Huge Response to Bid Management Webinar
Next Steps for Municipalities
The Operational Services Division was delighted to co-host the Bid Management Guidance and Solutions webinar with the Office of the Inspector General and to welcome more than 160 city and town procurement officials to the meeting.

If you missed the presentation, view the one-hour video here .

Next Steps
Learn How to Engage COMMBUYS' Free Bid Management Tools
Attend one of OSD's newly designed training sessions to learn how, by adding a few extra steps to your current bid notification process, you may engage the state's online bid management tools, which meet MGL Chapter 30, 30B, 149, and 39M requirements. This training session is a condensed version of our five-hour workshop and it was designed specifically for local government staff as a follow up to the Webinar:
  • Wednesday, July 8, 2020, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. or
  • Tuesday, July 14, 2020, 1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Q&A Follow-up from the Presentation

Thank you for the many questions submitted during the presentation! Attached below we have published some outstanding Q&As and helpful resources

Q: When do COMMBUYS bid documents become public?
A: Buyer bid documents, such as the RFR, RFP, RFI, and the like, become publicly available as soon as the bid available date/time passes. Other bid documents may be shared publicly in COMMBUYS after submitted quotes are evaluated and award recommendations are approved and posted. External users then may view the Bid Tabulation results, to include a list of all vendors who submitted quotes and which quote(s) were awarded. Any attachment files submitted with the quotes also may be accessible, assuming they have not been marked as confidential.

Q: What file types may be attached to a COMMBUYS bid record?
A: COMMBUYS will accept most common file types, including .pdf, .docx, .xlsx, .pptx, and may accommodate ZIP files .

Q: Are there file size restrictions in COMMBUYS?
A: COMMBUYS does not restrict attachments based on file size.

Q: Who can help me get set up in COMMBUYS?
A: The Local Government Enablement Team helps municipal organizations get set up in COMMBUYS - including staff training - and assists local government entities with Statewide Contract purchasing. Contact the Team at COMMBUYSEnablement@mass.gov . Send day-to-day COMMBUYS questions to the OSD Help Desk: OSDHelpDesk@mass.gov or 888-MA-State.

Q: Where can I pose 30B questions?
A: Contact the Office of the Inspector General at 617-722-8838.

Q: Can COMMBUYS be used to fulfill construction project requirements (Chapter 149 and 30-39M)?
A: According to the Attorney General's Office (AGO), YES , COMMBUYS can be used for construction projects. For posting, other notice is required depending on the specific project. Refer to the Office of the Inspector General’s procurement charts for further posting guidance. COMMBUYS also may be used as a neutral site for bidders to upload their sealed bids. Municipalities may utilize COMMBUYS to ensure bids will not be able to be opened until the bid opening date. Once open, bid submission packages (except for Update Statements) must be made publicly viewable to allow inspection. The Office of the Attorney General has helpful FAQs related to the challenges caused by COVID-19. These FAQs address utilizing technology in compliance with the construction statutes. Should you have construction bid related questions, please contact Deborah Anderson at Deborah.Anderson@mass.gov . Consult your municipality’s legal counsel to verify compliance with all statutory requirements, as well as any local procedures.

Q: Where should I go for prevailing wage questions?
A: The Department of Labor Standards issues prevailing wage rates. Reach that department at 617-626-6975.