NYC Contracting Basics

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NYC Contracting Basics

The City’s procurement process involves a step-by-step process of soliciting bids, evaluating proposals, qualifying organizations, and approving funding. Follow these five steps to compete for contracts and receive funding from the City.

Step-by-Step Process

  • Step 1Solicitation

    • The City typically solicits for human services through a competitive process by first issuing a request for proposals (RFP) through PASSPort. For more information on how to identify and propose on those opportunities, visit our NYC Funding Opportunities page.

  • Step 2Proposal Review and Selection

    • Following the RFP release, the City agency reviews and evaluates the proposals and selects recipient(s) for contract awards.  The agency will initiate the contract(s) in PASSPort, where both the City and provider complete tasks in the system.

  • Step 3Responsibility Determination

    • City agencies conduct a thorough background review of every potential vendor. This process is called a responsibility determination. If the contract award is $100,000 or more, the agency will conduct a public hearing.

  • Step 4Oversight Approvals

    • Each potential contract must be reviewed by multiple City agencies, which may include Office of Management and Budget, Law Department, Department of Investigation, and Mayor’s Office of Contract Services.

  • Step 5Registration

Getting Ready for City Contracting

Here are some tips to prepare for the City's contracting process: