About Us

Department Responsibilities

The Purchasing Department coordinates all procurement and contracting activities for the City of Bristol, provides support to other departments and to the community. Purchasing manages the delivery of all supplies, equipment, and services, and is responsible for the management and reporting of city owned assets.

Objectives

The Purchasing Department strives to provide services in recognition of the following objectives:

  • To obtain the most cost-effective pricing
  • To ensure consistent quality in products and services
  • To ensure compliance with city, state and federal guidelines
  • To provide beneficial assistance and guidance to city departments
  • To provide beneficial assistance and guidance to the general community

BID OPPORTUNITIES

The City of Bristol utilizes the Connecticut Purchasing Group to post Request for Proposal (RFP) and bid opportunities.  The City is transitioning to this platform and will fully migrate to the Connecticut Purchasing Group in January 2026. At this time, all solicitations will be published on the platform.

Registering and bidding is free; follow the registration path in the link below and select the "Limited Access" option.  You will receive notifications of matching solicitations and addenda even when choosing the Free, Limited Access package.  

https://www.bidnetdirect.com/connecticut/cityofbristol

Policies and Procedures

The City of Bristol is subject to policies and procedures set forth in the Purchasing Manual updated through May 1, 2025. Please feel free to contact the Purchasing Department if there are any questions relative to said guidelines.

Surplus

The Purchasing Department additionally sells surplus property on behalf of the City of Bristol.