A Guide for Contractors and Vendors
How Can I Do
Business with the Canal Corporation?
The Canal Corporation seeks a wide range of
products and services from an equally wide range of
suppliers. Vendors include small businesses and
organizations of all sizes and walks of life.
The Corporation continues to demand excellence
from its vendors and high-quality goods and services. The
Canal Corporation can not maintain its strong reputation
without the services you, the vendor, provide.
This page was designed to help you understand
the Thruway/Canals procurement system. What the Canal
Corporation buys and how it's purchased is addressed below.
The Canal Corporation believes its procurement
system is fair, competitive and accountable, and benefits
both buyer and seller. Add your company's name to the list
of Canal Corporation suppliers and find out for yourself.
If your questions are not answered here, or if
you'd like more information, please contact our Contracts
(518-436-2902) or Purchasing (518-436-2736) offices.
What does the Canal Corporation
buy?
The Corporation buys numerous goods and services. Purchases
usually fall into one of three categories:
Professional/ Consulting
- Engineering
- Architectural
- Financial
- Environmental
- Management
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Materials/ Supplies/ Services
- Vehicles
- Building Supplies
- Refuse Disposal
- Automotive Parts
- Maintenance
- Tools
- Uniforms
- Computer Equipment/Supplies
- Equipment Supplies/Repairs
- Office Supplies/Equipment
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Construction/ Rehabilitation
- Highway
- Building
- Bridge
- Canals
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Does selling to the Canal
Corporation involve red tape?
Like any large organization, the approval
process can take time and, because the Canal Corporation is
a public benefit corporation, it is required by law to
follow certain procedures that may differ from private
sector practices. However, these procedures are designed to
ensure a fair, competitive and accountable purchase system.
How do I become a vendor and how
does the system work?
Because the Canal Corporation is a subsidiary
of the Thruway Authority, the Corporation's purchasing
process is handled through the Thruway Authority's
Purchasing Office (518/436-2736). The Purchasing Office
maintains three computer databases consisting of vendors who
expressed an interest in working for, or selling to, the
Authority/Corporation.
The database headings are the same as
mentioned previously: Professional/Consulting;
Construction/Rehabilitation; Materials/Supplies/Services.
Here's how each database works:
Professional/Consulting
This database contains information obtained
from firms that file Federal General Services Administration
SF254 and SF255 forms. A firm that meets the
Authority/Corporation's professional requirements is invited
to submit a proposal for a particular project. If a price is
successfully negotiated, then an agreement is executed. If
negotiations are not successful, then the
Authority/Corporation invites another firm to submit a
proposal. Bidding is not part of this procurement procedure.
Annually, the Authority/Corporation issues a
general advertisement concerning its needs for professional
services in large-circulation newspapers and trade journals.
The Authority/Corporation also advertises individual
projects in the New York
State Contract Reporter. A copy of the Federal 254 and
255 forms may be obtained by calling the Contracts Office at
(518) 436-2902.
Construction/Rehabilitation
Contracts of this type must, by law, be let by
the competitive bidding process.
In these instances, the Corporation advertises
in newspapers in the county(s) where the work will be done,
in the New York State
Contract Reporter and in construction trade
journals. The Association of General Contractors,
Construction Contractors Association, Construction Industry
Council, Dodge Reports and Eastern Contractors Association
are also notified.
In addition, the Authority posts
construction contract information in the business section.
You can obtain a listing of available contracts for bidding
under the
Thruway Projects and Plans Sales section.
The Authority also posts
Thruway Bid Results. Simply select the project number
you are interested in and it will direct you to that
project's bid page.
Plans and proposals are available for
inspection at the Authority's Headquaters in Albany and
Division Offices in Buffalo, Syracuse and Tarrytown. The
plans may be inspected at these offices at no cost, or
purchased for a nominal fee.
Materials/Supplies/Services
The Corporation procures a wide variety of
items through the Authority's Purchasing Office. These items
range from 10-wheel dump trucks to thumb tacks. Contracts
vary from yearly open-purchase orders to fixed-price
itemized supply contracts. Small procurements can be done by
telephone solicitation while major procurements are
advertised and bid.
For major purchases, the
Corporation/Authority advertises in local and national
newspapers, the New York
State Contract Reporter and trade journals. The
Purchasing Office maintains a database of vendors
categorized by what the vendor supplies. Invitations for
bids are sent to vendors selected from the database who
match the items for which bids are sought.
Call the Purchasing Office at (518) 436-2736
for a free application (Form TA-3254).
What Contractor Disclosure and
Compliance Forms must I complete?
Contractor Disclosure and Compliance Forms
- New York State Finance Law Sections 139-j and 139-k
Disclosure of Prior Non-Responsibility Determinations
(TA-W3053-9)
PDF, 1 page/67.5 Kb
-
Certificate Of Compliance With The Authority/Corporation
Guidelines Regarding Permissible Contacts During A
Procurement And The Prohibition Of Inappropriate Lobbying
Influence (TA-W2111-9)
PDF, 1 page/54 Kb
- Vendor Responsibility Questionnaire
(TA-W3205-9) -
PDF, 4 pages/113 Kb
For additional forms and guidelines visit the
New York
State Thruway Authority's Business webpage.
Lobbying Law Guidelines
Canal Real Property
Canal Purchasing Policies
Will I be paid promptly for my
work?
The Corporation acts as quickly as possible to
ensure its vendors and contractors are paid promptly. The
Corporation complies with the Thruway Authority's prompt
payment regulations set forth in 21 NYCRR Part 109.
Are disadvantaged, minority
and women-owned firms given a fair chance?
The Corporation/Authority has an outstanding
Disadvantaged/Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprise
Program (D/M/WBE) and these businesses are encouraged to do
business with the Corporation.
On construction and engineering contracts
valued at $500,000 or more, the Corporation/Authority
establishes D/M/WBE goals that the prime contractors are
encouraged to meet by subcontracting to approved D/M/WBE
firms.
To obtain more information on the D/M/WBE program, contact
the Authority's Compliance Specialist at (518)
436-3080 or visit the
Authority's website.
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