All cities have a purchasing office and/or a procurement officer. They handle all city contracts that are sent out to bid. Usually, to become a small business vendor of the city you must satisfy either some or all of the requirements listed below:

Minority Or Woman Owned Business

Small Business (Under $500,000/Year Gross)

Worker's Compensation Insurance (If Employees Work On Contract)

Liability Insurance Of $500,000-1,000,000 Aggregate With The City As Additional

Insured (For Autos And Completed Operations) (finish products liability)

City Business License

Local Business In Town

Hire Local Employees

Not all contracts are sent out to bid however. Some of the gravy contracts are ad-ons, additions or "Oh, by the way," contracts. The latter of which are by far the best. These contracts come up often. Here's how its works. Now for this example lets use a cleaning service:

The city manager comes up with an idea. He's seen you out at the corporation yard cleaning cars with your high-pressure machine. He needs you to clean the bird droppings off a flagpole in front of city hall, frontage of the library and awnings around the civic center. You work out a price at $100/hour once a week. Since this is out of their budget, they settle on every other week. You adjust the price to $120/hour. Then as you do the job, you figure out a way to do it in one-half the time ($240/hour).

You then donate $30-50 in coupons to his kid's school, rotary club and whatever church he and the current mayor attend. First you have to get a city contract. Bid low. It's worth it. This is how it really works, no matter what the rest of the world says. Government is no different or anymore ethical than rat living at the dump. If you are wondering why all the same companies get all the city's business, it is because they understand how it all works. It would be nice to have a more honest government at all levels, but since you can provide great services to the city and you deserve the business, you may as well get out there and go get it. It is not good or bad, it just is; it is much different than they teach you in school. Maybe some day it will be; one can only hope. Think about it.

"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs