyer documents his/her good-
faith efforts to attempt to receive at least 3 bids. This documentation verifies that a
buyer has completed his/her due diligence to obtain best value for the State.
The documentation for attempts to obtain three bids may include, but is not limited to:
• Notating the specific efforts taken to identify additional prospective contractors,
such as market research, asking others in the industry, checking with the end
user, and checking with procurement personnel at other State agencies.
• Listing all the prospective contractors who were contacted, or for whom contact
attempts were made.
• Notating the dates, times, and means (phone, email, etc.) of attempts to contact
prospective contractors.
• Documenting the prospective contractor’s reason for not bidding.
LM07182023 29
5.5 When to Use the CB Solicitation Template
When a commodity requires customized functions or qualities, or when a service
necessitates providing a detailed description or requirements, it is best practice to
useTSS OSP’s CB solicitation template to execute the procurement.
The following could be examples of these kinds of purchases.
• Specialized equipment.
• Scanning records for electronic archiving.
• Tree removal for a parcel of land.
The CB template may be emailed to prospective contractors, unlike the IFB or RFP
solicitations which are required by law to be publicly posted.
For more information about the solicitation templates, and about the competitive bid
template specifically, go to the website micro link for The Competitive Bid (CB)
Template.
5.6 Awarding a Competitive Bid
The apparent successful contractor is the one who meets all solicitation specifications
and requirements and has submitted the lowest bid.
The end user, or your agency’s designated approver for the contract, must approve:
• The prospective contractor who is anticipated to receive the contract award.
• The pricing for the contract.
Upon review of the apparent award, the end user/approver has the option to request a
price negotiation with the apparent successful contractor. If negotiation is requested,
the buyer will handle the negotiation with the apparent successful contractor.
This negotiation process is simple, but it must be executed and documented correctly.
IF IN DOUBT…
See your supervisor for direction on how your agency documents
cases where less than three bids are received and make sure all the
necessary information is included in the procurement record.
LM07182023 30
For details about how to correctly execute and document a negotiation, go to the
website micro link for Negotiation.
Regardless of the method used to reach this point in the CB process (online
comparison, phone call, email request, or formal solicitation), prior to contract award,
the buyer must confirm that all approvals and documentation are in order for the award.
Preparing for contract award may include, but is not limited to:
1. Directing the contractor to register in AASIS. (For more information, go to the
website micro link for Finding or Creating a Vendor Record in AASIS.)
2. Obtaining all required supplementary documentation.(For more information, go to
the website micro link for job aid Supplemental Documentation for Contracts.)
After all pre-award considerations and requirements are addressed and complete, the
contract may be awarded.
To award a CB:
1. Notify the prospective contractors of the award determination. An email is
typically the most efficient means for this communication.
2. Create the PO or OA (with reference to the PR, if a PR was created) and attach a
copy of the successful contractor’s bid submission and/or the bid tab to the PO or
OA.
• For step-by-step instruction for creating a PO or OA, see the OPM online
classes.
3. Obtain the AASIS approvals necessary for the contract to be released.
• Along with the approvals in AASIS, remember that service contracts
meeting the mandated dollar thresholds for legislative review must go
through the review process prior to the final AASIS release. This would
apply only to higher-dollar awards to certified contractors.
For more information regarding legislative review, go to the website micro
link for Legislative Review and Reporting Requirements.
4. Activate the contract (PO or OA) by executing the print function in AASIS.
Provide a copy of the PO or OA to the contractor.
5. Save all hard copies of any relevant procurement documents in the procurement
record.
LM07182023 31
For more information about requirements for the official procurement record, go
to the website micro link for Components of a Procurement Contract and the
Procurement Record.
If your organization is not an AASIS user, follow your organization’s procedures to
award a CB.
LM07182023 32
Chapter 6: Invitation for Bid (IFB)
Procurements
6.1 About Invitation for Bids (IFB)
An Invitation for Bid (IFB) is a procurement method used for purchases exceeding
$75,000 where low cost determines the successful contractor. An IFB requires that:
1. Minimum specifications are provided to prospective contractors in the IFB
solicitation document via a public posting.
2. Bid pricing from prospective contractors is received in a sealed packetand
opened publicly at the designated place and time as stated in the solicitation
document.
3. The contract is awarded to the lowest-bidding, responsive and responsible
prospective contractor.
Refer to A.C.A. § 19-11-204 (6) and 19-11-229 for laws and rules regarding IFBs.
6.2 When to Use the Invitation for Bid Procurement Method
When you receive a request to make a purchase for which a contract does not already
exist, first evaluate the anticipated total dollar amount of the purchase. The cost
estimate of the PR and market research should help you determine if the cost will be in
the range to execute an IFB.
If the anticipated total exceeds $75,000, and the purchase is one for which the
specifications and/or requirements are known and can be stated clearly, and you simply
need to find the commodity or service with the lowest cost, then your best option is to
use the IFB procurement method.
