Catalogs
Catalogs can be very helpful when locating items not routinely purchased. Major product distributors or manufacturers publish most of them. Generally, catalogs include a list of all (or almost all) of the products carried, a short description of each, plus identifying numbers. Usually, a price list, which is subject to frequent change, is supplied separately.

Although most individual catalogs will cover only a relatively narrow range of products, a new purchasing agent should assemble a collection of catalogs covering most of the items likely to be purchased, ranging from office supplies to road construction equipment.

Sales Brochures
Sales brochures can be accumulated from suppliers and other sources. Some of these brochures will be single pages, while others will be similar to a specialized catalog. These brochures can be a valuable purchasing tool. The purchasing agent might find it useful to set up such a sales brochure file, indexed by product type, such as the following categories:

• Miscellaneous
• Office Equipment
• Office Furniture
• Printing and Printed Materials
• Road/Bridge Equipment Road Materials
• Trucks/Pickup/Vehicle parts and Supplies

Office of Management and Enterprise Services
The Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) can be extremely helpful in locating sources of supply. This office has the names and addresses of suppliers and vendors on a state and regional basis.

The list of winning vendors for state contracts is also a very valuable resource. Contact the director of OMES for information.

OMES is online and has a variety of state contracts to view or download.

Letters of Interest

Under the present law, suppliers or vendors may submit a letter of interest requesting that they be notified of any county requests for bids. To ensure that they are only sent a request for bids on those items for which they wish to bid, vendors should indicate the goods or services on which they wish to bid when they submit a letter of interest.
19 O.S. § 1505 (B)(2)

Any vendor who does not respond to a request for bids for three consecutive bid lettings may be removed from the list of interested vendors.

The purchasing agent should solicit all potential vendors to ensure that a complete list of interested vendors is maintained. Vendors or suppliers should be cross-indexed by product category.

Technology Centers (Small Business)

If a technology center exists within the county, it could be a source for local businesses. It could also be a source of student labor.

A technology center representative might assist with a bid package by notifying their list of contacts.

The Internet

Counties are exempt from sales tax, even when purchasing on the internet. To avoid paying sales tax on internet purchases:

• The county may register for the vendor's tax-exempt program prior to purchasing items on the vendor's website.
• Some vendors accept a Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement, Certificate of Exemption, (OMES Form F0003).
• The internet can be a useful tool in obtaining price quotes or specifications or for purchasing the item requested. Some websites will process an order using a purchase order, but usually, they will wait for a warrant to clear the bank before shipping items.
• If local vendors have a website, visiting that website can save time over calling the vendor when obtaining a price quote. Computer equipment, software, and other similar items are easily found on the internet.
• Before actually purchasing items on the internet, it might be wise to contact the vendor after finding the needed items since not all websites are updated daily. The vendor might also be running a special that is not shown on the website. Sometimes the price quoted during a call is cheaper than the price on the website. This is especially true for computer equipment and supplies.
• Search engines are one way to locate companies on the internet. Typing in keywords about products and vendors can generate several websites to investigate. Using bookmarks is a convenient way to keep a prospective vendor’s website on file and visit it easily.
• Using email is also a convenient way to communicate with vendors.