Even in a day when technology is king and websites rule, area companies wishing to submit bids on Cleveland municipal government purchases can still do so the old fashioned way — by dropping by to pick up a bid package or making a phone call.

Many local businesses now rely on e-mail addresses and visiting the city’s website to stay abreast of potential opportunities with the city, but they still have the time-tested options.

“Communications is the key,” said Melinda Carroll, assistant city manager whose role also includes serving as purchasing director. “If someone needs to speak to me, I’ll aways listen to their comments. My responsibility is to get the best bang for the taxpayers’ buck.”

Carroll is especially keen on getting out this public message because of recent incidents involving the city’s bidding practices. Some have been taken to task by local companies who felt they weren’t getting a fair shake for the municipality’s business against out-of-town firms and others have complained about information accessibility; namely, the expected use of the Internet and e-mails to stay aware of the city’s purchasing plans.

This would include the so-called “Mom and Pop” smaller businesses whose owners might not use computers as often in their day-to-day operations.

“Some businesses have been around for a long time and they might not be as computer savvy,” Carroll acknowledged. “In those cases, we (city purchasing staff) will make whatever arrangements needed to get their bids in. The more bids we get, the better off we’ll be. The taxpayers would expect this.”

She said it would be “wonderful” to get as many as ten bids on each eligible government purchase, but this rarely happens.

As a matter of practice, Carroll’s staff will announce a city bid via a Legal Advertisement in the Cleveland Daily Banner. On the same day the ad publishes, it will be posted to city government’s website at www.cityofclevelandtn.com. Website visitors will find bids listed by clicking on the “Bid Opportunities” link at the right of the homepage.

Companies will generally be given a 15-day minimum to submit bids once the Legal Ad has been published and posted. In some cases, such as purchases or projects involving federal money, the minimum is 21 days. Sealed bids are required on any city purchase of $10,000 or more.

Bid specifications can be found on the website or in hard copies of the bid package that can be obtained from the Purchasing Department located behind the Municipal Building in Annex building (formerly Community Development Office). The full bid package, including the specs, can also be e-mailed.

Local business owners can also call the Purchasing Department at 339-0260 to get additional information, to ask questions or to voice concerns about specifications, some of which are brand specific — and this has also led to recent criticisms from local automobile dealers and other companies. These concerns, some of which were aired in Cleveland City Council meetings and others in independent interviews with the Banner, have led to changes in the city’s bidding protocol.

Most significantly, if city purchasing staff has used brand-specific specifications (which is allowed by law) to advertise for bids, they will now list a range of options, or equivalencies, for manufacturers.

One of two cases that brought the issue to the forefront came with the city’s recent bids for two pick-up trucks for the police department. Specifications advertised for bids were taken from a brand-specific Toyota product. This drew criticism from Tony Cissom, sales manager of the local Dodge dealership who said it was difficult for him to bid Dodge products using Toyota specs.

Another came from the Griffith Kawasaki dealership that originally lost a first round of bids to an out-of-state company. Local dealers Glen and Christy Griffith appealed the city’s decision and voiced their concerns to City Council members. They charged they felt misled in the bidding process. They also pointed to the time and expense they had devoted to the police department in identifying options for ATVs (All-Terrain Vehicles) to be used in patrolling the Greenway and other areas.

A representative from Ed’s Cycles also complained in a phone call to the Banner, saying it was difficult for him to bid for the ATVs using the specs as presented. He also questioned what he called the city’s dependence on the Internet for advertising bids.

The Kawasaki dealership eventually landed the ATV bid, but the truck bids are still in question. The original bids were rejected and re-bid, but this time specs called for a mid-sized SUV. The city last week received bids from only one company in Antioch, a south Nashville suburb. Although local dealers were invited — Carroll said some were contacted by phone — no local bids were received.

Ron Wilkerson, Cleveland fleet manager, said it is probably because most automobile dealers are in a transition between 2010 and 2011 models. They have limited options for 2010 quotes and are still awaiting the arrival of 2011 versions.

In a report released Friday, Carroll confirmed she will recommend rejecting the Antioch (Freeland Cherolet) bid and seeking mid-sized SUV pricing using the state contract system. She will advise City Council members Monday they still have the option of re-bidding the vehicles a third time in order to attract local dealer participation.

Although brand-specific advertising is still sometimes used by the city, invitations for bids now also list manufacturing options. Wilkerson and Carroll do this by reviewing the public website, www.edmunds.com, which compares vehicles by features. This allows city staff to advise potential dealers which of their products might qualify for bids using another manufacturer’s specs.

If in doubt, the key is to call or visit city purchasing staff, Carroll said.

“We try to revise the bid specs to make them even more generic,” she explained, but conceded sometimes it is difficult. This is when identifying product equivalencies helps. For example, the mid-sized SUV bid from the Antioch dealer quoted prices on a Chevrolet Traverse. In her report to the Council, Carroll will list the Ford Explorer or Dodge Journey as options that might be explored if the bid is pursued by state contract.

Carroll encouraged local businesses to contact her if they have concerns about a bid, the specifications used or the overall process. She said bid specifications can legally be amended in mid-stream in order to broaden the bidder base. Drawing up such an “addendum” is preferred over re-bidding “ ... or going back to square one,” she said.

Incidents such as the truck and ATV bids are reminders of the need for constant communication between municipal government and Cleveland area business partners, she stressed.

“I would love for it (bid awards) to stay local,” she said. “We want to support our community ... I love shopping in Cleveland.”