The following are examples of purchases that could be made with an IFB:
• Equipment with functionality that can be clearly defined.
• Security guard services, janitorial services, or other simple services that can be
clearly defined.
HELPFUL HINT
This procurement method is sometimes called a competitive sealed bid.
LM07182023 33
6.3 Executing an IFB
When initiating a solicitation, a buyer should consider the timing factors involved with
the procurement. Scheduling the procurement to meet the deadline for the receipt of
the commodity or service can often be a critical concern. In addition, a buyer often
manages multiple procurements at once and can work much more efficiently when the
tasks are effectively planned and scheduled. To understand more about procurement
planning, go to the website micro link for Planning a Solicitation: Timing Factors.
Step 1
Download the IFB templates posted on theTSS OSP website to create your solicitation.
These templates are found on the Forms and Reporting page under the Solicitation
Templates section. Save the template documents to your computer using your agency’s
naming convention for solicitations.
For more information about the IFB template, go to the website micro link for The
Invitation for Bid (IFB) Template.
Step 2
Work with the end user to ensure that the specifications and pricing structure are
designed to meet the purchasing need and are approved to post.
Step 3
When the solicitation documents are approved by the end user to post, the IFB must be
publicly posted to an approved State website. Some agencies may have their own
website for posting bids, and if so, your supervisor can provide directions for the
process. Other agencies should post their bids on theTSS OSP website.
Per Arkansas Procurement Law, solicitation postings must be not fewer than five (5)
calendar days nor more than ninety (90) calendar days.
For more information about posting a solicitation on theTSS OSP website, go to the
website micro link for Publicly Posting Solicitation Documents.
Protest of a Solicitation
Prior to 72 hours before the bid due date and time, a prospective contractor may submit
a protest regarding the solicitation. This is not common, but it is allowed by A.C.A. § 19-
11-244 when a prospective bidder is aggrieved in connection with the solicitation.
Typically, a prospective contractor will protest in regard to the specifications.
TheTSS OSP Director or head of the procurement agency must promptly issue a
protest determination in writing to the protestor either denying or sustaining the protest.
The determination is final and conclusive.
LM07182023 34
A contract award must not be executed until after the protest determination has been
issued.
For more information about protests, go to the website micro link for Protests and
Protest Resolution.
Receiving Solicitation Responses
Prospective contractors will complete the posted Bid Packet and submit it to you per the
instructions in the solicitation. Each agency should have a process in place for
recording the receipt of responses and storing them securely until the bid opening time.
Should a response be received after the submission deadline, that response is not
timely, and cannot be considered for award. It must be returned to the prospective
contractor.
For more information on properly receiving and storing responses, as well as late bid
receipts, go to the website micro link for Receiving Solicitation Responses.
Step 4
Open the timely-received bids at the place and time as specified in the IFB and tabulate
the bids. This procedure is open to the public and requires the presence of two State
employees. See your supervisor for your agency’s direction on publicly opening the
bids.
Bid pricing for each submission must be read aloud for all who are present.
Each pricing submission (bid) must be documented on an official bid tabulation
document for IFBs. The IFB Bid Tab sheet is posted with the templates on theTSS OSP
website.
Both state employees must verify and sign the official bid tabulation document.
The opened bid pricing is public information, and a copy of the official bid tab document
can be provided to anyone who is present or who later requests a copy.
Step 5
After the public opening, review all submissions to confirm each is a responsive and
responsible prospective contractor. The review should confirm that all submission and
solicitation requirements are met, such as:
• Required signatures have been received.
• Any required documents are completed and submitted.
• Contractor meets all specifications and requirements as written.
• Price sheet is filled out correctly and completely.
LM07182023 35
Non-responsive and Non-responsible Prospective Contractors
Non-responsive and non-responsible prospective contractors’ bids are rejected. See
A.C.A. § 19-11-204 for information regarding responsive and responsible prospective
contractors.
Should you need to reject a prospective contractor’s bid for failure to meet a
requirement, the prospective contractor must be contacted and advised of the rejection.
A phone call is acceptable, but an email should follow to document the rejection. The
email should include the reason for rejection as well as a reference to the specific
language from the IFB which contains the requirement that was not met.
Step 6
The lowest bidding, responsive and responsible bidder is the apparent successful
prospective contractor. Notify the appropriate agency parties of the prospective
contractor’s name and bid price and request approval to award to this contractor. It is
best practice to provide this notification and request for approval by email. This approval
reply will create the written documentation you need for the procurement record.
At this point, the end user or agency may request to negotiate pricing.
For more about negotiating a contract, go to the website micro link for Negotiation.
Step 7
Upon approval of the apparent successful contractor and bid price (or negotiated
pricing), publicly post the anticipation to award (ATA) on the same website where the
solicitation was posted. It is a best practice to email each prospective contractor who
submitted a bid to advise them of the ATA posting. You may include the link to the ATA
posting in the email.
