Los Angeles County PlanetBids: Master Guide to LA County Procurement 2025
Complete guide to Los Angeles County PlanetBids system. Learn how to register, find opportunities, and win contracts with the largest county procurement system in the United States.
LA County Procurement Overview
Los Angeles County: America's Largest County System
Annual Procurement Value:
$3.5B+
Population Served:
10M+
Active Vendors:
15,000+
County Departments:
37
Los Angeles County operates the largest county government in the United States, with an annual budget exceeding $39 billion. The County's procurement system, powered by PlanetBids, manages contracts across 37 departments, 88 cities, and numerous special districts, offering unprecedented opportunities for contractors and vendors.
Infrastructure & Construction
- • Public Works projects ($1B+ annually)
- • Metro transportation projects
- • Water and flood control
- • Parks and recreation facilities
- • Healthcare facility improvements
Professional Services
- • Architecture & engineering
- • IT and technology services
- • Healthcare services
- • Social services programs
- • Consulting services
Goods & Equipment
- • Medical supplies & equipment
- • Fleet vehicles
- • Technology hardware
- • Office supplies
- • Safety equipment
LA County operates multiple PlanetBids portals for different departments and agencies:
- LA County Main Portal: dpw.lacounty.gov/contracts - Public Works, general services
- LA County Sanitation Districts: lacsd.org - Wastewater, solid waste management
- LA Metro: business.metro.net - Transportation projects
- Internal Services Department: doingbusiness.lacounty.gov - IT, fleet, facilities
Vendor Registration Process
You must register separately for each LA County department's PlanetBids portal you wish to work with. Each department has its own vendor database and notification system.
Start with WebVen registration as your foundation for all LA County business:
- Visit doingbusiness.lacounty.gov
- Click "Register as a Vendor"
- Obtain your Vendor Number (critical for all departments)
- Complete business profile including:
- • Tax ID and business structure
- • NAICS codes for your services
- • Banking information for payments
- • Certification documents
Public Works Department
- • Portal: dpw.lacounty.gov/contracts
- • Focus: Construction, engineering, infrastructure
- • Required: Contractor's license, DIR registration
Internal Services Department (ISD)
- • Portal: camisvr.co.la.ca.us/webven
- • Focus: IT, supplies, professional services
- • Required: Business license, insurance
Department of Health Services
- • Portal: dhs.lacounty.gov
- • Focus: Medical supplies, healthcare services
- • Required: Healthcare certifications
Required Documents
- ✓ W-9 Tax Form
- ✓ Business License
- ✓ Insurance Certificates
- ✓ Financial Statements (if >$100K)
- ✓ Professional Licenses
Certifications (Optional)
- ✓ Local Small Business Enterprise (LSBE)
- ✓ Disabled Veteran Business (DVBE)
- ✓ Social Enterprise (SE)
- ✓ Community Business Enterprise (CBE)
Key County Departments
Annual Budget: $2.5B+
Major Project Types:
- • Road and highway improvements
- • Flood control and water resources
- • Building construction and renovation
- • Aviation projects (5 airports)
- • Waterworks districts
Tip: Monitor their 5-year Capital Projects Plan for upcoming opportunities
Annual Budget: $8B+
Procurement Focus:
- • Medical equipment and supplies
- • Hospital construction/renovation
- • Healthcare IT systems
- • Professional medical services
- • Pharmaceutical products
Note: Operates 4 hospitals, 26 health centers
Annual Budget: $8.8B
Project Categories:
- • Rail expansion projects
- • Bus rapid transit
- • Station construction
- • System maintenance
- • Technology upgrades
Measure M: $120B in transit improvements over 40 years
182 parks, 31,000+ acres
Common Projects:
- • Park development/renovation
- • Trail construction
- • Sports facility upgrades
- • Landscape maintenance
- • Recreation center improvements
Measure A: Annual parcel tax funding for parks
Finding Opportunities
200-250/month
$10K - $500M range
150-200/month
$25K - $10M range
300-400/month
$5K - $5M range
50-75/month
$50K - $25M range
- Use Multiple Portals:
Check all relevant department portals daily
- Set Up Smart Alerts:
Configure notifications by NIGP codes
- Monitor Board Agendas:
Review Board of Supervisors meetings
- Track Capital Projects:
Follow CIP and bond measure projects
- Network at Events:
Attend County vendor fairs and workshops
Direct purchase, no competition
Informal quotes required
IFB/RFP required, Board approval
Formal bid, prevailing wage
LA County's Regional Alliance Marketplace for Procurement (RAMP) aggregates opportunities from multiple agencies:
- ✓ Single search across 100+ participating agencies
- ✓ Includes cities, school districts, and special districts
- ✓ Advanced filtering and saved searches
- ✓ Mobile app available
- ✓ Free to register and use
Access at: thesource.metro.net/ramp
Bid Submission Process
| Department | Method | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Public Works | Electronic only | Via PlanetBids |
| ISD | Electronic preferred | Paper for some |
| Health Services | Mixed | Check each RFP |
| Metro | Electronic only | Metro VENDOR portal |
For Construction (IFB):
