Contractor Pre-Qualification Application Fiscal Year 2026-2027

The City of Palm Desert is inviting contractors to apply for pre-qualification to participate in construction projects and maintenance work subject to prevailing wage during fiscal year 2026–2027, with applications due June 30, 2027. Pre-qualification is limited to construction projects valued at $250,000 or less under the City's adopted purchasing procedures.

Eligibility requires a valid California Contractors' License in the applicable trade classification, Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) registration, and demonstrated public works construction experience exceeding $50,000 within the past 24 months. Applicants must not be debarred under Labor Code sections 1777.1 or 1777.7 and must disclose unfavorable responsible-bidder determinations, criminal convictions involving fraud or dishonesty, surety completions of projects, Experience Modification Ratings exceeding 1.5, or serious or repeat OSHA citations — all within the lookback periods specified (three to five years depending on the disqualifying factor).

Insurance and bonding requirements include general liability of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 in aggregate; automobile liability of at least $1,000,000; workers' compensation insurance; and bonding capacity of at least $250,000 per project and $1,000,000 in aggregate. Applicants must submit IRS W-9 forms, insurance certificates, customer and vendor references, and certify compliance with the City's nondiscrimination policy for purchases exceeding $10,000.

Once pre-qualified, contractors are eligible for projects up to $75,000 through quote solicitation or projects exceeding $75,000 and up to $250,000 through informal bidding, with qualified bidders notified at least five days prior to submission deadlines. Applicants submit electronically via https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/cityofpalmdesert.