Procurement, contracts and agreements

The Procurement, Contracts, and Agreements division works across many departments to establish connections, working with outside partners from initial contact to a project’s completion.

Procurement, contracts and agreements (PCA) is Sound Transit's central function through which public solicitations are issued and procurement contracts are awarded for all of the agency's capital, operating and administrative requirements including architectural and engineering services, construction, maintenance, equipment, materials, technology and professional, technical and support services.  PCA also manages the internal agency process for the development, negotiation, approval and execution of intergovernmental agreements. 

Because Sound Transit offers a range of contracting opportunities for suppliers, service providers and contractors, we publish many upcoming and current solicitations online at the Sound Transit vendor portal. Vendors and contractors registered with the Sound Transit vendor portal can receive automatic notifications about upcoming solicitations that match their selected commodity codes, and can download solicitation documents and associated addenda.

To register and view all currently advertised solicitations please visit: http://vendorportal.soundtransit.org

Registered vendors and contractors can:

  • Receive email notices about Sound Transit solicitations, based on selected commodity codes
  • Download solicitation documents and receive guidance on how to submit proposals
  • Receive solicitation-related notifications (e.g. addenda/clarifications)
  • Submit questions related to open solicitations

If you need registration assistance or more information about the Biddingo Network platform, please contact Biddingo at 323-206-4114 (west coast) or 416-756-0955 (east coast) or via email at info@biddingo.com.

For purchases between $10,000 - $250,000, the agency generally solicits quotes from a minimum of three companies, in which at least one is a small business, based on the firms registered on our solicitation portal and/or market research.  The agency also utilizes cooperative purchasing contracts to satisfy requirements where applicable and in the best interests of the agency.

As a Sound Transit vendor, contractor or consultant, there are three ways to get help with any invoicing or payment problems:

  • For initial inquiries, contact the Sound Transit Accounts Payable department directly at Accountspayable@Soundtransit.org.
  • For any on-going or complex payment inquiries related to your contract(s) with Sound Transit, contact the specific Contract Specialist you worked with during the contracting process.
  • In the event an issue or issues require elevation, our payment advocacy group is available to assist.  Contact them at STpaymentadvocate@soundtransit.org

Always remember that invoices sent to Sound Transit require a Purchase Order (PO) number or Blanket Release number on the invoice itself in order to be processed efficiently.  If you do not have a PO or release # on hand, reach out to your Sound Transit contact directly to acquire one.  Invoices that do not contain a PO / Release # will be returned to sender with an explanation as to why it's being returned.

Sound Transit strives to protect its best interests and fulfill the public trust by engaging in business with contractors that are committed to and consistently engage in fair and responsible business practices. To that end, Sound Transit utilizes best practices to ensure, consistent with the features of each contract, that it awards contracts to responsible contractors. In 2022, Sound Transit implemented Agency Policy 301 - Responsible Contractor.

View the policy

Small/DBE businesses can find resources through Sound Transit's Office of Civil Rights, Equity, and Inclusion, which works to ensure that the businesses and the workforce building our regional transit system represent the demographics of our region. You can also register at the King County Small Contractor and Supplier (SCS) and Washington State Office of Minority & Women's Business Enterprises (OMWBE) websites.  Sound Transit utilizes the King County SCS and OMWBE directories as resources to solicit quotes for smaller dollar procurements.

In order to provide our industry partners with information about Sound Transit’s future procurements, the agency issues a publication that highlights architectural, engineering and construction procurements upcoming over the next 18-24 months. This is produced quarterly with the most recent edition available through the below.

In addition, Sound Transit publishes a procurement snapshot (link below), which highlights upcoming advertisements and active procurements.  This publication is produced every two weeks and features procurements from across the entire agency. 

It’s important to note that all future dates on these reports are considered tentative and remain extremely fluid due to the nature of our business and the state of the economy.

We encourage you to visit our Safety and COVID-19 section for current information regarding COVID-19. You may also visit our Board of Directors website at https://www.soundtransit.org/get-to-know-us/board-directors for past Board meeting information or to live stream upcoming Board and Committee meetings.

Thank you for your continued support of Sound Transit and our capital expansion program. If you have any questions, please contact our Procurement, contracts and agreements help desk at contractshelp@soundtransit.org.

Sound Transit is planning to conduct three procurements to develop benches of qualified firms to receive Multiple Award Task Order Contracts (MATOC) and provide environmental, project management/construction management, and design/architectural and engineering services.

Sound Transit plans to award multiple MATOCs via each procurement.  Once qualified, prime consultants will be placed into one of five groups, based on the size or scope of the prime consultant’s firm: Micro, Small, Medium, Large or Specialty, within the discipline for which the prime consultant was qualified (e.g. environmental, project management/construction management, or design/architectural and engineering services). 

Sound Transit (Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority) invites qualified and interested firms with experience in various construction trades to participate in its Small Works Roster (SWR). SWR firms may provide new construction, renovation, and refurbishment services for various Sound Transit locations on an “as-needed basis”.

The Small Works Roster will serve as a list of firms available to perform Sound Transit public works projects estimated to cost less than $350,000. To register for Sound Transit's Small Works Roster, visit https://mrscrosters.org and select Sound Transit (Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority) from the MRSC Public Agency list.

Per RCW. 39.04.200 please find a listing for SWR contracts awarded below:

 

The protest procedures (link below) explains how actual or prospective proposers, bidders, offerors, suppliers, service providers, or contractors, who may be aggrieved in connection with a procurement solicitation, evaluation, source selection or contract award, can formally state and submit their dispute.

Sound Transit Procurement Protest Procedure

Unsolicited proposals can be a valuable means for Sound Transit to obtain innovative or unique supplies, methods, or approaches from outside sources to accomplish Sound Transit's mission. As a public entity, Sound Transit has an obligation to act as a good steward of public funds. This process is intended to facilitate, not impede, the proper receipt and evaluation of unsolicited proposals while preserving the integrity of the procurement process and conforming to applicable laws and regulations. Sound Transit is under no obligation to accept an unsolicited proposal, or to make a contract award arising from an unsolicited proposal. Unsolicited proposals should be sent via e-mail to contractshelp@soundtransit.org.

Download a copy of our unsolicited proposals procedure

If you are interested in working with Sound Transit and are concerned about a potential organizational conflict of interest, use the information provided through the links below to understand Sound Transits policy involving conflict of interest and how to have your concern evaluated.

Contracted Workforce Program is dedicated to ensuring the proper utilization of agency resources, as well as a dedicated partnership with contractors. Agency Policy 302 - Contracted Workforce provides guidelines of roles and responsibilities shared between various stakeholders, as well as the overview of administration and management of contracted workforce.

Contact: Contractedworkforce@soundtransit.org

Contact us

Email: MTSprocurementhelp@soundtransit.org for goods and services
Email: DCCprocurementhelp@soundtransit.org for design and construction
Email: ContractsHelp@soundTransit.org for general procurement inquiries