11—117.8 (8A) Notice of solicitations.
	   117.8(1) General notification.
	      a.    	  Bid posting. The department and each state agency shall provide notice of solicitations. The department and each state agency shall post notice of every formal competitive bidding opportunity and proposal to the official Internet site, http://bidopportunities.iowa.gov, operated by the department of administrative services in accordance with Iowa Code sections 73.2, 8A.311, and 362.3. Instead of direct posting, the agency may add a link to http://bidopportunities.iowa.gov that connects to the Web site maintained by the agency on which requests for bids and proposals for that agency are posted. For the purposes of this subrule, a formal solicitation is as defined by the appropriate procurement authority. Informal competitive bidding opportunities and proposals may also be posted on or linked to the official state Internet site operated by the department of administrative services.
	      b.    	  Other forms of notice. Notice of competitive bidding opportunities and proposals may be provided by telephone or fax, in print, or by other means that give reasonable notice to vendors, in addition to the posting or linking of formal solicitations to the official Internet site operated by the department of administrative services.
	      c.    	  Posting of requests for architectural and engineering services. A request for proposals for architectural or engineering services may be posted electronically by a department or state agency in addition to other methods of advertisement required by law.
	      d.    	  Bids voided. A formal competitive bidding opportunity that is not preceded by a notice that satisfies the requirements of this subrule is void and shall be rebid. This requirement shall be effective for formal competitive bidding opportunities issued on or after September 1, 2005.
	   117.8(2) Targeted small business notification. Targeted small businesses shall be notified of all solicitations at least 48 hours prior to the general release of the notice of solicitation. The notice shall be distributed to the state of Iowa’s 48-hour procurement notice Web site for posting.
	   117.8(3) Direct vendor notification. All procurement opportunities shall be directly communicated to vendors registered through the state’s electronic procurement system, Vendor Self-Serve (VSS), if the vendors have indicated an interest in the type of good or service that is the subject of the solicitation. The notice shall be sent to the E-mail or fax or other address entered on VSS by the vendor.
	   117.8(4) Advertisement of construction procurement. Construction solicitations shall be advertised twice in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county within which the work is to be done when the cost of the work exceeds $100,000 or the adjusted competitive threshold established in Iowa Code section 314.1B. Additional means of advertisement used shall be consistent with practices in the construction industry. The department may publish an advertisement in an electronic format as an additional method of soliciting bids.
	   117.8(5) Vendor intent to participate. In the event the department elects to conduct any procurement electronically or otherwise, it may require that vendors prequalify or otherwise indicate their intention to participate in the procurement process.
[ARC 0952C, IAB 8/21/13, effective 9/25/13; ARC 1485C, IAB 6/11/14, effective 7/16/14; ARC 2036C, IAB 6/10/15, effective 7/15/15]