Procurement Services provides the State's central procurement operation for all state agencies covered by the South Carolina Consolidated Procurement Code. It is divided into the following operational units:

Office of the State Engineer (OSE)

This office is headed by the State Engineer, who also serves as the Chief Procurement Officer for Construction. OSE is responsible for construction services and the related professional services. While OSE does not issue solicitations or post awards directly, it oversees and approves such actions, particularly when these actions are performed by agencies acting above their certification level. OSE also serves as the building official for state buildings.

Information Technology Management Office (ITMO)

This office is headed by the Information Technology Management Officer, who also serves as the Chief Procurement Officer for IT. ITMO is responsible for conducting and managing procurements for data processing, telecommunications, office systems, software, hardware, and related systems.

State Procurement Office (SPO)

This office is headed by the State Procurement Officer. SPO is responsible for conducting and managing procurements for any type of acquisition for supplies or services, other than construction or information technology.

Audit & Certification

This office is responsible for conducting periodic audits of each agency's procurement operation. These audits are designed to evaluate an agency's overall internal procurement operation and to determine whether it is consistent with the procurement code and regulations.

Program Support

This office handles the business operations of Procurement Services and provides administrative support to the Division's other functions. Among its many responsibilities, Program Support handles accounts payable, accounts receivable, bid opening and control, vendor registration, supplies, support for the CPO's training program, and publication of South Carolina Business Opportunities.

Materials Management Office (MMO) & Division Director

The Materials Management Office is headed by the Materials Management Officer, who also serves as the Chief Procurement Officer for Supplies and Services. The Materials Management Officer reports directly to the Director of the Division of Procurement Services.

Because OSE, ITMO, and SPO all report to the Materials Management Officer, MMO is synonymous with the Division of Procurement Services. To find a complete listing of our staff, use the Contact Us link on the sidebar to this page.

Procurement Services Functions

Procurement Services has a broad array of functions, which include the following:

• Establishing open-ended statewide contracts, thereby leveraging the collective needs of all state agencies and political subdivisions to gain lower prices through volume discounts.
• Providing agencies with professional, centralized purchasing services to acquire all manner of supplies, equipment, services, information technology, and construction.
• Publishing a periodical, South Carolina Business Opportunities (SCBO), that provides one-stop access to public notice of contracting opportunities for the business community.
• Providing for the protection of life and property by serving as the Building Code Official and Deputy State Fire Marshal for all state buildings and by performing professional reviews of construction plans and site inspections.
• Preparing and delivering procurement-related resources to all state agencies, including standard contracts and procurement forms, written guidance on best practices, and expertise for answering complex questions.
• Furnishing a timely, meaningful, and inexpensive process for resolving bid protests and contract disputes for state government.
• Providing training for agency procurement staff on best practices and procurement laws.
• Facilitating uniformity in application of procurement laws among diverse procurement disciplines and across state government.
• Ensuring transparency and integrity in the expenditure of public money by auditing and assessing internal agency procurement controls and processes.
• Staffing emergency disaster recovery procurements (hurricanes, terrorism, etc.) for the State's Emergency Management Division. In an emergency situation, Procurement Services is responsible for acquiring supplies, services, and facilities damage assessments.

Note: Currently, Procurement Services is a division of the Budget and Control Board (B&CB). The fact that statutes and regulations refer to other names reflects the reorganizations that have taken place over the years.