The City has purchased solutions for solicitation and vendor management as an entry point into a fully electronic procurement management solution.
DEL MAR, CA, UNITED STATES, September 2, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The City of Del Mar has selected PlanetBids to modernize its procurement operations, moving from manual, email-based bid processes to a centralized platform with electronic bid submission, automated vendor notifications, and a complete audit trail.
The City has purchased solutions for Solicitations and Vendor as an entry point into fully electronic procurement management, with the option to add as-needed modules in the future for contract and insurance management as the City’s needs grow.
Del Mar is a small coastal community in San Diego County with approximately 4,000 residents, a lean municipal staff, and a decentralized procurement model where individual departments manage their own purchasing within citywide policy. The City puts out an average of 10 to 15 solicitations per year across multiple departments and has historically posted solicitations through its website and a free online listing service, receiving construction bid submissions as sealed hard copies and professional services proposals by email.
With plans to modernize how vendors submit proposals and how the City manages the solicitation process, Del Mar began evaluating platforms to support electronic submissions for RFPs and RFQs while preserving its existing approach to sealed construction bids until a future policy update makes a full transition practical.
Joining One of California’s Strongest PlanetBids Markets
Del Mar sits in the heart of San Diego County, one of the most established PlanetBids markets in California. The Port of San Diego, San Diego International Airport, the City of San Diego, San Diego Unified School District, San Diego Community College District, and dozens of other regional agencies already use the platform. With that regional density, most of Del Mar’s contractors and consultants are already registered in PlanetBids and familiar with how it operates. The City can also access the larger PlanetBids vendor network to add to their pool and improve competition.
Centralized Solicitation Management – Del Mar now manages all RFPs, RFQs, and informal solicitations through a single platform with encrypted, locked-box electronic submission, enforced document requirements, Q&A management with automated notifications, addendum acknowledgment tracking, and a complete audit trail from posting through award. Vendors cannot submit incomplete responses, reducing the manual review burden on City staff and creating a documented record of every bid received.
Vendor Management and Outreach – The City now has a public-facing vendor portal where contractors and service providers can register, select the categories of work they want to be notified about, view all open opportunities, and submit bids. The bid broadcast feature pushes notifications to the full network of PlanetBids’ California and national suppliers by commodity code.
A Path to Additional Modules
Del Mar purchased PlanetBids’ basic functionality as a deliberate starting point, with an option to add other modules in the future as the City’s comfort with the platform grows. PlanetBids’ modular structure allows the City to expand its procurement capabilities without disrupting the foundation it builds from day one.
“Del Mar is exactly the kind of agency we had in mind when we designed the limited entry point into PlanetBids,” said David DiGiacomo, CEO of PlanetBids. “Start where you are. Get the vendor database built, get your teams comfortable with electronic submissions, and expand when you’re ready. The platform grows with you, and we are glad to welcome Del Mar into the San Diego regional network.”
Vendors interested in working with the City of Del Mar can register, view open opportunities, and sign up for notifications on new solicitation postings in the City’s new PlanetBids vendor portal.
About the City of Del Mar
Nestled along Southern California’s coastline just 20 miles north of San Diego, Del Mar is a charming seaside City celebrated for its vibrant history, stunning natural beauty, and distinctive European flair. With its small-town atmosphere and casually sophisticated appeal, Del Mar attracts visitors from across the globe seeking pristine beaches, award-winning cuisine with spectacular ocean views, unique shops, and boutique hotels. Serving approximately 4,000 residents across 2.2 square miles, Del Mar is also how to the renowned Del Mar Racetrack and San Diego County Fair. Learn more about the City at delmar.ca.us.
About PlanetBids
PlanetBids’ lifecycle procurement platform helps procurement professionals in the public, private, education, and non-profit sectors streamline their purchasing operations and improve vendor and supplier relationships for better budget and resource management. With tools for bid and vendor management, business certification and insurance tracking, contract and document management, and reporting, PlanetBids is purpose built by procurement industry experts for agencies of all sizes and budgets. To learn more, visit planetbids.com.
Kath Fields
PlanetBids
+1 818-992-1771
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