**Attention**

The Purchasing Department is working with one staff member in the office, and the rest are working from home with system access including work email and all work phone lines have been forwarded to our cell phones.  Staff are available to assist during normal working hours 8:30-5, Monday through Friday.

**Attention All County Bidders**

Below you will find some frequently asked questions Purchasing has received about upcoming bid openings during the COVID-19 closures.

• Are the scheduled bid openings still happening?
• The County postponed all bid openings until April 17^th at the soonest. At that point we will be having bid openings, but all bid openings will be broadcast via WebEx, no bidders will be allowed into the openings. Please go to the current bids tab under Purchasing for the specific due dates and meeting information.
• How are you fulfilling your obligation for public bid openings?
• Although the bid openings will not be open for the public to physically attend, we are going to open them via WebEx video conference. This will continue until further notice. The WebEx meeting information can be found in the bid information found on our web page under current bids. Due to limited staff and resources, any bid with more than five line items will not be read in full. We will publicly read the bidders only.
• How can I get a copy of the Tab Sheets?
• Tab sheets will be emailed to anyone submitting a bid. We will also post the Tab sheet to our websites as soon as possible. Due to limited staff and resources please be patient with us. It may take several days before all of the results are posted, but they will be there.
• How can I get my bids to you?
• Although the Municipal building is closed to the public for County business, the building is still accessible. The purchasing department has a box outside of our customer counter on the second floor. The sealed bid envelopes can be delivered there prior to the due date and time. We are also still receiving mail, FedEx, and UPS. On April 17^th, when we have many bids due, we will have a box either in the lobby, or outside so as to limit traffic to the second floor. There will also be staff available if needed.
• Does my bid still have to be notarized?
• Yes. The Governor’s order allows Notaries to perform notarization via a video conference. We have also been told that many banks are performing notarizations in the drive thru teller line. Please call your bank ahead of time to verify.
• Will I be deemed non-responsive if I don’t acknowledge the WebEx meeting notice?
• No. The meeting notice was not issued as an official addendum, but was published to all newspapers and is on the website and Empire State Bidnet. You will also not be penalized for acknowledging it as an addendum either.