The KC Board of Public Utilities’ Purchasing Department has implemented several “electronic” commerce initiatives and other special functions to enhance the way we conduct business with our vendors. Below is a brief summary of the functions.

KC Board of Public Utilities has implemented Onvia DemandStar to provide current information to potential contractors, consultants, and other types of vendors, as well as the general public. Onvia DemandStar brings together government agencies and suppliers online. KC Board of Public Utilities’ bids and quotes are now listed on Onvia DemandStar, where suppliers can view detailed bid information and order copies of bid documents. The system allows you to receive the information quickly, at your convenience, 24 hours a day.

Companies must be listed as a Planholder on Onvia DemandStar for projects they intend to submit a bid for.  Failure to be listed as a Planholder shall result in rejection of bid.

Click here to view KC Board of Public Utilities’ current bid solicitations

Onvia DemandStar membership enables KC Board of Public Utilities to improve service to suppliers by providing automatic bid notification and instant access to bid information via the web. Suppliers are encouraged to participate in KC Board of Public Utilities’ system of electronic bid distribution. A subscription to Onvia offers suppliers a number of important benefits: 

• Find out about bid and quote opportunities as soon as they are announced
• Get a head start on your proposal
• Stay up to date on bid and quote documents and addenda as they are published
• View previously awarded bids to help you strategize
• Respond electronically

Onvia DemandStar Vendor Registration – Onvia offers vendors the option to register for notification from a single agency at no cost. Access includes full functionality of the Onvia DemandStar platform -- you can view the agency’s bids, quotes and download documents at no charge.

Click here to register

Onvia also offers a variety of subscription-based notification services, to find out more, call Onvia at (800)711-1712.

Registration with Onvia DemandStar is not a requirement for doing business with KC Board of Public Utilities. If a supplier is not registered with Onvia DemandStar, it will not receive automatic notification of bid opportunities, but bids may be downloaded from the Onvia DemandStar website for a nominal fee.

Be sure you are registered as a Sourcing Bidder to participate in Sourcing Events through our Strategic Sourcing System. If your company is currently a vendor with BPU and has already been issued a user ID and password, click on "Login to E-Supplier" at the right and sign in with your user ID and password. You can update the categories of items you can provide by going to Manage Events, my categorizations.

If you're a new vendor and haven't been issued any purchase orders or assigned a user ID and password, click on "Login to E-Supplier" at the right and click on "Register as a Sourcing Bidder". Complete the information requested and choose the categories of items your company can provide.

When Events for these items are requested, your company will be recommended to be invited to the Event. The Strategic Sourcing System includes:

• E-mail notification to registered vendors of BPU's intent to purchase goods or services and invites them to submit a bid.
• Ability for vendors to respond to quotes online.
• Ability for vendors to acknowledge purchase orders online.
• Ability for vendors to check order receipt and payment status.

To respond online, your firm must be registered through Bidder Registration by logging into the E-Supplier Portal. You will, of course, be able to download the documents and respond manually (hard copy) if you prefer. To submit your hard copy response you should print, complete and return forms to the Purchasing Dept. 540, Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, Kansas 66101 or fax to 913-573-9160 prior to BID/RFP closing date and time.

The Kansas City Board of Public Utilities is an equal opportunity employer. The contractor will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of age, race, creed, sex, color, religion, ancestry or national origin. The contractor will certify that it has, to the extent required by any federal agency, an affirmative action policy relating to employment, upgrading, layoff, recruitment, compensation and training or apprenticeship to ensure fair and nondiscriminatory treatment.

Pursuant to the following executive orders the vendor agrees that it will be in full compliance with all applicable provisions of the following executive orders and any amendments and supplements thereto: 1114 relating to discrimination based on age; 11246 relating to equal employment opportunity; 11701, 41CFR 60-250 relating to employment of veterans; 11625 relating to minority business enterprises; 11758, 41CFR 60-741 relating to employment of the handicapped. These executive orders and regulations thereunder are incorporated herein by reference, and vendor segregated facilities for his/her employees. Noncompliance with the equal employment opportunity and nondiscriminatory clauses of the contract is cause for termination or suspension of the contract or any subcontract with respect to which there is noncompliance.

The Kansas City Board of Public Utilities (KCBPU) has selected GovDeals (www.govdeals.com), a state-of-the-art, online auction service for Local, State and Federal government agencies to conduct online sales of their surplus equipment and assets. KCBPU joins the over 600+ governments across the country who have adopted GovDeals patented online auction solution that delivers prescreened and qualified buyers which translates into higher prices for auctioned equipment and assets. 

This service will help BPU get the best price for surplus equipment by offering them to a wider audience of buyers through the Internet. The bottom line is more money returned to our customers. BPU can now sell assets and offer a convenient opportunity for more of our customers to participate. 

Items for sale can be accessed through www.govdeals.com. Bidders can register free of charge at the GovDeals Website. 

Click on the GovDeals logo to the right to go directly to the items offered for sale by the KCBPU. 

Purchasing is responsible for directing and coordinating the procurement of goods and services required by BPU with the objective that such goods and services will be available at the proper time, in the proper place, in quantity, quality and price consistent with the needs of the BPU. Tasks include improving purchasing policies, administering procurement contracts, providing support and information to users on type or availability and costs (considering benefits, effectiveness and efficiency) of equipment, supplies and services. 

The BPU provides preference to local vendors and suppliers in procurement transactions whenever practical and in the best interest of the BPU. Please review our Local Preference Policy to see if your company qualifies for local vendor preference. 

It is the policy of the BPU that minority and women business enterprises can be afforded the maximum opportunity to participate in the performance of BPU contracts, subcontracts and agreements. To assure greater participation and development of minority and women business enterprises in BPU projects, including but not limited to, participation as contractors, subcontractors, vendors and suppliers, BPU shall make a bona fide effort to identify and recruit such enterprises, contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and vendors. 

We are continuously looking for new ideas; better material and cost-reduction recommendations and we share in your satisfaction when your product or service provides benefit to BPU. The technical advice and service you provide is considered a factor in measuring the total value of the supplier relationship. 

We appreciate the time and effort you are taking to acquaint us with your products, services and capabilities that might prove helpful to our operation.