What products and services does City of Milwaukee procure?

City of Milwaukee procures infrastructure and municipal services by department: DPW for streets, bridges, sewer/water and snow removal; Port Milwaukee for port infrastructure; the Purchasing Division for IT, vehicles, supplies and professional services; DCD, DNS and NIDC for real estate, demolition and residential rehab.

Does City of Milwaukee use cooperative purchasing or piggyback contracts?

Yes. The City of Milwaukee may purchase from Wisconsin state contracts and follows the DOA Procurement Manual policy PRO-502 on collaborative contracting and piggybacking; Wisconsin state contracts and cooperative agreements are published on VendorNet.

What procurement requirements does City of Milwaukee publish for vendors?

Vendors must carry insurance issued by companies licensed to do business in Wisconsin and meet solicitation-specific requirements. Public works bids require a DPW bid bond (form DPW‑126) and Davis‑Bacon prevailing wage compliance; solicitation documents list all required forms and terms.

How does City of Milwaukee approve procurement contracts and awards?

All purchasing transactions over $5,000 require written authorization by the Purchasing Division. Departments submit procurements through the centralized Purchasing Division; DPW, DCD, DNS, Port Milwaukee and NIDC administer department-level contracting, with Common Council oversight where statutes require.

Where can vendors find procurement policies and standard terms for City of Milwaukee?

Vendors can find procurement policies, Terms & Conditions, RFP Standard Instructions and the City of Milwaukee Buying Plan on the Purchasing Division's Policies & Procedures pages, which detail appeals, payment policies, shipping, RFP instructions and purchasing thresholds.

What supplier diversity or local vendor preference programs does City of Milwaukee use?

The City of Milwaukee operates a Small Business Enterprise (SBE) program, a Residents Preference Program (RPP), and a Socially‑Responsible Contractors (SRC) program (Ordinance 310‑10) that awards scoring points for contractors reducing employment barriers; small business certification is promoted through vendor outreach.

City of Milwaukee

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Buyer type:: City
Location:: Milwaukee, WI
Country:: US

City of Milwaukee RFPs

Active opportunities open for bidding

Commodity Contract for Police Patrol Vessel - Request for Proposal
Open
Aug 26, 2026
Closes
Oct 20, 2026
Provide new police patrol vessel.
RFP 22001 - Vendor Service Contract for Police Vehicle Upfitting Services
Open
Aug 24, 2026
Closes
Sep 18, 2026
The City of Milwaukee is seeking proposals for police vehicle upfitting services. The resulting vendor service contract will have a five-year term from the date of award. The solicitation is open through September 18, 2026, and requires an online submission with supporting materials including a signed RFP response, cost proposal, references, affidavits, and insurance documentation.
Combined Sewer Main Lining & Manhole Repair and Lining - Project No.1 and Project No. 2 RFP
Open
Aug 20, 2026
Closes
Sep 3, 2026
Work includes approx 651 LF of 48" combined cured in place lining; 1,929 LF of 54" combined cured in place lining; 1 LS erosion control; 2 EA construct building sewer bypass; 1 EA re-establish 15" sewer connection; 4 VF manhole repair; 165 VF manhole lining.

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Buyer Attributes

Key metrics and characteristics

Census ID
Government ID for mapping buyers across datasets.
136562
Employee FTE
Full-time equivalent employees.
7,939
Population
Population size to gauge opportunity scale.
562,407
Procurement Hell Score
How easy their procurement process is to navigate. Lower is better.
42 / 100
Propensity to Spend
How likely this buyer is to spend on new technology based on operating budget trends.
CautiousAggressive
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AI Adoption Score
How likely this buyer is to adopt new AI technologies.
ConservativeEarly Adopter
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Startup Friendliness
How often this buyer champions startups and early adoption.
TraditionalStartup-Friendly
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Latest Budget Year
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Operating Budget
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How to Sell to City of Milwaukee

Procurement guidance and navigation tips.