For more information about posting an ATA on theTSS OSP website, go to the website
micro link for Publicly Posting Solicitation Documents.
Keep in mind that a prospective contractor who feels aggrieved by the anticipated
award has the right to protest the award prior to the end of the 14-day ATA period. Only
a prospective contractor who submitted a bid may protest, and the protest must be
resolved prior to the award of the contract.
For more information about the protest of an anticipated award, go to Protests and
Protest Resolution.
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6.4 Awarding an IFB
To award an IFB:
1. After the end of the ATA period, and after any protests have been resolved, create
the PO or OA in AASIS (with reference to the PR, if a PR was created) and attach a
copy of the following:
a. The solicitation with all attachments.
b. The successful contractor’s bid submission including price sheet.
c. The bid tab sheet.
d. Any other pertinent documents, such as a negotiation agreement.
For step-by-step instruction for creating a PO or OA, see the OPM eLearning
classes.
2. Obtain the approvals necessary for the contract to be released.
• Along with the approvals in AASIS, remember that service contracts
meeting the mandated dollar thresholds for legislative review must go
through the review process prior to the final AASIS release.
For more information regarding legislative review, go to the website micro
link for Legislative Review and Reporting Requirements.
3. Activate the contract (PO or OA) by executing the print function in AASIS. Provide a
copy of the PO or OA to the contractor via email.
4. Save all copies of any relevant procurement documents in the official procurement
record.
For more information about requirements for the official procurement record, go
to the website micro link for Components of a Procurement Contract and the
Procurement Record.
If your agency is not an AASIS user, follow your agency’s procedures to award an IFB.
LM07182023 37
Chapter 7: RFP Procurements
7.1 About the RFP
A Request for Proposals (RFP) is a procurement method that can be used when the
prospective contractor’s technical proposal solution and the cost are both considered in
determining which contractor to award the contract to.
An RFP requires that:
1. Minimum requirements, evaluation criteria, and scoring/selection criteria are
provided to prospective contractors in the RFP solicitation via a public posting.
2. Sealed technical proposals from prospective contractors are opened publicly at
the designated place and time as stated in the solicitation document.
• The separately sealed pricing is opened later, after the proposals are
evaluated.
3. The contract is awarded to the prospective contractor with the highest total score
after:
• Each technical proposal is evaluated and scored.
• Each pricing submission is scored.
Proposals must be evaluated based on the factors identified in the RFP. No other
factors can be considered; therefore, it is very important to identify the factors that will
fairly, reasonably, and effectively distinguish the good from bad proposals (and the
better from the good proposals) in the RFP.
Refer to A.C.A. § 19-11-230 for laws and rules regarding RFPs.
7.2 When to Use the RFP Procurement Method
When you receive a request to make a purchase for which a contract does not already
exist, first evaluate the anticipated total dollar amount of the purchase. The cost
estimate of the PR and market research should help you determine if the cost will be in
the range to execute an RFP.
An RFP is the most applicable method of procurement when:
HELPFUL HINT
This procurement method is sometimes called a competitive sealed proposal.
LM07182023 38
• The anticipated total purchase price exceeds $75,000.
• The State knows what results a service must achieve but wants prospective
contractors to propose a specialized, technical solution for achieving the results.
• When the technical solution and cost are both important to the selection of the
successful contractor.
The following are examples of purchases that could be made with an RFP:
• Insurance claims processing and administration.
• The management of multiple medical clinics throughout the State.
• The creation and administration of a new website.
7.3 Executing a RFP
Prior to initiating an RFP, an agency must receive approval to use this procurement
method by following the directives provided in the Request for Proposals (RFP)
Procedures document posted on the Laws, Rules, and Policies page of the TSS OSP
website . After receiving approval, a buyer should begin the solicitation planning.
When initiating a solicitation, a buyer should consider the timing factors involved with
the procurement. Scheduling the procurement to meet the deadline for the receipt of
the commodity or service can often be a critical concern. In addition, a buyer often
manages multiple procurements at once and can work much more efficiently when the
tasks are effectively planned and scheduled.
To understand more about procurement planning, go to the website micro link for
Planning a Solicitation: Timing Factors.
Step 1 – Download the RFP templates posted on theTSS OSP website to create your
solicitation. These templates are found on the Forms and Reporting page under the
Solicitation Templates section. Save the template documents to your computer using
your agency’s naming convention for solicitations.
For more information about the solicitation templates, and about the RFP template
specifically, go to the website micro link for The Request of Proposal (RFP) Template.
Step 2 – Work with the end user to ensure that the specifications, evaluation criteria
and scoring, and pricing structure are designed to meet the purchasing need and are
approved to post.
Because proposals for an RFP are scored by an evaluation team, the agency should
begin selecting the members of the team. The evaluators should have knowledge or
experience that will allow them to contribute meaningfully to the evaluation process.
LM07182023 39
They can also assist in reviewing the RFP to help ensure it is geared toward achieving
the desired outcome.