- ✓ Completed bid form with signature
- ✓ Bid bond (10% of bid amount)
- ✓ Subcontractor list
- ✓ Non-collusion declaration
- ✓ Iran Contracting Act certification
- ✓ Worker retention policy acknowledgment
For Services (RFP):
- ✓ Technical proposal
- ✓ Cost proposal (sealed separately)
- ✓ References (minimum 3)
- ✓ Financial statements
- ✓ Insurance documentation
- ✓ Conflict of interest disclosure
Submit Early
Target 24 hours before deadline minimum
PDF Format
Use searchable PDFs, limit file sizes to 25MB
Confirmation
Always obtain and save submission receipt
Addenda Check
Verify all addenda acknowledged
Evaluation Methods
Construction Projects (IFB)
Lowest Responsive Responsible Bidder
- • Bid completeness and compliance
- • Contractor responsibility determination
- • License and registration verification
- • Past performance review
Professional Services (RFP)
Best Value Procurement
Used for complex projects where quality matters as much as price:
- • Design-build projects
- • Technology implementations
- • P3 partnerships
- • Innovative solutions
Special Programs
25% goal on County contracts for certified businesses
Benefits:
- • 15% bid preference on goods/services
- • 8% preference as subcontractor
- • Exclusive CBE-only solicitations
- • Accelerated payment terms
Eligibility:
- • Gross receipts under $75M
- • Principal office in LA County
- • 51% owned by qualifying persons
Requirements for construction projects over $2.5M
Targets:
- • 30% local workers (County residents)
- • 10% disadvantaged workers
- • Apprenticeship utilization required
Compliance:
- • Monthly reporting required
- • Penalties for non-compliance
- • Good faith effort documentation
- • Use County WorkSource Centers
3% participation goal on applicable contracts
- • Federal or State DVBE certification accepted
- • Bid incentives available
- • Good faith effort option
- • Subcontracting opportunities
Preference for transitional employment providers
- • 15% bid preference available
- • Focus on employment for disadvantaged
- • Set-aside opportunities
- • Fast-track payment processing
Compliance Requirements
Labor Compliance
- ✓ Prevailing wage (all public works)
- ✓ Living wage ($17.27/hr minimum)
- ✓ Certified payroll submission
- ✓ DIR registration required
- ✓ Labor compliance monitoring
Insurance Requirements
- ✓ General Liability: $1-5M
- ✓ Auto Liability: $1M minimum
- ✓ Workers' Comp: Statutory
- ✓ Professional: $1-2M (services)
- ✓ County as additional insured
Environmental
- ✓ Green building standards
- ✓ Waste diversion (75% minimum)
- ✓ Low-emission vehicle requirements
- ✓ Sustainability reporting
Reporting
- ✓ Monthly progress reports
- ✓ Subcontractor utilization
- ✓ Local hiring compliance
- ✓ Safety incident reporting
Violations that can lead to debarment from County contracts:
- • False claims or fraudulent billing
- • Prevailing wage violations
- • Safety violations resulting in serious injury
- • Failure to maintain required insurance
- • Criminal convictions related to contracting
- • Repeated performance failures
Winning Strategies
1. Start with Smaller Contracts
Build your performance history with contracts under $75K before pursuing major projects. This establishes your reliability and familiarity with County processes.
2. Leverage Certification Programs
Obtain CBE, DVBE, or SE certification for significant competitive advantages. These can provide 15% bid preferences and access to set-aside contracts.
3. Partner Strategically
Team with established County vendors as a subcontractor first. This provides experience and references for future prime contracts.
4. Master the Technology
Become proficient with all relevant PlanetBids portals, WebVen, and department-specific systems. Technical errors can disqualify otherwise winning bids.
5. Focus on Relationships
Attend pre-bid conferences, vendor fairs, and networking events. Building relationships with department staff and other vendors creates opportunities.
- Register in multiple department systems
- Maintain perfect compliance record
- Submit questions during Q&A period
- Use local workforce when possible
- Invest in sustainability practices
- Document everything thoroughly
- Miss addenda or amendments
- Submit generic proposals
- Ignore local hiring requirements
- Underestimate project complexity
- Violate subcontractor substitution rules
- Forget County-specific requirements
Los Angeles County represents one of the largest procurement opportunities in the United States, with $3.5+ billion in annual contracts across diverse categories. Success requires understanding the complex multi-department structure and leveraging available programs.
Your Action Plan:
- Register in WebVen for your Vendor Number
- Complete registration in relevant department portals
- Obtain necessary certifications (CBE, DVBE, SE)
- Set up bid notifications across all systems
- Attend the next "Doing Business with the County" workshop
- Start with smaller contracts to build performance history
- Network at County vendor events
Key Resources:
- • doingbusiness.lacounty.gov
- • dpw.lacounty.gov/contracts
- • business.metro.net
- • dcba.lacounty.gov
Support Contacts:
- • WebVen Help: (323) 267-2003
- • CBE Certification: (323) 881-4201
- • PlanetBids Support: (818) 992-1771
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