A revision of the Cuyahoga County Code modernizes government contracting processes

CUYAHOGA COUNTY, OH – County Code Chapter 501, which regulates contracts and purchasing procedures, has been amended to significantly raise spending and bidding thresholds. Prior to this amendment, departments could make purchases under $1,000 without additional approval, an amount that is now $2,000 and under. The Purchasing Department is able to approve transactions up to $10,000 as opposed to the prior $5,000 threshold. Items requiring Board of Control approval have increased from over $5,000 to over $10,000. The Purchasing Department’s quote threshold has also increased to $10,000 from $5,000. The Board of Control now has approval authority over all County contracts and purchases valued from $10,000.01 - $750,000. The governing body still receives reports for all contracts and purchases between $1,000 - $10,000. The County Executive’s approval authority to execute contracts has increased from $5,000 to $10,000, ensuring his continued role in the process. The threshold for formal competitive bidding has increased from $50,000 to $200,000.01 and the minimum level for informal competitive bidding has increased from $5,000 to $10,000.01.

“We are committed to making it easier and more efficient for businesses to work with the County,” said Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne. “By improving our processes, we hope to encourage greater business participation and attract top talent to our region.”

These changes will decrease the procurement lifecycle length at multiple stages, including solicitation, review and approval, with the goal of getting executed contracts and purchase orders into the hands of vendors in a timelier manner.

“After hearing directly from business owners, contractors and vendors, it became clear that we needed faster, more responsive and accessible process,” said Paul Porter, the County’s Director of Purchasing. “We are proud to be building a more welcoming, efficient, business-friendly environment that will continue to drive growth and opportunity.”

The new procurement system is considerably more responsive and maintains existing accountability. The Council President can also send any Board of Control item to the full Council for consideration, ensuring a thorough and comprehensive review process.

To complement the ordinance, the Purchasing Department has increased the minimum open period for informal solicitations to three business days, and departments will be required to notify registered small, minority-owned, and women-owned businesses of any opportunity to do business with the County in excess of $1,000. Formal solicitations will continue to be open for a minimum of 30 days, and Code language has changed to emphasize Requests for Proposals and Requests for Qualifications as equivalent to Requests for Bid, acknowledging that it is often in the County’s interest to evaluate factors beyond pricing when awarding contracts or purchases.

To learn how to do business with Cuyahoga County, browse our purchasing forecast, or access training resources for vendors, visit cuyahogacounty.gov/purchasing.