For more information about the evaluation team selection, see the State’s Evaluation of
Proposals Policy on theTSS OSP website Law, Rules, and Policies page.
It’s important to note that the upcoming solicitation, and especially the contractual
requirements, should be kept confidential, and that only internal stakeholders should
have access to the document prior to it being publicly posted. This ensures that no
prospective contractor gains an advantage in the bidding process by having inside
information earlier than others.
Step 3 - When the solicitation documents are approved by the end user to post, the
RFP must be publicly posted to an approved State website. Some agencies may have
their own website for posting bids, and if so, your supervisor can provide directions for
the posting process. Other agencies may post their bids on theTSS OSP website.
Per Arkansas Procurement Law, solicitation postings must be not fewer than five (5)
calendar days nor more than ninety (90) calendar days.
For more information about posting a solicitation on the OSP website, go to the website
micro link for Publicly Posting Solicitation Documents.
Protest of a Solicitation
Prior to 72 hours before the bid opening date and time, a prospective contractor may
submit a protest regarding the solicitation. This is not common, but it is allowed by
A.C.A. § 19-11-244 when a prospective bidder is aggrieved in connection with the
solicitation. Typically, a prospective contractor will protest in regard to the
specifications.
TheTSS OSP Director or head of the procurement agency must promptly issue a
protest determination in writing to the protestor either denying or sustaining the protest.
The determination is final and conclusive.
A contract award must not be executed until after the protest determination has been
issued.
For more information about protests, go to the website micro link for Protests and
Protest Resolution.
LM07182023 40
Receiving Solicitation Responses
Each agency should have a process in place for recording the receipt of responses and
storing them securely until the bid opening time. Should a response be received after
the submission deadline, that response is not timely, and it cannot be considered for
award. It must be returned to the prospective contractor.
For more information on properly receiving and storing responses, as well as
addressing late bid receipts, go to the website micro link for Receiving Solicitation
Responses.
Step 4 - Open the timely-received proposals at the place and time as specified in the
RFP. This procedure is open to the public and requires the presence of two State
employees. See your supervisor for your agency’s direction on publicly opening the
proposals.
Read aloud only the names of the prospective contractors submitting timely proposals
and document these on the official bid tabulation document. Both State employees must
verify and sign the official bid tabulation document.
The proposal content is confidential and must be kept secure throughout the evaluation
process and until after an anticipated award is announced.
The proposed pricing, which should be separately sealed, is not opened. It remains
sealed until after the technical evaluation is complete and pricing points are ready to be
calculated, and it cannot be disclosed publicly until after an anticipated award is
announced.
The list of prospective contractors who submitted a proposal is public information, and a
copy of the listing on the official bid tabulation document can be provided to anyone who
is present or who later requests a copy.
A template for the tabulation document, RFP Bid Tab, which contains fields for all
required information, is on the “Procurement Forms and Reporting” page of theTSS
OSP website.
Step 5 - After the public opening, review all submissions, including the proposal
content, to confirm each is from a responsive and responsible prospective contractor.
The review should confirm that all submission and solicitation requirements are met,
such as:
HELPFUL HINT
It’s best practice to time stamp each sealed submission as it is received. This provides a
record of the timely-received bids as well as those which were received late. See your
supervisor for your agency’s procedure for time-stamping sealed bids.
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• Required signatures have been received.
• Any required documents are completed and submitted.
• Contractor meets all specifications and requirements as written.
Non-responsive and Non-responsible Prospective Contractors
Non-responsive and non-responsible prospective contractors’ proposals are rejected.
See A.C.A. § 19-11-204 for information regarding responsive and responsible
prospective contractors.
Should you need to reject a prospective contractor’s proposal for failure to meet a
requirement, the prospective contractor must be contacted and advised of the rejection.
A phone call is acceptable, but an email should follow to document the rejection. The
email should include the reason for rejection as well as a reference to the specific
language from the RFP which contains the requirement that was not met.
The qualifying proposals move on to evaluation.
Step 6 – Facilitate the evaluation of proposals.
This evaluation and scoring is for the technical proposal only, not cost. The cost
proposal remains sealed until after the technical evaluation is complete.
The basic evaluation steps are:
1. The agency selects the evaluation team.
• Evaluation committee members should be selected based on their ability to
make meaningful contributions to the evaluation of the competing proposals.
• 3-5 evaluators is typically best. The number may vary and there is no upward
limit, but TSS OSP strongly encourages a minimum of three members
whenever possible. Seven or more could become difficult to schedule and
may prolong the process.
• An agency may request employees of:
o Other state agencies.
o State boards and commissions.
o Colleges and universities.
• For more information regarding the evaluation committee selection, go to
the website micro link for Evaluation Committee Structure.
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2. The evaluators must attend an Evaluator Conference facilitated by their agency
APO or TSS OSP.
• This meeting lasts about an hour or less and provides guidance to the
evaluators regarding the proper procedure for evaluation as required by
procurement law.
