The City has purchased solutions for solicitation and vendor management as an entry point into a fully electronic procurement management solution.
The PlanetBids platform grows with you, and we are glad to welcome Del Mar into the San Diego regional network.”— David DiGiacomo, Chief Executive Officer, PlanetBidsDEL MAR, CA, UNITED STATES, September 2, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The City of Del Mar has chosen PlanetBids to upgrade its procurement operations, shifting away from manual, email-based bid handling toward a unified platform that offers electronic bid submission, automated vendor alerts, and a full audit trail.
The City has acquired solutions for Solicitations and Vendor as a starting point for fully electronic procurement management, with the ability to add on modules for contract and insurance management later as the City's requirements evolve.
Del Mar is a small coastal town in San Diego County with roughly 4,000 residents, a lean municipal workforce, and a decentralized procurement model where each department handles its own buying within citywide guidelines. The City issues an average of 10 to 15 solicitations per year across various departments and historically posted them through its website and a free online listing service, receiving sealed hard copies for construction bids and emailed proposals for professional services.
Aiming to modernize how vendors submit proposals and how the City handles the solicitation process, Del Mar reviewed several platforms to support electronic submissions for RFPs and RFQs while keeping its existing approach for sealed construction bids until a future policy revision makes a full transition feasible.
Becoming Part of One of California's Most Established PlanetBids Markets
Del Mar is located in the center of San Diego County, one of the most mature 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 many other regional agencies already use the platform. Because of that regional concentration, most of Del Mar’s contractors and consultants are already registered in PlanetBids and know how it works. The City can also tap into the broader PlanetBids vendor network to expand its pool and boost competition.
Centralized Solicitation Management – Del Mar now handles all RFPs, RFQs, and informal solicitations through a single platform featuring encrypted, locked-box electronic submission, mandatory document requirements, Q&A management with automated notifications, addendum acknowledgment tracking, and a complete audit trail from posting to award. Incomplete responses cannot be submitted by vendors, which cuts down on manual review for City staff and creates a documented record of every bid received.
Vendor Management and Outreach – The City now offers a public-facing vendor portal where contractors and service providers can register, choose the work categories they want to be notified about, view all open opportunities, and submit bids. The bid broadcast feature sends notifications to the entire network of PlanetBids' California and national suppliers by commodity code.
A Route to Future Modules
Del Mar purchased PlanetBids' core functionality as a deliberate starting point, with the option to add other modules later as the City’s familiarity with the platform grows. PlanetBids' modular design lets the City expand its procurement abilities without disrupting the foundation established 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
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