At NC State, all purchases over $5,000 require competitive bidding unless purchasing from an existing state or university contract or when ordering through the MarketPlace. Buying off-contract without obtaining competitive pricing applies only to low-dollar purchases under $5,000.

Bidding Requirements by Threshold

• MarketPlace and Established Contracts: Orders placed through MarketPlace catalogs, State Term Contracts or University Consortium Agreements satisfy competitive requirements automatically regardless of the dollar amount.
• Purchases under $5,000: No competitive bidding required. Shop the MarketPlace first, use existing contracts or pay via PCard or direct pay voucher.
• Purchases $5,000 – $30,999 (Informal Solicitation): Requires an informal competitive process where departments obtain quotes from three qualified suppliers and submit a Non-MarketPlace requisition with the best-value quote.
• Purchases $31,000 and Above (Formal Solicitation): Requires formal competitive bidding managed by Procurement Services via the NC Electronic Vendor Portal (eVP). (Note: If only one supplier can meet the specifications, departments must submit an approved Waiver of Competitive Bidding).

Learn More

Review the university guidance and decision tools before placing your next order:

• MarketPlace Manual: Learn how to shop the MarketPlace, from placing the order to receiving your items in the Financial System. 
• Purchasing Manual > Purchasing Thresholds: Review details on the quote requirements.
• Before You Buy: Review procurement methods and access decision trees and process flowcharts.