OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY STRATEGIC SOURCING SERVICES
State of Mississippi Contract Information
The State of Mississippi through the Office of Purchasing and Travel has various commodities and equipment that are on State Contracts . There are three types of State Contracts: (1) competitive bid contracts, (2) negotiated contracts, and (3) agency contracts.
1. Competitive Bid Contracts - These contracts are established on the basis of written specifications and sealed competitive bids with a contract being awarded to the vendor that has submitted the lowest bid that meets the specifications. All state agencies are required to purchase from the awarded vendor.
2. Negotiated Contracts - Proposals are accepted from vendors for this type of contract. These proposals are evaluated with a contract being awarded to all vendors when prices are competitive.
3. Agency Contracts - The agency contracts are established on the basis of competitive bids or negotiation by a specific agency. The Office prior to any purchases being made must approve the agency contract. The availability of agency contracts to various agencies is dependent upon the terms of the agreement and a determination by the Office that the prices should be available to other agencies.