Business Opportunities with City College of San Francisco

There are 3 main areas within City College that have Business Opportunities:

  • Office of Facilities Planning: construction, major renovations and remodeling (flooring, office cubicles, seating). Phone: 415-239-3055 Dept. does not maintain a bid list.
  • Buildings and Grounds: maintains a list of trades used for building repairs and maintenance, including painting, electrical, plumbing, elevator repair, beyond the scope of our employees. Requirements may include specific certifications, licenses, prevailing wages and insurance, depending on the job. Phone 415-239-3546
  • Purchasing: obtains goods, equipment and services for the District, including computers, printers, printing services, office supplies, paper, medical and safety equipment, athletic equipment, and the like. Phone 415-241-2268
    • To get on Purchasing’s bid list for supplies, please provide via mail your company’s contact information including email and fax number, a line sheet or catalog, and a copy of any certifications (small/disadvantaged/women-owned business). We regret we cannot accept walk-in visitors. Please note opportunities are dependent on funding and need. The District maintains bid lists for items frequently purchased. Opportunities are currently limited due to the State of California budget crisis. We are most interested in firms that offer a local presence, with Net 30 terms.
    • Products frequently bid printing services (specialized), printer cartridges, office machines, paper, audio-visual equipment.

The District cannot outsource services that can be provided by union employees already on staff. For example, janitorial services, copying, and minor painting are performed by District employees.

Informal bid opportunities (small quantities, amounts under $88,300) are announced via fax, email or phone to those on our bid list. Formal bid opportunities are announced via Public Bid Notice Advertisement in the San Francisco Examiner and/or on the Internet via the Bid and Contract Opportunities.

Hints for submitting a successful bid:

  1. Be timely. Late bids cannot be considered. Do not wait until the date due to fax or send messengers.
  2. Read the bid conditions. If the requirements area too daunting for you, conserve your energy for the next time.
  3. Be responsive. Bid as specified. If you add qualifications or reservations to your bid, the bid may be considered non-responsive and be rejected.

For Your Protection:

  1. Watch out for promises of a contract: The College relies heavily on competitive bidding, so no department knows which bidder will receive an award until bids are opened and evaluated. This means no one can give assurances a vendor will receive a particular order until Purchasing makes an award, and funding is confirmed by the Board of Trustees.
  2. Don’t start work without an authorized contract or purchase order. If you begin work without the required authorization, you may not be paid or payments may be delayed.
  3. Do not accept a faxed requisition as a purchase order. Requisitions are internal memos, not a contract.
  4. Be sure your liability insurance and business licenses are current. Most contracts require proof of insurance and W-9 information be on file before beginning any work.

Payment questions:

If you have any questions regarding payment, please contact Clement Cheung in the Accounts Payable Department at 415-452-7652.

Providing a District purchase order number provides the fastest response.

Thank you for your interest in the San Francisco Community College District.

Recent Small/Local Awards

Paper Bid #056 Term: one-time purchase

  • Award to: Kelly Paper $7840
  • San Francisco

White Copy Paper Bid #034 Term: one-time purchase

  • Award to: Kelly Paper $2080
  • San Francisco

Smart White Boards, Projectors with Installation RFI/P #017 Term: one-time purchase

  • Award to: One Workplace (local dealer) $10,266
  • Distributed to bid list for A/V. Considerations: warranty, green /environmental standards, training provided.

Printing ETC Magazine Bid #050 Term: one year

  • Award to: Somerset Printing, Burlingame CA $20,000
  • Distributed to 13 area printers: 6 no responses of which 3 were S/LBE 1 LBE no bid response, 6 responses received of which 4 were from M/L or WBE.