Responsibilities

Mission Statement: The Procurement Department ensures the most efficient use of resources in the procurement of goods and services to effectively meet organizational goals while protecting the public's interest.

The Contracts and Procurement Department purchases goods, services and equipment for all departments within Charleston County Government. This department ensures the methods of procurement are equitable, that the products procured meet all bid specifications and are of high quality, and are the best value for the tax dollar. This department also prepares and executes all County contracts for supplies, services and construction. After award, an extensive contracts administration program goes into effect.

The Governor, with approval of the S.C. General Assembly, appoints Masters-in-Equity to six-year terms. As a division of the state's Circuit Courts, the Master-in Equity's Office is state mandated, but County funded.

  • Procures goods, services and equipment for all departments of Charleston County.
  • Performs value and market analyses and develop new sources of supplies.
  • Ensures fairness and equity in awarding purchases.
  • Obtains best market prices through research and the competitive bidding process.
  • Assists County departments in planning, scheduling and bidding purchases.
  • Maximizes competition by publicly advertising all solicitations and utilizing the sealed bid/proposal process.
  • Certifies Small Business Enterprises and assist in the development of small businesses.

Contact

Contracts & Procurement

Lonnie Hamilton, III, Public Service Building

4045 Bridge View Dr., N. Charleston, SC 29405

Suite B-250

Phone: (843) 958-4750

Fax: (843) 958-4758

Email: Procurement@CharlestonCounty.org

Office Hours: M – F | 8:30AM – 5PM

Related Information

Vendor Information Form

Procurement Card Administration

A Procurement Card (P-Card) program is in place to increase the efficiency of the procurement process for small purchases. The program empowers authorized employees of Charleston County to make small purchases and improve productivity and accountability. There are approximately 850 P-cards in use for County purchases, and every transaction is reviewed to ensure compliance with proper procedures. An ongoing training program for cardholders, coupled with regular re-evaluation of the program, makes this program a valuable, cost controlling tool for the County.

Central Parts Warehouse

The Central Parts Warehouse is a division of Contracts and Procurement Department and is responsible for purchasing, maintaining and dispensing auto and truck parts in support of the County's entire fleet of vehicles. This includes vehicles for the Sheriff's Office, EMS and Public Works, as well as the general fleet of County vehicles. The primary focus of this division is to ensure that parts are readily available to maintain operational readiness of the County's fleet and to balance inventories to prevent excesses and obsolescence. The Central Parts Warehouse processes more than 5,000 work orders a year.

Contact

4360 Azalea Dr., Charleston, SC 29405

Phone: (843) 202-7922

Fax: (843) 202-7929

Small Business Enterprises (SBE) Program

The Small Business Enterprise (SBE) program is the small-business development component of the Contracts and Procurement Department. The SBE Program is race and gender neutral with an emphasis on assisting small companies to achieve maximum exposure to the public procurement process. Through partnerships with other public agencies, the opportunities extend to include county, state and federal contract readiness training. The program, which was established by County Council Ordinance, increases contract and sub-contract opportunities for small businesses through the use of mandatory contract requirements for SBE utilization. The program also includes training and networking opportunities to aid in the development of small businesses and help ready them to compete for government contracts. The program is the first of its kind in the state of South Carolina.

For more info, please visit Procurement: Small Business Enterprise (SBE)

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program

Charleston County's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program was created to ensure a level playing field for DBEs to compete fairly for transportation contracts and reduce burdens on small businesses. It also aims to enhance and maximize participation of minorities and women in contracting and procurement; foster greater dialogue and strategic relationships; and promote and participate in activities that promote and support DBE development, capacity building and expansion. The DBE Program aims to help DBE firms grow so that they may compete successfully outside of the County's DBE program.

For more info, please visit Roads.CharlestonCounty.org