3. The evaluators individually score all proposals.
• The solicitation template contains language that explains the general scoring
process for evaluation. Although evaluation of competing proposals
inherently involves a certain degree of subjective judgment and discretion,
proposals should be evaluated ethically, fairly, lawfully, and reasonably.
• Using the Individual Score Worksheet, each evaluator will complete
individual scoring of each proposal on his/her own time. After individual
scoring is completed, the Individual Score Sheets (or copies) from all the
evaluators must be provided to the buyer/facilitator in preparation for the
consensus meeting.
4. The evaluators attend the consensus meeting to discuss their scoring. Ideally
this will allow the committee members a chance to offer their individual
perspectives as well as potentially remedy any confusion or misunderstandings.
• The evaluators will have the opportunity to adjust their individual scores
based on the discussion.
• The facilitator will enter any adjusted individual evaluator scores into the
Consensus Score Sheets, which will calculate the technical score for each
prospective contractor and the ranking of the prospective contractors’
proposals according to their score.
• Once all consensus scores are finalized, the evaluators will sign and date all
score sheets.
• The buyer will collect all signed score sheets for the procurement record, as
well as all documents that were provided to the evaluators in training or that
the evaluators used in the evaluation process.
Evaluation Score Sheets
The buyer must create the score sheets for the evaluation. This must be completed
prior to the evaluation training so that the individual score sheets can be provided to the
evaluators at the evaluator conference. The buyer should closely proofread the
individual score sheets prior to distribution to evaluators since errors in the
score sheets may affect the accuracy of the evaluation outcome.
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If demonstrations are included in the evaluation, the demonstration score sheets are
typically created after the technical scoring portion of evaluation is completed and the
list of prospective contractors who are invited to demonstrations is determined.
TSS OSP has created an Excel template for the score sheets, called Evaluation Score
Sheets. This is available to download from the TSS OSP website in the Solicitation
Templates section on the Forms and Reporting page.
This Excel file consists of multiple spreadsheets that are required to execute the correct
scoring process. A buyer may add to/adjust the score sheets for the number of
evaluation questions, the number of evaluators, and the number of proposals.
The score sheets have the necessary formulas already plugged in. When adding
to/adjusting the scoring tables, be sure that the formulas are updated in the correct cells
as needed. See your supervisor if you need assistance with Excel formulas.
The TSS OSP Forms and Reporting web page also provides a link to instructions for
preparing the score sheet correctly, called Evaluation Score Sheets Instructions. Refer
to these instructions when you are creating the score sheets for your RFP.
A copy of all final, signed score sheets must be kept in the official procurement record.
The Summary Score Sheet shows the final technical score for each proposal.
For more information about the score sheets and how to use them correctly, go to the
website micro link for Evaluation Score Sheets.
Procurement Roles in Evaluation
The role of procurement personnel in the evaluation process will differ depending on the
agency and the type/dollar value of the solicitation.
As a general rule, the following applies to procurement roles in evaluation:
• For solicitations executed at the agency level when an APO is not on staff:
OSP provides the evaluator conference.
The agency buyer facilitates the scoring process and consensus meeting,
and the demonstrations if applicable. He/she also compiles all the
evaluation documents for the procurement record.
• For solicitations executed at the agency level when an APO is on staff:
The APO provides the evaluator conference.
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The agency buyer and/or the APO facilitates the scoring process and
consensus meeting, and the demonstrations if applicable. He/she also
compiles all the evaluation documents for the procurement record.
• For solicitations executed byTSS OSP:
The TSS OSP buyer provides the evaluator conference.
The TSS OSP buyer facilitates the scoring process and consensus
meeting, and the demonstrations if applicable. He/she also compiles all
the evaluation documents for the procurement record.
For more information about how to facilitate an evaluation, go to the website micro link
for Role of the Facilitator in Evaluation.
Demonstrations
Demonstrations are an optional part of the technical evaluation and scoring. If an
agency wants the option to require demonstrations, this should be stated in the RFP.
Demonstrations generally take place after the initial evaluation of proposals is complete,
and they are often the second scored phase of a technical evaluation. When handled in
this fashion, the scoring totals from the technical proposals typically determine which
prospective contractors will move forward to this phase of evaluation and be invited to
provide a demonstration.
After each demonstration, evaluators may adjust their initial technical scores for that
prospective contractor to reflect the information provided during the demonstration. If
demonstrations are not going to be a part of the technical evaluation, then the scores
from the evaluation of proposals are averaged and totaled to produce the final technical
score for each proposal. If demonstrations are going to be included in the evaluation,
then the adjusted technical score after the demonstration is the final technical score for
each proposal.
For more information about how to facilitate demonstrations as part of an evaluation, go
to the website micro link for Facilitating Demonstrations in Evaluation.
Step 7 – After the technical evaluation scores are finalized, open the sealed pricing with
your supervisor or another procurement team member and calculate the grand total
score for each proposal. The formula for calculating the points for cost is provided in the
RFP template. The proposal with the highest grand total score (sum of the technical
score and cost score) is the apparent successful prospective contractor.
