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Greetings Suppliers!
How friendly is Georgia toward small business? It is good to know that Georgia is viewed by small businesses as one of the friendliest states in the nation for business opportunities.
Continuing to grow and nurture Georgia's relationship with small business is a goal set forth by Governor Nathan Deal. With this goal in mind, we offer this Special Small Business Issue of The Supplier Source. Complete with news and tips on acquiring state business, this issue also includes Georgia's new official definition of small business as established by the state legislature.
So join in the celebration by reading the what's, why's, and how's of Georgia business success. Together, we can ensure that low cost, best value contracts provide win-win opportunities for Georgia's government, businesses and citizens.
As always, we welcome your comments and suggestions as to how to better serve you.
Sincerely,
DOAS State Purchasing Division |
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How Does Georgia Define its Business?
With all the noted government changes, we thought it convenient to provide you a few pertinent definitions:
Small business - a Georgia resident business that is independently owned and operated. In addition, such a business must either have fewer than 300 employees or less than $30 million in gross receipts per year.
Georgia resident business - any business that regularly maintains a place from which business is physically conducted in Georgia for at least one year prior to any bid or proposal to the state. Or, it is a new business that is domiciled in Georgia and regularly maintains a place from which business is physically conducted in Georgia. Additionally, the place of business shall not include a post office box, leased private mailbox, site trailer, or temporary structure (Official Code of Georgia Annotated §50-5-121).
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) - a for-profit small business that is at least 51-percent owned by a socially and economically disadvantaged individual(s). The DBE certification is issued by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT); visit their site for a complete list of eligibility requirements.
Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) - suppliers who have successfully completed the GDOT DBE-certification process and are registered in Team Georgia MarketplaceTM. The Department of Administrative Services (DOAS) maintains a list of certified Minority Business Enterprises. Read more about the joint certification process in this issue. |
A Common Problem with Insurance Certificates
Sometimes, when a supplier enters into a contract with a state entity, the contract has an insurance requirement.
In such cases, suppliers (or the insurance agency) should submit their insurance paperwork directly to the entity of which they are entering the agreement.
State Purchasing is receiving insurance paperwork without a state entity name or contract number, so there are suppliers that are not receiving credit for their submission and therefore are NOT meeting the requirements of their contracts! |
Top Four Reasons Why it Pays to Be a Certified DBE/MBE Business
Clearly, dual certification is the way to go for qualifying small businesses. The processes to become a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) or Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) used to be separate, redundant and time-consuming. Nowadays, once an organization becomes a certified DBE with Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), they automatically can become MBE-certified by DOAS and reap a world of benefits. Learn More>> |
Good News! Updates to the GPM
State Purchasing recently unveiled updates to the Georgia Procurement Manual (GPM) that are of immediate interest to current and prospective suppliers of the state. Topping the list is a raise in the competitive bid threshold from $5,000 to $25,000.
As of July 1, 2012, any state purchasers needing "to make an open-market purchase of $25,000 or more must use the appropriate bid process." This administrative rule means that any open market purchases below $25,000 do not need to be competitively bid! This regulation change widens the window of opportunity for any supplier wishing to do business with the state.
The revised GPM will be available on the DOAS website on September 1, 2012. For a detailed list of all the recent changes to the GPM, view Deputy Commissioner Leslie Lowe's Official Announcement #03-12.
The DOAS - State Purchasing Division reviews and updates the Georgia Procurement Manual (GPM) annually, for added convenience to its users and to coincide with any changes in Georgia legislation. Keep reading the Supplier Source to stay abreast of the changes most affecting you! |
Two Simple Steps to a More
Successful Bid
We know: Successfully competing for statewide contracts is not easy! However, you can improve your chances, regardless of the form of business and the type of solicitation. Here are two of the most common setbacks to successful submissions and their fool-proof remedies. Learn More>> |
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GPM Updates
 | | July 1 changes will appear in the manual by September 1, 2012. In the meantime, consult the latest official announcement for updates. |
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SPD Around Town
Click the images to see up close.
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Ribbon Cutting at the Georgia Chapter of NIGP Purchasing Conference and Expo 2012 |
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| | Networking at the Governmental Purchasing Association of Georgia (GPAG) Conference 2012 |
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Did You Know?
State Purchasing provides small and minority businesses with technical assistance, training and tools to successfully do business with the state.
Each month, DOAS hosts supplier orientation seminars with registration tips and much more. Visit the Supplier Services site for details. |
Serving our suppliers is a DOAS priority! Email us if you have any comments pertaining to The Supplier Source, including topic suggestions or feedback on a published article. Good to hear from you!
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