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FAQs – Contracts

Who is authorized to sign contracts/agreements?
The Governing Board has authorized the Superintendent/President, the Director of Business Services, and the Assistant Superintendent/Vice President Finance & Administrative Services to sign contracts/agreements for the District.  No other District employees are authorized to sign contracts or enter into agreements on behalf of the College.

What dollar amount can I expect my request to be put out for competitive quote or bid?

Bid Limits, effective January 1, 2024 are as follows:

EQUIPMENT, MATERIALS, SUPPLIES [20111(a); 20651(a)(1)] – $114,500

Exceptions: Supplementary textbooks, library books, educational firms, audiovisual materials, test materials, workbooks or periodicals. (PCC 20118.3)

Perishable foodstuffs and seasonal commodities (PCC 20660; Ed. Code 38083)

Surplus federal property, (Ed. Code 17602) Energy service and conservation contracts (Gov. Code 4217.12, 15814.10 et seq.) Purchase through other public agency (Ed. Code 17595; PCC 20118, 20652, 20653) Emergency repair contracts (PCC 20113, 20654)

Questions may be directed to the Purchasing Services Department: https://www.palomar.edu/businessservices/staff-directory

MAINTENANCE [20111 (3)(2), 20651(A)(3), 20656 – See CUPCCAA limits below:

Routine, recurring and usual work for the preservation or protection of any publicly owned, publicly operated facility for its intended purpose.  Includes minor  and routine repairs, landscape, and minor repainting.

Questions may be directed to the Purchasing Services Department: https://www.palomar.edu/businessservices/staff-directory/

TRANSPORTATION AGREEMENTS [ED. CODE 39802] – $10,000.00

Transportation contracts must be bid when the total expenditure exceeds $10,000 and the services are provided by a person or corporation other than a common carrier or a municipally owned transit system or a parent or guardian of the pupils to be transported.  (Municipally owned does not include school districts).

Questions may be directed to the Purchasing Services Department: https://www.palomar.edu/businessservices/staff-directory/

NON-CONSTRUCTION SERVICES [20111(a)(2), 20651(a)(2)] – $114,500

Exception:  Special services and advice under Gov. Code 53060.  Includes: financial, economic, accounting, engineering, legal, or administrative matters if such persons are specially trained and experienced and competent to perform the special services required.

Questions may be directed to the Office of Contract Services: https://www.palomar.edu/businessservices/staff-directory/

PUBLIC PROJECT WORK [20117 (b), 20651 (b)] – see below dollar limits

Construction, reconstruction, erection, alteration, renovation, improvement, demolition, and any repair work involving publicly owned, leased, or operated facilities.

<$25,000.00: California State Contractors License, Dept. of Industrial Relations registration, Insurance and approved as a CUPCCAA contractor required –  see Public Works Agreements (PWA) Process/ Procedures below.

$25,000.00 to < $60,000.00:  California State Contractors License, Dept. of Industrial Relations registration, Performance & Payment Bonds, Insurance and approved as a CUPCCAA contractor required – see Public Works Agreements (PWA) Process / Procedures below.

Informal Bidding: $60,000.01 – <$200,000.00 (if all bids exceed $200,000.00, may award up to $212,500.00 with special Board resolution).

Advertised with required three (3) planning rooms, notified only CUPCCAA approved contractors, California State Contractors License, Dept. of Industrial Relations registration, Performance & Payment Bonds, Insurance and approved as a CUPCCAA contractor required – see Public Works Agreements (PWA) Process / Procedures below

Questions may be directed to the Office of Contract Services by Allen Young at 760-744-1150, ext. 2697 or ayoung@palomar.edu.

Formal Bidding: >$200,000.00

Please contact the Office of Contract Services, Debbi Claypool, Senior Contracts Administrator, at 760-744-1150, ext. 2129 or dclaypool@palomar.edu.

Public Works Projects / Construction / Special Services

Vendors are responsible for the accuracy of quoted prices submitted to the Contract Services Office. In the event of a discrepancy between a unit price and its extension, the unit price will govern. Quotations may be amended or withdrawn by the bidder up to the time of opening of the bids.

It is the vendor’s responsibility to ensure that their quotations are received in the Contract Services Office no later than the designated hour and day of the bid opening time and date, as specified in the request for bid.

All bids/quotations become a part of the Contract Services Office records and may be reviewed upon request by interested parties after the bid is awarded.  No bids or quotations may be removed from the Contract Services Office.

Questions may be directed to Contract Services by contacting Debbi Claypool, Senior Contracts Administrator at 760-744-1150, ext. 2129 or dclaypool@palomar.edu.

CUPCCAA

If you or your department have a specific contractor that you are interested in bidding on a job, they are required to:

  • Have a current license, hold the correct classification to perform the work, and are subject to verification from the Contractor State License Board (CSLB);
  • Have current registered with the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR). No contractor or subcontractor may be awarded a contract for a public works project (Awarded on or after April 1, 2015) unless registered with the DIR per California Labor Code section 1725.5;
  • Complete the District’s on-line “Contractors Application for Qualification” each calendar year by logging on to the Contract Services’ webpage:
    https://www.palomar.edu/businessservices/business-opportunities/

Questions may be directed to Contract Services by contacting Allen Young, Contracts Administrator at 760-744-1150, ext. 2697 or ayoung@palomar.edu.

Public Works Agreements (PWA) Process/Procedures

Projects from $0 – $24,999.99

For all jobs from zero ($0.00) to twenty-five thousand dollars ($24,999.99), the Palomar Community College District shall utilize the following procedures.