When the buyer notifies the end user/agency of the highest scoring prospective
contractor, the end user or agency may request to negotiate contractual terms and/or
pricing.
For more about negotiating a contract, go to the website micro link for Negotiation.
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Step 8 – The buyer will officially notify the appropriate agency parties of the final
negotiated price and contract terms and request approval to award to this prospective
contractor. It is best practice to provide this notification and request for approval by
email. This approval reply will create the written documentation you need for the
procurement record.
Step 9 - Upon approval of award to the apparent successful contractor, publicly post the
anticipation to award (ATA) on the same website where the solicitation was posted. It is
a best practice to email each prospective contractor who submitted a bid to advise them
of the ATA posting. You may include the link to the ATA posting in the email.
For more information about posting an ATA on the TSS OSP website, go to the website
micro link for Publicly Posting Solicitation Documents.
Keep in mind that a prospective contractor who feels aggrieved by the anticipated
award has the right to protest the award prior to the end of the 14-day ATA period. Only
a prospective contractor who submitted a bid may protest, and a contract may not be
awarded until after the protest is resolved.
For more information about the protest of an anticipated award, go to the website micro
link for Protests and Protest Resolution.
7.4 Awarding an RFP
To award an RFP:
1. After the end of the ATA period, and after any protests have been resolved, create
the OA in AASIS (with reference to the PR, if a PR was created) and attach a copy
of the following:
a. The solicitation with all attachments.
b. The successful contractor’s bid submission including proposal and price
sheet.
c. The bid tab sheet.
d. Any other pertinent documents, such as a negotiation agreement.
2. Obtain the AASIS approvals necessary for the contract to be released.
• Along with the approvals in AASIS, remember that service contracts
meeting the mandated dollar thresholds for legislative review must go
through the review process prior to the final AASIS release.
For more information regarding legislative review, go to the website micro link for
Legislative Review and Reporting Requirements.
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3. Activate the contract (OA) by executing the print function in AASIS. Provide a copy
of the OA to the contractor via email.
4. Save all copies of any relevant procurement documents in the official procurement
record.
For more information about requirements for the official procurement record, go to
the website micro link for Components of a Procurement Contract and the
Procurement Record.
If your agency is not an AASIS user, follow your agency’s procedures to award an RFP.
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Chapter 8: Issuing a Solicitation through
TSS OSP
The steps for the procurement methods outlined thus far apply where an agency is
issuing the solicitation and managing the procurement process on the agency level.
Where TSS OSP is managing the solicitation process (typically solicitations exceeding
$75.000), the process may differ. That process generally follows the steps below:
1. Create a Purchase Requisition (PR).
2. Attach the required documents to the PR. Refer to theTSS OSP job aid the
website micro link for Document Attachments for a Purchase Requisition.
3. Change the Purchasing Group in the Header of the PR to “C00.”
• This designation routes the PR to TSS OSP through the AASIS workflow
where it will be assigned to a TSS OSP buyer.
• It is still imperative that the agency assign a contract administrator who will
work with TSS OSP during the solicitation process and who will be
accountable for the contract at the agency level.
4. The TSS OSP buyer will use the solicitation templates to create the solicitation
documents from the attached information and will work with the agency contact
to finalize all the documents.
5. After agency approval of the final documents, theTSS OSP buyer will post the
solicitation on theTSS OSP website.
6. Bids/responses will be received at TSS OSP, and theTSS OSP buyer will
continue to work as the procurement facilitator with the agency to manage the
evaluation and/or contractor selection and notification.
7. TSS OSP will typically create the resulting PO or OA for the agency.
8. The agency contract administrator will be responsible for all agency level
activities relative to the new contract and for oversight of contractor
performance.
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Chapter 9: Additional Procurement Methods
9.1 Request for Qualifications (RFQ)
A request for qualifications (RFQ) is a solicitation that focuses on qualifications or
specialized expertise without any initial consideration of price. Other than as provided in
§ 19-11-801 et seq., the RFQ process may only be used when, under rules promulgated
by the State Procurement Director, the director determines in writing that the request for
qualifications process is warranted (Ark. Code Ann. 19-11-204 (10)).
• Per Ark. Code Ann. § 19-11-802, the RFQ is the mandated procurement
method when contracting for architectural, engineering, land surveying, legal,
and interior design services.
An RFQ may also be used as the selection method for other Professional Consultant
Services contracts when it is determined to be the most suitable method of contracting
by the State Procurement Director. It can be designed to award to a single contractor or
to qualify a pool of contractors. (See TSS OSP R1:19-11-204.) Minimum qualifications
must be provided to prospective contractors in the RFQ solicitation document.
RFQ Approval
Obtain prior written approval from the State Procurement Director to utilize this
procurement method unless it is for the procurement of legal, financial advisory,
architectural, engineering, construction management, and land surveying
services.
