Policies and Initiatives:  Competitive Bid Policy

When required by law or policy, or when requested by a campus department, professional buyers in the Purchasing and Contracts Department will generate formal Requests for Proposals (RFP) or Requests for Quotations (RFQ).

• Only the Stanford Purchasing and Contracts Department has the authority to issue RFPs. This is to ensure that the process conforms to both state law and University policy.
• Only responses to RFQs solicited by a professional buyer are regarded as meeting the requirements for competition in Purchasing.

The department requestor may consult directly with a supplier representative for technical or sophisticated information and assistance in developing specifications. Resultant purchase orders, contracts, agreements, memorandum of understanding, letter of intent, etc., must be executed only by the professional Purchasing staff with specifically delegated authority.

Many pricing agreements have been established as a result of the competitive bid process. Once such contracts or agreements are established, Stanford buyers can purchase goods and services against them without being constrained by any additional requirement for competition.