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Inclusive Quote Contract (IQC)

The IQC allows City staff to use a simplified process to procure higher values of supplies and services when purchased from small, local, disadvantaged businesses.

BACKGROUND

In 2022, Mayor Wu filed a home rule petition via the City Council entitled “A Petition for a Special Law Re: An Act Relative to 30B,” which was then sent to the Massachusetts State Legislature after unanimous passage by Council members. The bill was later approved by the Legislature in July 2022.

The new Inclusive Quote Contract law raised the written quote contract threshold for purchases made by the City of Boston from $50,000 to $250,000 (the Massachusetts Small Purchase threshold) when those contracts are with certified disadvantaged businesses. With this new law, a City department can contact at least three certified disadvantaged businesses for written quotes on contracts valued up to $250,000.

What is the IQC?

BENEFITS OF THE IQC

Compared to procurements through Requests for Proposals or Invitation for Bids processes, the requests for written quote(s) contract process is significantly simpler and cost-effective for both small, local businesses and City departments.

  1. It allows disadvantaged businesses to avoid the high overhead of staff time and legal services required for the preparation of more formal competitive bids.
  2. It also allows for City staff to use a simplified process to procure higher values of supplies and services if purchased from small, local, disadvantaged businesses.
Chapter 30b Procedures

Chapter 30B establishes three sets of procedures for procuring supplies and services, depending on the actual dollar value of the procurement:

Threshold Required Procedure
ThresholdLess than $10,000
Required ProcedureUse sound business practices
Threshold$10,000 - $50,000
Required ProcedureRequest 3 written quotes
ThresholdMore than $50,000
Required ProcedureSolicit competitive sealed bids or proposals

As listed above, procurement officials will need to seek at least three written quotations for supplies and services valued between $10,000 and $50,000. The IQC allows buyers at the City of Boston to continue using the written quote procedure for purchases above $50,000, up to $250,000, as long as they seek written quotes from certified businesses only. 

READ THE 30B MANUAL 

Prepare Your Business to Participate

Per the Special Law, City buyers can only solicit quotes from certified businesses  if they wish to use the Inclusive Quote Contract. To qualify as a certified business, you can be certified by either the City of Boston's Department of Supplier Diversity or the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Supplier Diversity Office.

GET CERTIFIED WIth the City of boston

City of Boston Certifications: 

  • MBE - Minority Business Enterprise 
  • WBE Woman Business Enterprise (WBE)
  • SBE - Small Business Enterprise 
  • SLBE - Small Local Business Enterprise 

Interested in certifying your business as an MBE, WBE, SBE, or SLBE? We have a step-by-step guide to submitting a certification application online or by mail or email.

GET CERTIFIED

GET CERTIFIED WITH THE STATE

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Certifications:

  • MBE - Minority Business Enterprise

  • WBE - Women Business Enterprise

  • VBE - Veteran Business Enterprise

  • SDVOBE - Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Enterprise

  • DOBE - Disability-Owned Business Enterprises

  • LGBTBE - Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Enterprise

  • PBE - Portuguese Business Enterprise

  • DBE - Disadvantaged Business Enterprise

  • ACDBE - Airport Concession-DBE

Interested in getting our business certified by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Supplier Diversity Office (SDO)? Check our the SDO website for more resources.

LEARN MORE

BECOME A CITY VENDOR 

Once you're certified, you'll need to become a City vendor by creating an account in our Supplier Portal. This account will allow your business to actually submit a bids for City contracts. Follow the link below to create an account on the Supplier Portal.

SUPPLIER PORTAL  

Awarded IQCs

Awarded IQCs
SUPPLIER NAME DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES/GOODs contract amount  DEPARTMENT BEGIN DT
SUPPLIER NAMEMoore, Caitlin
DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES/GOODsIQC - Yoga Instruction
contract amount $47,500.00
DEPARTMENTAge Strong
BEGIN DT7/1/2023
SUPPLIER NAMEPrime Time Sports, Incorporated
DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES/GOODsClothing for BTD
contract amount $43,470.00
DEPARTMENTProcurement
BEGIN DT8/29/2023
SUPPLIER NAMEJM Goldson LLC
DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES/GOODsConsulting Services
contract amount $67,600.00
DEPARTMENTCommunity Preservation
BEGIN DT9/15/2023
SUPPLIER NAMERevby LLC
DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES/GOODsSmall Business Strategy TA
contract amount $93,600.00
DEPARTMENTOffice of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion
BEGIN DT10/12/2023
SUPPLIER NAMEDepict Brands, Inc
DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES/GOODsSmall Business Marketing TA
contract amount $108,000.00
DEPARTMENTOffice of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion
BEGIN DT10/12/2023
SUPPLIER NAMEDaily General Counsel, PLLC
DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES/GOODsSmall Business Legal TA
contract amount $183,954.00
DEPARTMENTOffice of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion
BEGIN DT10/17/2023
SUPPLIER NAMEPrepshift, Inc.
DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES/GOODsSmall Business Food Industry TA
contract amount $215,000.00
DEPARTMENTOffice of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion
BEGIN DT10/17/2023
SUPPLIER NAMEB.B.C.G. LLC d/b/a Vantage Graphics
DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES/GOODsPrinting and Mailing Services
contract amount $100,000.00
DEPARTMENTOffice of Housing
BEGIN DT11/1/2023
SUPPLIER NAMEOpus Design
DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES/GOODsBERDO Communications Material
contract amount $75,000.00
DEPARTMENTEnvironment Department
BEGIN DT12/11/2023
SUPPLIER NAMEVvS Architects & Consultants
DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES/GOODsBERDO reporting and verificatication
contract amount $75,000.00
DEPARTMENTEnvironment Department
BEGIN DT12/18/2023
SUPPLIER NAMECasablanca Services Inc
DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES/GOODsSnow Removal - Areas 1-5
contract amount $229,500.00
DEPARTMENTParks Department
BEGIN DT2/5/2024
SUPPLIER NAMEInterstate Rental Service Inc.
DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES/GOODsTent Rentals MBTA Diversions
contract amount $46,564.00
DEPARTMENTDepartment of Transportation
BEGIN DT2/7/2024
SUPPLIER NAMESocial Impact Collective
DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES/GOODsClimate Ready Bus Shelter
contract amount $224,230.00
DEPARTMENTEnvironment Department
BEGIN DT2/14/2024
SUPPLIER NAMEField States LLC
DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES/GOODsAthletics Capacity Analysis
contract amount $109,412.50
DEPARTMENTOffice of Early Childhood
BEGIN DT2/28/2024
SUPPLIER NAMEDesign Build Boston Construction, LLC
DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES/GOODsOutdoor Dining Areaway/Vault
contract amount $115,000.00
DEPARTMENTOffice of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion
BEGIN DT3/20/2024
SUPPLIER NAMEService Design Collective Inc
DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES/GOODsEV00013861, PO 0000766898
contract amount $250,000.00
DEPARTMENTDigital Team
BEGIN DT4/12/2024
SUPPLIER NAME DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES/GOODs contract amount  DEPARTMENT BEGIN DT
SUPPLIER NAMETessi Media LLC
DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES/GOODsBMS Equity Study
contract amount $150,625.00
DEPARTMENTOffice of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion
BEGIN DT6/16/2023

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