To request approval, go to Request for Qualifications Procedures on the OSP website
and follow the directions provided.
Directions and steps for executing this type of procurement will be provided byTSS
OSP once the RFQ procurement method has been approved.
Other Considerations – Legislative Review
Some service contracts must be reported to the legislature or submitted for legislative
review. If a service being procured meets the conditions for legislative review, prior to
the final AASIS release, a contract submission in the PCS or TGS portal is required.
After it has been submitted for review, the contract needs final approval from TSS OSP
so that the final AASIS releases can be made to begin the contract. Attach the executed
Services form to the PO or OA. See the TSS OSP website for additional information
regarding legislative review of services contracts.
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9.2 Request for Information (RFI)
An RFI is a formal request to prospective contractors to provide information about a
commodity or service prior to a possible solicitation.
This is not a procurement method. It is a tool for getting information about the market
prior to issuing a solicitation. It does not directly result in a contract award. There are no
dollar thresholds for this process.
Use an RFI when an agency is considering issuing a solicitation but needs further
information about commodities or services available on the market.
A scope of work with general minimum requirements is provided to prospective
contractors in the RFI template from the buyer.
Requests can be made for pricing information and for recommendations regarding
pricing structure, but any prices provided are not binding in the same way that bids are.
The buyer must post the RFI and/or deliver the RFI to prospective contractors, and the
prospective contractors provide a written response in the same manner as a competitive
sealed bid.
1. Contact TSS OSP for the current RFI template.
2. Update the RFI Template to reflect your agency’s addresses, contact
information, and other references, as well as entering the necessary
information in the designated places regarding dates, times, etc.
3. Enter the specifications in the designated section of the document. Although
RFI specifications are typically more general than those for an actual
solicitation, they need to be specific enough so that prospective contractors
can easily respond with relevant information.
4. Create the questions or an information outline for the information you wish to
receive from prospective contractors. This section is extremely important as it
will be the guiding factor in the type and amount of information you get back
from the prospective contractors.
5. Work with your end user to ensure that the specifications and the requested
information criteria are designed to meet the agency’s informational needs and
are approved to be sent to prospective contractors. Publicly post the RFI as
you would a competitive sealed bid.
There are certain instances in which none of the procurement methods described in
prior sections of this manual apply. These are cases in which the commodities or
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services being procured meet special criteria as defined by procurement law, or in
which the competitive bid process cannot be used. These are:
1. Exempt by Law (EL)
2. Sole Source (SS)
3. Special Procurement (SPECIAL)
9.3 Exempt by Law (EL)
The purchase of some commodities or services are exempt from the standard
procurement procedures by law. These commodities and services are specified in
Arkansas law (Ark. Code Ann. § 19-11-203). The purchase still must follow established
“exempt” purchasing procedures and may require special approvals. Follow the steps
below for the purchase of these exempt commodities or services.
1. Review 19-11-203 (14) to confirm the commodity or service is exempt. Seek
the advice of your agency’s legal counsel if you are unsure.
2. Create the purchase requistion (PR) for the purchase.
3. After all approvals are received on the PR, create the purchase order (PO) or
outline agreement (OA) using the EL procurement code in the Our Reference
field. The EL code will ensure the document is routed through the appropriate
approval process for this method of procurement. After all internal
releases/approvals are executed, the PO or OA will automatically be routed
through AASIS to the Office of State Procurement (OSP) for the State
Procurement Director’s approval.
4. If the purchase meets the criteria for Arkansas Legislative Council (ALC)
review, prior to the final AASIS release atTSS OSP, a contract submission in
the portal is required. Once reviewed, the contract will be executed byTSS
OSP, and then the finalTSS OSP releases can be made to begin the contract.
5. Attach the executed Services form to the PO or OA. See theTSS OSP
website for information regarding legislative review of services contracts.
According to Ark. Code Ann. 19-11-203 (14):
“Exempt commodities and services” means:
(A) Advertising in newspapers, periodicals, and related publications and on
television, radio, billboards, and electronic media;
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(B) Animals procured for medical research;
(C) (i) Commodities and services for use in research, education, and treatment
for the diagnosis, cure, and prevention of disease, which may be procured with
administrative approval through a group purchasing entity serving other public
health institutions when substantial savings are available.
(ii) A report shall be filed annually with the Division of Legislative Audit
reflecting the justification of and the estimated savings accruing due to the use
of this exemption;
(D) (i) Commodities procured for resale in cafeterias, commissaries, bookstores,
gift shops, canteens, and other similar establishments.
(ii) However, these commodities procured shall not be sold or transferred to
any agency with the intent of circumventing applicable procurement
procedures;
(E) (i) Contracts awarded by agencies for the construction of buildings and
facilities and for major repairs.
