Purchasing is dedicated to supporting the College's mission by facilitating the academic and administrative needs in the most economical and efficient manner, and at the highest possible quality while complying with the laws and regulations set forth by the Federal Government, Washington State and Bellingham Technical College.
Interested in becoming a vendor to BTC? The Purchasing and Contracts Department assists in creating and maintaining relationships with current and potential vendors and oversees the following: bid solicitation, initiation of requests for proposal, issues purchase orders, and establishment of contracts for consulting services and goods and services.
BTC is always looking for new responsible and responsive vendors. If you have not previously done business with us, please send an introductory email to purchasing@btc.edu indicating what goods or services your company can provide. You may also contact us to make an appointment. We will provide the forms for you to fill out to be added as a vendor via email.
BTC's Standard Terms and Conditions apply to all purchase orders, invitations to bid and requests for proposals and requests for quotations, except as noted.
You can read BTC's Supplier Diversity Strategic Initiative to learn more about our commitment to ensuring that small, diverse, veteran-owned, and service-disabled-veteran owned businesses have the maximum practicable opportunity to participate in purchasing and contracting at the College. We strive to increase the depth and diversity of our supplier pool by promoting fair and open access to the business community. Competitive solicitations are one method Procurement and Contracts uses to meet these goals:
The College encourages employees to utilize the WA State Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises (OMWBE) Directory and the WA State DES small, diverse, and veteran-owned contract database to search for suppliers when researching purchases.
Supplier Diversity Program contact: Melisa Nelson, Director of Purchasing | P: 360.752.8343 | E: purchasing@btc.edu
Interlocal Agreements
State law permits a local government to enter into interlocal agreements with other public agencies in the interest of cooperatively sharing resources for their mutual benefit. RCW 39.34.040 permits a public agency to list interlocal agreements on its website in lieu of having the agreement recorded in the county auditor's office.
The interlocal agreements shown below are posted here to comply with RCW 39.34.040 and may not have been recorded with the Whatcom County Auditor's Office.
This information set continues to be updated and will be maintained with the most current information available.
City of Bellingham
Perry Center Land Lease
Perry Center Land Lease Amendment No. 1
Institutions of Higher Education
BTC, Skagit College, Western Washington University, and Whatcom Community College Regional Nursing Agreement
Everett Community College Space Agreement (Radiologic Technology)
Green River College JSP Grant Training Agreement
Northwest Indian College High School + Agreement
Washington State Institutions of Higher Education Information Sharing
K-12 System Agreements
Career and Technical Education (CTE) Agreements
Bellingham Public Schools
Blaine School District
Ferndale School District
Lynden-Christian Schools
Lynden School District
Meridian School District
Mount Baker School District
Nooksack Valley School District
Child & Family Agreements
GRADS Program
Running Start Agreements
Arlington School District
Bellingham Public Schools
Blaine School District
Burlington-Edison School District
Concrete School District
Ferndale School District
Lynden School District
Meridian School District
Mount Baker School District
Mount Vernon School District
Nooksack Valley School District
Oak Harbor School District
Omak School District
Quillayute Valley School District
Sedro Woolley School District
Whatcom Intergenerational High School
Willapa Valley School District
Youth Reengagement (IMPACT!) Program
Bellingham Public Schools and OSPI
Blaine School District and OSPI
Ferndale School District and OSPI
Lynden School District and OSPI
Meridian School District and OSPI
Mount Baker School District and OSPI
Nooksack Valley School District and OSPI
Port of Bellingham
1000 F Street Lease
Consent to Sublease Agreement with Inland NWAGC, BTC, and Port of Bellingham
State of Washington
DSHS LEP ESL Agreement - 2265-42982
DSHS LEP ESL Agreement 2265-42982 No. 1
Public Institutions of Higher Education, DSB, and DVR Collaborative Agreement - 130330
State Auditor's Office Data Sharing Agreement
Whatcom County
Whatcom County Emergency Services
BTC is not currently inviting any bids.
Past Solicitation Results
Diesel Cylinder Trainer BTC-2023-RFQ-003 - Silverstone Systems LLC
Auto Collision Cars BTC-2023-RFQ-002 - No award
Quarterly Schedule BTC-2023-RFP-001
Mini Excavator BTC-2022-RFP-002
In order to access any opportunities when the College is inviting bids, all interested vendors should make sure they are registered with Washington's Electronic Business Solution (WEBS). In order to do so, head over to WEBS for Vendors.
State of Washington and Federal purchasing rules require that purchases over the Direct Buy Limit be competitively solicited in the absence of a contract, funding source mandate, or a sole source justification. The Procurement & Contracts Department is responsible for issuing competitive solicitations.
The direct buy limit does not apply to catalog orders but does apply to non-catalog, BPO, and non-po invoice even when using a contract.
The solicitation process is determined by the dollar amount of the purchase including shipping & handling, and excludes tax, and the commodity type.
The dollar limitation set by state law under which purchases may be made without securing competitive pricing (Current Enterprise Procurement Policies | Department of Enterprise Services , RCW 39.26.125). Departments may submit purchase requisitions indicating suppliers of choice within the direct buy limit without prior approval of the Procurement & Contracts Department. When the ultimate aggregate cost to the department for a service or the purchase of a product over a 12 month period will exceed the direct buy limit, contact the Procurement & Contracts Department for guidance at purchasing@btc.edu.
Effective January 1, 2013 the direct buy limit for institutions of Higher Ed is set at $10,000 excluding sales tax.
NOTE: Orders must not be split to avoid competition. For example, if a department intends to purchase 20 each of the same item valued at $2,000 each, the total will exceed the direct buy limit, and unless the department is utilizing a College-approved contract, he Procurement & Contracts Department should be consulted regarding the appropriate buying method. Some exceptions may apply to the purchase of certain items and by order method.
Bellingham Technical College contemplates awarding a sole source contract to Industrial
Plankton, Inc. for one Research Algae Bioreactor 100L. See Industrial Plankton Sole Source September 2023 for more information.
Please call or email to set up an in-person appointment
Mon to Fri: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.