Working with Us
There are many ways to work with the Department of General Services. The Department’s responsibilities include maintenance of every type of city building, from firehouses and police departments to office buildings, warehouses, and monuments.
DGS works hard to take care of different buildings and structures by using local suppliers and contractors whenever possible. We have a duty to the community to make sure every supplier and contractor can provide good products and services.
To do this, different Baltimore City departments check if a person or company is qualified to do the work. For example, the Office of Boards and Commissions makes sure that all design consultants and construction contractors are approved for jobs worth $25,000 or more. Meanwhile, the Department of Finance’s Purchasing Department handles buying goods and services that are not related to construction.
1. Where are your jobs advertised?
There are two places where a business can look to see if their services are required.
- Visit the Bureau of Purchases webpage to find a listing of all current bids:
- For Department of General Services consultant and construction projects: Click on the category box and select Currently Advertised Design or Currently Advertised Construction to see projects for both DGS and DPW that are being bid, including general information on the project, type of work to be performed, and bid due dates.
In many cases, small businesses may not be in a position to be the actual bidders on a project, but they can provide services as a sub-consultant or sub-contractor to the prime bidder.
2. I see something I am interested in. What do I do?
If the item you are interested in is with the Bureau of Purchases, follow the links in item 1 to find out what documentation and forms are required to be eligible to bid.
If the project is with DGS, there are several steps to take:
- Visit the Office of Boards and Commissions site to check on pre-qualification requirements,
- Get certified as an MBE and/or WBE firm (if applicable) by visiting the Minority and Women’s Business Opportunity Office website
- Review current projects out for bid on the Boards and Commissions page. More information and details on these are included below.
3. How do I get prequalified?
Whether your firm provides consultant design or construction services, the process begins with the Office of Boards and Commissions information page for Contractor Prequalification and Consultant Prequalification. There you will find information such as application documents, fact sheets, FAQs, and other related documentation.
- For design consulting services, there are seven categories for which a firm can be pre-qualified: Architecture, Engineering, Land Surveying, Landscape Architecture, Property Line Surveying, and Surveying. All other areas of design-related services are not pre-qualified at this time.
- If your firm provides construction services, your search still begins at the Office of Boards and Commissions webpage. There are many categories for which a firm can be prequalified. A list of available categories can be downloaded there, in addition to applications and a FAQ section. Any firm providing $25,000 or more worth of services must be pre-qualified by the Office of Boards and Commissions before performing any work.
4. I am a subcontractor who wants to work on City work. What do I do?
First, you should review the projects listed on the Boards and Commissions webpage to see if the work being bid includes your firm's services. A brief overview of the project scope is listed in the "Details" section of the Project Announcement webpage. Bid documents can be reviewed at no charge at our Sales office on the first floor of the Abel Wolman Municipal Building, located at 200 Holliday St., Baltimore, MD.
Subcontractors are not eligible to bid directly on DGS capital projects. However, they can provide prices for services to the bidding (prime) contractor. These prime contractors purchase bid documents from DGS, which provide details of the work to be performed. The sales group keeps a list of all firms that purchase bid documents. The sales group can be reached at 410-396-4508. The list changes daily and sometimes hourly, so please get in touch with them for the latest list of who to contact to submit your prices.
5. I am an MBE or WBE firm that wants to work on City work. What do I do?
DGS strongly supports the MBE/WBE participation program and encourages all MBE and WBE firms to get certified with the City to provide goods and services. The Small Minority Business Advocacy and Development division provides information, support, and certification for Baltimore’s MBE and WBE firms. From the Small Minority Business Advocacy and Development website, you can learn more about available support, requirements for certification, forms and documents for certification, and additional helpful links.
6. I have a small business; how do I get connected to business help?
Visit the Small Business Resource Center. It is an all-around resource center to help your firm grow and thrive.