(ii) These contract exemptions shall not extend to the procurement of any
commodities not otherwise exempt that are to be furnished by the agency
under any such contract;
(F) Contracts awarded by the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation
Department for the construction, reconstruction, and maintenance of roads and
bridges in the state highway system and for the county, rural road aid, and city
street aid programs;
(G) (i) Farm products procured or sold by a state agency having an agency
procurement official.
(ii) The current trade customs with respect to the procurement or sale of
cotton, cotton seed, rice, and other farm products shall be followed when it
is necessary to obtain the best price for the commodities procured or sold;
(H) Fees, including medical fees and physician fees;
(I) Foster care maintenance services provided by foster family homes or a
community provider that is licensed as a family style residential home or that
provides a family home setting approved by the Division of Children and Family
Services of the Department of Human Services for children whose placement
and care are the responsibility of the Division of Children and Family Services of
the Department of Human Services;
(J) Freight and storage charges and demurrage;
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(K) Licenses required prior to performance of services;
(L) (i) Livestock procured by an agency having an official experienced in
selection and procurement of livestock.
(ii) Such procurement will be reported to the State Procurement Director,
giving details of the purchase;
(M) Livestock procured for breeding, research, or experimental purposes;
(N) Maintenance on office machines and technical equipment;
(O) Medical items specifically requested by a physician for treatment or
diagnosis of patients in his or her care, including prosthetic devices, surgical
instruments, heart valves, pacemakers, radioisotopes, and catheters;
(P) Membership in professional, trade, and other similar associations;
(Q) Perishable foodstuffs for immediate use or processing;
(R) Postage;
(S) Published books, manuals, maps, periodicals, films, technical pamphlets,
and copyrighted educational aids for use in libraries and for other informational
or instructional purposes in instances in which other applicable law does not
provide a restrictive means for the acquisition of these materials;
(T) Services of visiting speakers, lecturers, and performing artists;
(U) Taxes;
(V) Travel expense items such as room and board and transportation charges;
(W) Utility services or equipment that is defined, recognized, and regulated by
the Arkansas Public Service Commission as a monopoly offering;
(X) Works of art for museum and public display;
(Y) Capital improvements valued at less than the amount stated in § 22-9-203,
subject to minimum standards and criteria of the Building Authority Division;
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(Z) Services related to work force development, incumbent work force training,
or specialized business or industry training;
(AA) The following commodities and services relating to proprietary software
after the initial procurement:
(i) Technical support incidental to supporting the continuous operation of
proprietary software;
(ii) Renewals;
(iii) Additional copies; and
(iv) License upgrades;
(BB) Commodities and raw materials purchased by Arkansas Correctional
Industries intended for use in goods for resale;
(CC) Commodities purchased by the Department of Correction for crop
production, including without limitation fertilizers, seed, seedlings, and
agricultural-related chemicals; and
(DD) Repair services for hidden or unknown damages to machinery already
purchased; (EE) Commodities and services purchased by an academic medical
center using revenue derived from and used for patient care and hospital
enterprises.
9.4 Sole Source (SS)
Occasionally, the purchase of a commodity or service may fall under the designation of a
sole source. SS procurements are those which are available only from a single source and
cannot be competitively procured.
Brand name or design specifications are not sufficient justifications for SS procurements.
The definition for what qualifies as a SS purchase is provided in 19-11-232. The purchase
still must follow established SS purchasing procedures and may require special approvals.
To receive approval, after it has been determined that the purchase can only be made from
a sole source, follow the directions provided in Sole Source Procurement Procedures and
complete the Sole Source Procurement Justification Form provided on the TSS OSP
website.
Note: Some purchases require Legislative reporting or review. If a service being
procured meets the stipulations for Legislative Review, prior to the final AASIS release,
a contract submission in the portal is required. Once reviewed, the contract will be
LM07182023 54
executed by TSS OSP, and then the final AASIS releases can be made to begin the
contract. Attach the executed Services form to the PO or OA. See the TSS OSP
website for information regarding legislative review of services contracts.
9.5 Special Procurement (SPECIAL)
Occasionally, unusual or unique situations may exist that can make the application of
the requirements of competitive bidding, competitive sealed bidding, or competitive
sealed proposals contrary to the public interest. In such instances, state agencies may
initiate a Special procurement pursuant to Arkansas law (Ark. Code Ann. § 19-11-263).
To execute a Special procurement, the head of a procurement agency must make a
written determination that an unusual or unique situation exists that makes applying the
requirements of competitive bidding contrary to the public interest. The request must
explain the unique or unusual circumstances justifying special procurement and for the
selection of the requested prospective contractor. Follow the Special Procurement
Procedures provided on the TSS OSP website to execute this procurement method.
Note: Some purchases require Legislative reporting or review. If a service being procured
meets the stipulations for Legislative Review, prior to the final AASIS release, a contract
submission in the portal is required. Once reviewed, the contract will be executed by TSS
OSP, and then the final AASIS releases can be made to begin the contract. Attach the
executed Services form to the PO or OA. See the TSS OSP website for information
regarding legislative review of services contracts.