Procurement Hell Score
Lower scores indicate easier procurement. Created by Starbridge.
42 / 100
EasyLower is betterHellish
Quick Decision Flow
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- Sole Source: If sale is less than $50,000, use sole source. If proprietary or continuity-critical, support an ETB; over $50,000 will require committee approval.
- Coops: Frequently procures through Sourcewell; you can gain access through the Starbridge reseller & contract-vehicle platform — reach out to your Starbridge contact to pursue onboarding.
Agency-specific vendor registration, compliance steps, and approval routing shape the purchasing timeline.
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Sole Source
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- Entity: City of Milwaukee, WI
- Primary justifications: proprietary technology or critical service essential for continuity.
Agency-specific vendor registration, compliance steps, and approval routing shape the purchasing timeline.
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Cooperatives
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- The City uses cooperative purchasing; Sourcewell participation is confirmed. Reach out to your Starbridge contact through the Starbridge reseller & contract-vehicle platform to get onboarded to the recommended path.
- Recommended (accessible through Starbridge):
Agency-specific vendor registration, compliance steps, and approval routing shape the purchasing timeline.
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Early Buyer Signals

Board meetings and strategic plans from City of Milwaukee

Steering And Rules Committee Meeting Minutes
Date: Oct 20, 2025Type: Meeting mention
The committee recommended for approval a substitute motion to revoke the charter of and terminate the City of Milwaukee's contract with Central City Cyberschool. Additionally, the committee reviewed a communication regarding the Common Council's authority to require confirmation for certain officials, which was held to the call of the chair. The committee also convened in a closed session to receive legal advice concerning litigation.
Housing Authority Executive Search Committee Meeting Minutes
Date: Oct 17, 2025Type: Meeting mention
The committee held a stakeholder forum to solicit public, resident, and partner input regarding the recruitment process for the next Secretary-Executive Director of the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee. An executive search firm presented the recruitment process and facilitated a discussion where attendees provided feedback on desired qualities, skills, and attributes for the new leader. Participants suggested interview questions for candidates, emphasized the importance of transparency, communication, financial acumen, and community engagement, and discussed the current challenges facing the organization.
City Of Milwaukee Sister Cities Committee Meeting Minutes

Key Contacts

Public-sector contacts connected to City of Milwaukee.

Steven L. MahanAdministration Deputy Director

*******@************

+1 (***) ***-****

Alex BrowerAlderman

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Frequently asked questions

Who manages procurement and purchasing for City of Milwaukee?

The City of Milwaukee's Department of Administration Purchasing Division centrally manages procurement and purchasing. Operating departments (DPW, DCD, DNS, Port Milwaukee, NIDC) administer department-specific contracting, and certain contracts meeting statutory thresholds require Common Council approval.

Where does City of Milwaukee post bids and RFPs?

The City of Milwaukee posts bids and RFPs on the Purchasing Division "Current Bid Opportunities" page and via the City's e‑Notify subscription portal. DPW publishes Official Bid Notices for public works and uses BidExpress for certain DPW construction solicitations.

How do vendors complete vendor registration with City of Milwaukee?

Vendors register for City of Milwaukee contracting opportunities through the Purchasing Division's vendor resources and the annual Vendor Fair, which provides guidance on certification and bid submission; vendor fair contacts are provided on the Purchasing site for follow up.

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City of Milwaukee

City of Milwaukee RFPs

Buyer Attributes

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How to Sell to City of Milwaukee

Early Buyer Signals

Steering And Rules Committee Meeting Minutes

Housing Authority Executive Search Committee Meeting Minutes

City Of Milwaukee Sister Cities Committee Meeting Minutes

Key Contacts

Frequently asked questions

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City of Milwaukee RFPs

Buyer Attributes

Find best-fit RFPs — Then Nail the Response

How to Sell to City of Milwaukee

Early Buyer Signals

Steering And Rules Committee Meeting Minutes

Housing Authority Executive Search Committee Meeting Minutes

City Of Milwaukee Sister Cities Committee Meeting Minutes

Key Contacts

Frequently asked questions

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