ART - Innovations in Public Procurement - Bid Tracking Systems 2009

The document is a submission for the 2009 NIGP Innovations in Public Procurement Award by the Miami-Dade County Department of Procurement Management. The submission is about their Bid Tracking System (BTS), which was developed to improve the department's technology tools and workflow processes. The legacy procurement system was limited in capturing and tracking core processes, leading to manual searches for contract information and increased chances of errors. The department developed BTS using Microsoft Access to automate processes, improve accuracy, and provide timely contract and vendor information. BTS is a comprehensive database that allows staff to process reports and track contract information, enhancing transparency in the procurement process. Over time, enhancements and customizations were made to BTS, making it a comprehensive procurement database. In 2008, the BTS application was updated and migrated to the County Intranet using the .NET framework, making it web-based and accessible to all County departments. BTS interfaces with the County's legacy system and eProcurement system, housing essential contract and vendor data. It also has features like data redundancy for continuity during emergencies, user role and permission controls, and the ability to attach solicitations and track bid protest activity. BTS contributes to the County's ability to provide timely vendor services by providing reliable and immediate information. The document concludes by requesting consideration for the 2009 NIGP Innovations in Public Procurement Award.