Division of Procurement
The Division of Procurement provides a firm commitment to a procurement system that provides quality, integrity, and timeliness of service to all user agencies, the business community, and the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands. DPP as the Government’s general service agency works to provide prompt and efficient service to departments and agencies based on best value and cost-effectiveness.
In effectuating the executive branch’s procurement activities, the GVI utilizes GVIBUY, which is the system of record for all government acquisitions, contract management, and vendor relations. All department end users must become familiar with GVIBUY, and vendors interested in or intending to do business with the GVI must register to use GVIBUY and respond to solicitations within the system. Questions about GVIBUY can be directed to gvibuy@dpp.vi.gov and the official website is https://gvibuy.buyspeed.com.
The Division of Procurement at DPP, through its Office of Procurement, Contract Management and Reporting (OPCMR), is responsible for fulfilling the DPP’s procurement and contracting mandates. The OPCMR was established to develop a centralized procurement and contracting management organizational structure within the executive branch and is comprised of procurement staff from each executive branch agency charged with procurement functions on behalf of each agency.
The Government of the U.S. Virgin Islands utilizes two methods for procuring goods and services: 1) Open Market Purchases and 2) Formal Solicitations.
Pursuant to Title 31, Chapter 23, Section 235, all purchases of and contracts for supplies, materials, equipment, and contractual services must be conducted in a manner providing for full and open competition. Section 235 requires that all procurement transactions must be conducted through competitive bids or competitive proposals. Likewise, Section 236 (a) requires competition in all purchases of and contracts for supplies, materials, equipment, and contractual services (except as provided for in Section 239(a) (regarding public exigency and emergency procurements)) and includes all sales of obsolete and unusable personal property.
The Formal Solicitation or Advertising process utilizes either an Invitation for Bids (IFB) or Request for Proposals (RFP) depending on the type of procurement. Requests for Qualifications (RFQs) are used to pre-screen proposers to determine qualifications before requesting proposals under Section 239(a) or when the Government is seeking to make multiple awards at a pre-determined price, and the Government is seeking qualified respondents to participate in the solicitation.
Open Market Purchases are items procured without going through the formal bidding process required by Title 31, Chapter 23, Section 236 of the Virgin Islands Code. End users are encouraged to become familiar with the DPP’s Procurement Manual for the contracting procedures using these methods.
There are several types of contracts utilized depending on the type of solicitation. The most commonly used are Supply Contracts, Professional Service Contracts, Task Order Contracts, and Construction Contracts. See the DPP’s Procurement Manual for more detailed information on each contract and the contractual process.
Supply Contracts
Pursuant to Title 31 of the Virgin Islands Code, Chapter 23, Section 236 (a), when procuring goods and services for executive branch departments, an Invitation for Bids (IFB) is used. Two (2) types of supply contracts can result from this procurement:
(1) a one-time procurement, which means that the Executive Branch Agency needs to buy the item(s) for immediate delivery, and
(2) a term procurement, which means that the Executive Branch Agency will require the goods or services over an extended period.
Examples of the commodities and services procured through a supply contract include but are not limited to:
- Household and Cleaning Supplies
- School and Office Supplies
- Groceries and Meats (for schools, day care centers, elderly homes, etc.)
- Janitorial Services
- Landscaping Services
Professional Services Contracts
A professional services contract is used to contract for services from both for profit and non-profit businesses and individuals, which are engaged in rendering widely diversified services. Professional services contracts are used for services solicited through a Request for Proposals (RFP). These contracts are defined by a Scope of Services as responded to in the RFP and compensated at a fixed fee. Professional services contracts are also used when there is no formal solicitation or advertisement.
Task Order Contracts
Task Order Contracts are utilized when an Executive Branch Agency’s request to procure services cannot be captured by a typical supply contract or professional services contract because the services will not occur at a predetermined or expected frequency. In those instances, the Commissioner of DPP will determine whether a Task Order Contract is necessary based on the information contained in the Executive Branch Agency’s request. Task Order Contracts are generally required for the acquisition of services under Title 31, Virgin Islands Code, Chapter 23, Sections 239(a)(1) (during a declared State of Emergency) and (2) (Public Exigency).
Construction Contracts
When procuring construction services for the Government of the Virgin Islands, the Department of Public Works (DPW) is the executive branch agency usually at the helm of the project. The DPW is the architect of record and is charged with planning for, constructing, and maintaining the Territory’s public roadways, highways, public transportation systems, storm drainage systems, public buildings, parking facilities, and other public infrastructure. The services procured to enable the DPW to meet its mandates can be procured through any of the acquisition processes and memorialized through construction contracts or professional services contracts.
Solicitations are posted to the DPP website, GVIBUY, and are also advertised via the Daily News and VI source. Additionally, once registered in GVIBUY, the system sends out notifications based on your selected NIGP (commodity) codes.
You may download a copy of the Procurement Rules and Regulations from our website located under Resources > Forms & Docs > Procurement. You may also obtain a copy by contacting our Offices directly.
The Government’s solicitations are typically posted for a minimum of 30 days (with some exceptions to the rule).
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is used when there is no exchange of funds between the parties for the performance of tasks. A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) is used when funds or in-kind services are being exchanged.
All entities doing business with the Government of the U.S. Virgin Islands must have a current SAM.gov registration.
DPP’s website provides a list of vendor types and the vendor documents necessary for contracting. This checklist can be found under the Resources > Forms & Documents> Procurement tab.
