How to bid on San Diego public works: checklist and glossary
What do I need before I can bid?
Most San Diego public works bids need two things: a current California DIR public works registration, and a free vendor account on the portal of the agency that posts the job. To bid as a prime contractor, the City of San Diego and San Diego Unified also require prequalification. Every item below links to the agency's own page.
Where each agency posts bids
| Agency | Where bids are posted | Cost to register | Extra step to bid as a prime |
|---|---|---|---|
| State of California (DIR) | Not a bid board. DIR registration is required to bid public works. | $400 per fiscal year ($800 for two, $1,200 for three) | Applies to primes and subs, unless the job is under the small-project limits |
| City of San Diego | PlanetBids vendor portal | Free | Prequalification (SDMC §22.3004(a)), good for two years |
| County of San Diego | BuyNet | Free | No standing prequalified list. Some solicitations set their own requirements. |
| Caltrans District 11 | Contracting Opportunities One Stop Shop | Bid books are ordered through a Caltrans Bidding Connect account | Follow each project's bid documents. Some projects take electronic bids through Bid Express. |
| San Diego Unified | The district's own PlanetBids portal, plus its Planroom | Free to register | Prequalification, including for design-bid-build projects under $1 million |
Step-by-step checklist
- Check your license and workers' comp. DIR registration requires workers' compensation coverage for any employees, a CSLB license if your trade needs one, no unpaid wage or penalty assessments, and no debarment.
- Register with DIR for the fiscal year (July 1 to June 30). If you bid or worked on public works in the past 12 months without registering, the first registration carries a $2,000 penalty. DIR says accounts not created since May 24, 2024 must be newly created in its current system.
- Create free vendor accounts on City PlanetBids, County BuyNet and SDUSD PlanetBids, then pick your categories. The County uses UNSPSC commodity codes and says it doesn't mail bid notices.
- Decide: prime or sub? The City's prequalification rule applies to prime bidders. Watch planholder lists, or SDUSD's "Prospective Bidders" tab, to see which primes are bidding.
- Prequalify with the City if you want to bid as a prime. Send a financial statement (compiled, reviewed or audited by an independent accountant), a bond letter addressed to the City, and three client references. Do it at least 10 City working days before the bid opening.
- If you're a small local firm, apply for SLBE or ELBE certification through the City. It opens restricted bids and bid discounts, and it lets you prequalify with a compiled financial statement, capped at $1 million or your bond limit, whichever is less. First-time SLBE primes must complete City training before they bid.
- Before every bid, download all addenda (planholders get notified automatically on City PlanetBids), check the prevailing wage requirements, and confirm the due date on the owner's portal.
City small-business tiers (SLBE program requirements, revised July 2022)
| City public works contract size | Who can bid / benefit |
|---|---|
| $500,000 or less | Certified ELBEs only. Opens to SLBEs if needed, then to all bidders. |
| Over $500,000 up to $1 million | Certified SLBEs and ELBEs only (Minor Public Works) |
| Over $1 million and under $1.5 million | Open bidding with SLBE/ELBE subcontracting participation or good-faith efforts, plus a 5% bid discount for certified primes |
| $1.5 million and up | Open bidding with mandatory SLBE/ELBE subcontracting participation or good-faith efforts |
City prequalification: how big can you bid?
| Financial statement you provide | Maximum bidding capacity (MBC) |
|---|---|
| Compiled (SLBE-certified firms only) | Single-project bond limit or $1 million, whichever is less |
| Reviewed | Single-project bond limit or $30 million, whichever is less |
| Audited | Single-project bond limit |
Glossary
- ITB, RFP, RFQ, RFI, RFSQ
- The City lists these as its formal solicitation types: Invitation to Bid, Request for Proposals, Request for Quotes, Request for Information, and Request for Statements of Qualifications. Each document sets its own rules and deadline.
- Planholder
- A firm that has downloaded a solicitation's documents on PlanetBids. The City's portal automatically notifies planholders when addenda come out, and planholder lists show who may be bidding.
- Addendum
- A change to a solicitation after it's posted. Bid on the latest version.
- Bid tabulation
- The posted list of bids received and their amounts. City PlanetBids posts bid tabulations and awards.
- Prequalification and MBC
- The City's review of a prime contractor's finances, experience and references. The result is a maximum bidding capacity, or project range, and lasts two years.
- SLBE / ELBE
- Small Local Business Enterprise and Emerging Local Business Enterprise, the City's certifications for small local firms.
- Public works and prevailing wage
- Public works are defined in California Labor Code §1720. DIR says workers on public works must be paid prevailing wages, and projects of $30,000 or more must also meet apprenticeship requirements.
- Small-project exemption
- Projects of $25,000 or less (construction, alteration, installation, demolition or repair) or $15,000 or less (maintenance) don't require DIR registration. The limit is based on the whole prime contract.
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Sources: DIR contractor registration · DIR public works FAQ · DIR public works · City vendor registration · City prequalification · City SLBE program · SLBE Program Requirements (rev. July 2022) · County BuyNet: Doing Business · Caltrans District 11 One Stop Shop · Caltrans Bidder's Guide · SDUSD Doing Business. Rules change, so confirm on each agency's page before you bid. This is general information, not legal advice.
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