Local Agency Procurement Profile: Inyo County
Processes, policies, and opportunities for contractors in the Eastern Sierra
Summary overviews of key procurement processes, requirements, and upcoming bidding opportunities.
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NOTE: Inyo County now uses OpenGov for its bidding process. Project summaries are viewable without registration, and a free account allows contractors to access full bid documents, receive updates, and be automatically notified of future opportunities.
Key Links
- Bids & RFP Portal: Inyo County Bid Requests
- Vendor Registration (OpenGov): Sign up for OpenGov Procurement
- Small/Local Business Preferences: County Code on Bid Preferences
- Local Business Verification Form: Local Business Preference Form (PDF)
Requirements
- Insurance: $2M (most small projects) / $5M (building, paving, larger projects) General Liability; $1M Auto; $1M Workers’ Comp
- Bonding: Labor & Materials and Performance bonds required
- DIR: Registration and certified payroll reporting required for all public project bids. There’s an exception for very small contracts ($25,000 for new construction, alteration or repair; $15,000 for maintenance). Prevailing wage is still required, but not reported to DIR.
Upcoming projects (as of July 2025)
- Progress House Kitchen Remodel, Jail Landscaping, Mendenhall Park Playground Project (concrete subcontracting opportunities), Independence and Lone Pine water system upgrades, Independence Museum Upgrades (electrical, HVAC, plumbing), Big Pine Animal Shelter Phase II, Countywide HVAC Upgrades.
Other notes
- CUPCCAA Bid thresholds: Under $60,000 – contracts can be negotiated without a bid process, $60,000 to $220,000 – informal bid procedure, above $220,000 – formal bid procedure.
- The county has local and small business preferences.
- Small businesses can be awarded up to 5% above low bid; must be registered with the State or Small Business Administration as a Small Business Enterprise.
- Local businesses can be awarded up to 8% above low bid, County form must be submitted with bid.
- County staff recommends beginning bids in OpenGov well before the deadline in case any issues arise.
Local Agency Procurement Profile: Inyo County Schools
Processes, policies, and opportunities for contractors in the Eastern Sierra
Summary overviews of key procurement processes, requirements, and upcoming bidding opportunities.
Thanks to the passage of recent bond measures, three Inyo County School Districts are going to undergo major facilities upgrades over the next several years. Bond measures roughly totaling $74 million were awarded to Bishop, Owens Valley and Lone Pine School Districts. Bishop Unified School District (Measure R & S) received $60.5million, Owens Valley Unified School District (Measure T) and Lone Pine Unified School District (Measure U) each received $7.5 million. Projects include repairing, replacing various operating systems, modernizing classrooms, and improving accessibility and safety throughout each campus.
California Uniform Public Construction Cost Accounting Act (CUPPCA)
Public projects, from building schools to constructing roads, are critical to the development and maintenance of a community’s infrastructure. The California Uniform Public Construction Cost Accounting Act (CUPCCA) was introduced to provide options related to public bidding requirements and costs.
School districts that have adopted CUPCCAA are subject to higher bid thresholds for construction services contracts than under the default statute. The default bid threshold for construction services contracts for school districts is $15,000.
Effective January 1, 2025, CUPCCAA bid thresholds for construction services contracts are as follows:
- Public projects of $75,000 or less may be performed by the employees of a public agency by force account, by negotiated contract, or by purchase order (PO) without bidding;
- Public projects of $220,000 or less may be awarded by informal bidding procedures; and
- Public projects of more than $220,000 must be awarded by formal bidding procedures.
Bid Requirements
Negotiated Contract/PO
- Insurance: Standard liability insurance.
Formal/Informal Bids
- Insurance: $2M General Liability; Auto; Workers’ Comp (typical minimums)
- Bonding: Required for capital projects
- State of California, Division of Industrial Relations (DIR): Registration and reporting required for all public project bids.
- State of California, Division of the State Architect (DSA): School construction requires compliance with the Division of State Architects on some projects.
Key Links
- Bishop Unified School district:
- Look for projects open for bid on the main page. (coming soon)
- Click on BUSD “BUSD Contractor’s List 2025” to register for CUPCCA project notifications.
- Owens Valley School District:
- Look for projects open for bid on the main page. (coming soon)
- Click on “OVUSD Contractors List” to register for CUPCCA project notifications.
- Lone Pine School District:
- Look for projects open for bid on the main page. (coming soon)
- Click on “LPSD Contractors List” to register for CUPCCA projects (coming soon)
Checklists and Guidelines to Prepare and Become Eligible- State Resources from Golden State APEX Accelerator
For local businesses looking at procurement processes for state level agencies, we’ve compiled the following resources (with help from our partners at APEX) to outline the eligibility requirements and processes.
- Are You Procurement Ready?
A step-by-step checklist to help small businesses assess their readiness for government contracting. Covers business registration, market research, capability statements, certifications, and financial preparedness. Ideal for beginners or those seeking to improve procurement strategy. - State Contracting Road Map
A practical guide for doing business with the State of California. Outlines how to find your industry codes, register in Cal eProcure, conduct market research, and develop a marketing plan. Includes useful links and a roadmap for certifications and outreach strategies. - Capabilities Statement Guide (APEX Template)
A fillable template and instructions for developing a professional capabilities statement. Designed to help small businesses market themselves to government agencies and prime contractors. A strong first step for entering the public contracting space.
Additional Information
- California Uniform Construction Cost Accounting Commission
- State of California, Department of Industrial Relations (DIR)
*Created by UC Cooperative Extension and partners to support local contractors in accessing public work opportunities. Disclaimer: This guide is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not represent official policy from any public agency. Always refer to the agency’s official procurement materials, agency codes and policies.
