Purchasing

Thank you for your interest in working with the Town of Riverhead.

The Purchasing Department is charged with procuring supplies, equipment, goods, and services for all Town departments, ensuring the prudent use of public funds.

The Town Board annually reviews, updates, and adopts the Procurement Policy, which serves to establish a method of purchasing compliant with all relevant Federal, New York State, Suffolk County, and Town of Riverhead laws and regulations. This Policy is available to the General Public and supports:

  • That competitive bidding is done in accordance with New York State General Municipal Law (NYS GML) 103
  • That all bids not subject to competitive standards are done in accordance with New York State General Municipal Law 104 (b)
  • Guards against favoritism and wastefulness through ethical and transparent procurement practices
  • Ensures objective and unbiased competition, offering fair and equitable competitive contracting opportunities for suppliers
  • Protects the best interests of the Town, its residents, and taxpayers

If you would like to be notified of upcoming bids, please register at the E-Notifications, and scroll down and check off "All Bids."  Please Note: Per Town policy, we do not share plan-holders' lists for any bid.

New Vendor Information

To become a vendor with the Town of Riverhead, download the New Vendor Application (PDF). Please print, fill out the document completely, have it notarized where applicable, and return the forms to the Purchasing Department via email to Purchasing@townofriverheadny.gov prior to doing business with the Town.

Public Work Contractor and Subcontractor Registry

Starting December 30, 2024, all contractors and subcontractors submitting bids or performing construction work on public work projects or private projects covered by Article 8 of the Labor Law are required to register with the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) under Labor Law Section 220-i.

The law defines a "contractor" as any entity entering into a contract to perform construction, demolition, reconstruction, excavation, rehabilitation, repair, installation, renovation, alteration, or custom fabrication. The law defines "subcontractor" as any entity subcontracting with a contractor to perform construction, demolition, reconstruction, excavation, rehabilitation, repair, installation, renovation, alteration, or custom fabrication, which is subject to Article 8 of the Labor Law. Contractors are responsible for verifying that any subcontractors they work with are registered.

Contractors need to register before submitting any new bids or commencing new work on a covered project on or after December 30, 2024. Subcontractors need to register before commencing new work on a covered project on or after December 30, 2024. NYSDOL encourages all contractors and subcontractors to register as soon as possible to obtain a Certificate of Registration to avoid negatively impacting a bidding period or project schedule.

The Bureau of Public Work and Prevailing Wage Enforcement at the New York State Department of Labor is responsible for enforcing prevailing wage laws in New York State.

The Bureau of Public Work and Prevailing Wage Enforcement publishes the annual prevailing wage schedule every year on July 1. To find information about the prevailing wage rate for your area, or to find contact information for your local Public Works and Prevailing Wage Enforcement District Office, please visit the Bureau of Public Work and Prevailing Wage Enforcement website or send them an email.

Electronic Certified Payroll Submissions in 2025

There is a new subsection 220-j in Article 8, which will require the Department of Labor to develop a publicly accessible online database of electronic certified payroll records, which will be available no later than December 31, 2025.

All submissions of certified payroll records will be collected electronically through this forthcoming database, starting when the system is completed in 2025.

Please watch the NYS Department of Labor website for additional information.

Other Responsibilities

The Purchasing Department also oversees the operation of the Town's mailroom.