  1. The Department will have the discretion to select, from the CUPCCAA prequalified contractors list, any contractor they deem to be in the best interest of the District and have a written quote submitted form such contractor;
  2. Upon selection of the contractor and submission of their quote, send quote to the Contracts office; along with the following information on the project:
    1. The Contractor shall contact: Name & Title of District contact;
    2. Districts contact telephone number/extension: ;
    3. Districts contact email address: ;
    4. Contractors State License number: ;
    5. Contractors DIR Registration number: ;
    6. Estimated Start Date: MM/DD/YR       ;
    7. Estimated Completion Date: MM/DD/YR       .
  3. The Contracts Office will verify the CUPCCAA list that the vendor is prequalified and that the Contractor license and DIR Registration (if applicable) are valid. The Contracts Office will process the “Public Works Agreement.”  Once the agreement, is received, the Contracts office will obtain the District’s signatory, process a Notice to Proceed and return a copy of the executed agreement with the Notice to Proceed to the Contractor and will copy the requesting Department’s contact;
  4. The Department will then submit to Purchasing a requisition and attach the fully executed “Public Works Agreement” and Notice to Proceed.
  5. Purchasing will then process the requisition into a purchase order.

If you have any questions, please contact:  Allen Young, Contracts Administrator, 760-744-1150, ext. 2697 or ayoung@palomar.edu

Projects from $25,000 – $60,000

For all jobs twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) and up to Sixty thousand dollars ($60,000.), the Palomar Community College District shall utilize the following procedures.

  1. The Department will have the discretion to select, from the CUPCCAA prequalified contractors list, any contractor they deem to be in the best interest of the District and have a written quote submitted form such contractor;
  2. Upon selection of the contractor and submission of their quote, send quote – which must include the cost for bonds – to the Contract Services office; along with the following informati9on on the project:
    • The Contractor shall contact: Name & Title of District contact
    • Districts contact telephone number/extension:
    • Districts contact email address:
    • Estimated Start Date: MM/DD/YR   
    • Estimated Completion Date:           MM/DD/YR    ;
  3. The Contract Services office will process the “Public Works Agreement for Projects between $25,000 and $60,000” and Performance & Payment Bonds to send to the contractor. Once the agreement, bonds and insurance requirements are received, the Contract Services office will obtain the District’s signatory, process a Notice to Proceed and return a copy of the executed agreement with the Notice to Proceed to the Contractor and will copy the Department’s contact;
  4. The Department will then submit to Purchasing a requisition and attach the fully executed “Public Works Agreement for Projects between $25,000 – $60,000”;
  5. Purchasing will then process the requisition into a purchase order.

Projects from $60,000 – $200,000

For all jobs above Sixty thousand dollars ($60,000.) up to Two hundred dollars ($200,000.), the Palomar Community College District shall utilize the following CUPCCAA “informal bidding” procedures.

  1. The Department will create all Special Conditions, determine if a mandatory pre-bid job walk is needed and gather all plans and specifications for submission to the Contract Services Office along with a completed bid worksheet (which can be found at: https://www.palomar.edu/businessservices/contracts-forms/).

Questions may be directed to Contract Services by contacting Allen Young, Contracts Administrator at 760-744-1150, ext. 2697 or ayoung@palomar.edu or Debbi Claypool, Senior Contracts Administrator at ext. 2129 or dclaypool@palomar.edu.

2.  The Contract Services Office will issue a notice to all pre-qualified contractors inviting them to provide quotes by the specified date and times as follows:

    • Only those CUPCCAA prequalified contractors within the applicable trades will be notified,
    • All projects will be assigned a “CUPCCAA Job Number” that is unique to that project,
    • The lowest responsive/responsible bidder shall be awarded the job by the District,
  1. Upon award, the Contract Services office will send the following to the Contractor:
    • “Public Works Agreement for Projects between $60,000 and $200,000”,
    • Performance and Payment Bonds
    • Insurance Requirements;
  2. Once all required documents (the agreement, bonds and insurance certificate with endorsements) are received by the Contract Services office, Contracts will obtain the District’s signatory, process a Notice to Proceed and return a copy of the executed agreement with the Notice to Proceed to the Contractor and will copy the Department’s contact;
  3. The Department will then submit to Purchasing a requisition and attach the fully executed “Public Works Agreement for Projects between $60,000 – $200,000”;
  4. Purchasing will then process the requisition into a purchase order.

Projects from $200,000 +

Unless otherwise allowed by law, for all projects of two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000.) and over, the Palomar Community College District shall use the Formal Bidding process as specified in the California Education Code and Public Contract Code.  Please complete the bid worksheet (which can be found at: https://www.palomar.edu/businessservices/contracts-forms/) and submit to the Contracts Office with all Special Conditions, Specifications, and Plans.

If you have any questions, please contact Debbi Claypool, Sr. Contracts Administrator, dclaypool@palomar.edu or ext. 2129.

Splitting projects/bids to avoid bonding or the formal bidding process is not permitted.

Proposition M Projects:  $250,000.00+

The Palomar Community College District has implemented a pre-qualification process to ensure the Contractors bidding and performing work on Proposition “M” Construction Bond Program projects and other District projects are skilled, competent and capable contractors. All general and prime contractors must be pre-qualified to bid for construction projects valued at more than $250,000.  Please go to our Contractor Pre-Qualification page for the application.

Proposition M —  For information related to this proposition and related business opportunities for vendors, please go to the Proposition M web page.