Revised: 4/9/2024

Purpose: To provide guidance to procurement agencies regarding publication of solicitation notices.

Required Notice: State procurement law requires that notice of an invitation for bids or of a request for proposals for which the contract amount is reasonably expected to exceed $50,000 (Category III Small Procurement threshold) shall be published in eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA). COMAR 21.05.02.04; 21.05.07.06. Additional publication of these solicitations is discretionary.

For other solicitations, different requirements may apply:

• Architectural and Engineering: For A/E services over $200,000, a solicitation of interest must be placed in the Daily Record, eMaryland Marketplace Advantage, or other appropriate publication. COMAR 21.12.02.04​.
• Human, Cultural, and Educational Services: For human, cultural, and educational services expected to exceed $50,000, publication of a request for expressions of interest must be published in eMaryland Marketplace. COMAR 21.05.12.
• Contracts to be performed entirely outside Maryland and the District of Columbia: eMaryland Marketplace requirements do not apply.
  
  

Discretionary Publication Methods: In order to maximize competition, publication methods should be structured to reach many qualified vendors. However, publicizing solicitations in multiple venues may not be the most effective way to achieve that goal. The State and potential vendors are best served when businesses know where to look for State contracting opportunities.

• Publication in eMaryland Marketplace Advantage​​ is generally the most effective way to reach the intended audience.
• Agencies should maximize use of other no-cost electronic publications, including agency websites.
• To target specific vendors, agencies should take advantage of many of the State-sponsored advertising methods such as the bid list at the Governor’s Office Small, Minority, and Women Business Affairs​, government procurement fairs, and agency bid boards.
• Agencies should use publications that charge fees for advertising only when unique requirements of the solicitation justify the extra cost or when State procurement regulations require the advertising. In such cases, an explanation from the procurement officer may be included in the contract file.