Doing Business

Thank you for your interest in doing business with the Town of Little Elm. The following information is a basic overview of the Town’s procurement process and does not address all procurement laws governing the Town. 

PURCHASING OVERVIEW 

Purchasing is responsible for overseeing the centralized purchase of all supplies, services and construction within the Town. This structure allows departments to purchase directly off current Town contracts and assist in obtaining quotes. It is the goal of Purchasing to provide assistance to departments within the Town for securing materials/services in the most efficient, ethical, and economical manner that preserves the public confidence in the Town’s procurement process. 

BIDDER REGISTRATION

The Town of Little Elm utilizes an electronic procurement system to maintain a bidders list and notify suppliers of upcoming opportunities.  By using the Bidder Registration Process, your firm will be notified of future bids, quotes, proposals, and addenda. Suppliers are encouraged to utilize the eProcurement system to submit responses electronically. Electronic bidding eliminates errors, unnecessary work, and is friendlier to the environment. There is no cost to register or participate in any bid process through the electronic procurement system.   

METHODS OF PROCUREMENT 

The Town of Little Elm uses two methods for making purchases, either through a purchase order (PO) or with a procurement (credit) card. Vendors should not accept an order for supplies or services without first receiving a PO or payment from a Town issued procurement card. Town employees are issued picture identification and vendors are encouraged to verify their identity. The following methods are used to obtain pricing.  

  • Written quotations are accepted for items of value up to $50,000. The supplier should provide a firm price, delivery time, and payment terms. When the award is made, the buyer may provide the awarded vendor with their Town-issued credit card or purchase order. A confirmation and detailed invoice/receipt must be sent to the buyer.  
    • A single quote is required for items valued under $3000. 
    • A minimum of three quotes is required for items valued over $3000. 
  • Formal sealed bids are conducted for repetitive purchases and equipment/services over $50,000. 

HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESS (HUB)

A "Historically Underutilized Business" is an entity with its principal place of business in Texas and is at least 51 percent owned by an Asian Pacific American, Black American, Hispanic American, Native American and/or American woman who reside in Texas and have a proportionate interest and demonstrate active participation in the control, operations, and management of the entity's affairs. In accordance with Texas Administrative Code §111.13, each state agency shall make a good faith effort to utilize HUBs in contracts for construction, services (including professional and consulting services), and commodities purchases. The statewide HUB Program provides HUB certification for minority and woman-owned businesses in the State of Texas. Vendors seeking certification as a HUB are required to submit a completed HUB certification application and supporting documentation, affirming under penalty of perjury that their business qualifies as a HUB. For further information on the HUB Program, please contact the State of Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts website.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY 

The Town of Little Elm is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age or disability in employment, business opportunity, or the provision of services. Minority and small business contractors are encouraged to participate in any and all Town projects. Purchasing staff is available to answer questions and assist all suppliers in the understanding of the procurement process. 

ETHICS

Suppliers will be treated equally and in a manner which compares with good business practices, professional ethics and the requirements of the law. All bidders will be given identical information. The specifications, terms, and conditions of bids and quotations will be prepared in an easy to read/understand language to the trade and in a manner that will encourage competitive bidding. 

CONFLICT OF INTEREST 

Chapter 176 of the Texas Local Government Code requires any vendor considering doing business with the Town to complete a Conflict of Interest Questionnaire. 

DELIVERY OF GOODS 

Delivery of goods must be made to the location indicated on each Purchase Order. The Town receives deliveries of goods between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Suppliers shall pre-pay shipping and process orders as FOB Destination, freight pre-paid. The Town of Little Elm will not accept COD orders. Packing slips must accompany all shipments. 

PAYMENTS

The Town of Little Elm complies with the Prompt Payment Act, Section 2252.025 of the Texas Government Code. The Prompt Payment Act ensures that companies transacting business with government agencies are paid in a timely manner. With certain exception, the act requires that the government agency make payment within 30 days of submission of a properly prepared invoice by a vendor. The Town of Little Elm issues payments to vendors once a week on Friday. Payments are either in the form of a check or ACH payment. Questions regarding payments may be directed to Accounts Payable.