Purchasing

Formal contracting opportunities are advertised statewide on the Electronic State Business Daily (ESBD) at www.txsmartbuy.com/sp as Invitation for Bids (IFBs), Request for Offers (RFOs), Request for Proposals (RFPs), and Request for Qualifications (RFQs).

The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) obtains prospective vendors from the Centralized Master Bidders List (CMBL) and Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Directory. For details and information about the CMBL and HUB Program visit www.comptroller.texas.gov.

Commodities and Services Contracting Opportunities

TDHCA contracting opportunities may include but may not be limited to:

• Advertising services
• Banners
• Consultant services
• Copy services
• Court reporting services
• Credit reporting services
• Employee assistance services
• Graphic design services
• Meeting and conference room rental
• Office furniture, desks, chairs
• Office machine maintenance
• Office supplies
• Paper (all kinds)
• Press clipping services
• Printing
• Professional services
• Temporary personnel services

Information and Technology Contracting Opportunities

TDHCA is required to procure Information and Technology commodities/services through Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) Cooperative contracts, which may include but may not be limited to:

• Cellular phone services (air time)
• Computer hardware and peripherals for microcomputers
• Digital cameras
• Facsimiles
• Hard drives, tape drives, memory, monitors, software
• IT staffing and programming services
• Keyboards, microcomputers/desktops
• Pagers and service
• Printers, Laser jet

Additional Opportunities

TDHCA is a funding agency and does not directly build housing or provide community services. This means that the Department passes state and federal funds to subrecipients who conduct local affordable housing construction and repair activities, and provide community services to individuals and families in need.

Those seeking to provide commodities and/or services to housing and community services providers, who may or may not receive funding from the Department, may find contact information on TDHCA’s Help for Texans page. Simply select the type of activity most closely related to the products and/or services you wish to provide, enter the city or county you serve, and click the Find Help button.

Additional contracting opportunities may be available through local city and/or county housing and/or community services offices, local nonprofit and for-profit community-based organizations, private developers and/or local public housing authorities. Please contact each of these resources directly for contracting opportunity details and information.

Facilities Support

TDHCA is located in a state owned facility for which maintenance and services are provided through the Texas Facilities Commission (TFC). View bid opportunities available through the TFC at www.tfc.state.tx.us

It is the practice of TDHCA to achieve the annual Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Program goals by contracting directly with HUBs or indirectly through subcontracting opportunities in accordance with the applicable Texas Government Codes, §§2161.181 and 2161.182 and 10 TAC Chapter 1, §1.6.

TDHCA will determine if it is probable for subcontracting opportunities under the proposed contract and provide subcontracting possibilities as part of the formal procurement package.

HUB Expositions and Forums

Please refer to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts’ Economic Opportunities Forums Calendar (https://comptroller.texas.gov) for upcoming events such as vendor fairs, spot bid fairs, conventions, conferences, workshops, seminars, and more.

Please inquire directly to TDHCA’s Purchasing/HUB Coordinator at (512) 475-3984 or by fax to (512) 475-2672 for additional information.

All agency purchases are governed by state rules and regulations. The estimated cost of a good or service mandates certain purchasing procedures, as shown in the table below, including when and how state entities must informally or formally obtain competitive bids from vendors.

Up to $5,000
No bids required (non-competitive); state entities may contact one vendor directly.

$5,000.01 to $25,000
Commodities/Services
Three informal bids required.

$25,000.01 & Above
Commodities
Formal procurement must be solicited by the Comptroller’s State Procurement Division (SPD) through the state’s Open Market process unless delegated back to the agency.

$25,000.01 to $100,000
Services
Formal procurement solicited by the agency.

Information Technology-Related Commodities/Services

Up to $1,000
Agency is exempt from purchasing through Department of Information (DIR) Contracts.

$1,000.01 to $50,000
Agency may award directly to DIR Contract Vendor of choice.

For additional DIR Procurement Information for Vendors:
https://dir.texas.gov/View-Information-For-Vendors/Landing.aspx

The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (“CPA”) serves as the contact for grant management related issues and is responsible for maintenance of the Uniform Grant Management Standards (“UGMS”). For more information, visit the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts’ Grant Management (https://comptroller.texas.gov) webpage or email ugms@cpa.texas.gov.

No-Bid Contracts

In response to Gov. Greg Abbott's call for increased transparency with state contracts, the Department has posted a report of all No-Bid contracts (PDF).

Learn everything you need to know about state purchasing online.

Visit www.comptroller.texas.gov for information, such as:

• Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Program, including HUB vendor certification (free!), forms, etc.;
• Centralized Master Bidders List (CMBL) Program, including CMBL registration ($70/year), bid opportunities, etc.;
• Commodity Codes;
• Training and events, including Economic Opportunity Forums, etc.;
• Manuals and Reference Guides; and
• Forms Libraries.

Electronic State Business Daily (ESBD)
State agencies are required by law to post all procurement opportunities over $25,000 on a site maintained by the Comptroller of Public Accounts (CPA)/State Procurement Division (SPD) https://www.txsmartbuy.com/sp

Verify Franchise Tax, Sales Tax, and Vendor Information
https://mycpa.cpa.state.tx.us/coa/search.do

Department of Information Resources
https://www.dir.texas.gov/

TDHCA Contract Management Guide
TDHCA Contract Management Guide (PDF)

The information on this page is provided as a courtesy only. TDHCA makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, regarding any aspect of any of these potential procurement opportunities including any representation or warranty that they have complied with any particular state, federal, or other procurement requirements.

Purchasing Fax: 512-475-2672