The BWL works with suppliers to maintain and develop strong, competitive business relationships that are mutually beneficial. We are supportive of local suppliers and the economic contributions they make to the Lansing area.
For more information on the new bidding platform, please review the documents below.
This information is designed to guide all interested suppliers who wish to engage in business with the BWL. We encourage you to ask questions or express concerns that may improve our business relationships.
Getting Started
Material & Services
All initial sales contacts with BWL departments should be arranged through a Purchasing & Warehousing Buyer. The buyer will also assist you in identifying other BWL departments and employees that you should meet with who may be interested in your materials or services.
Some vendor products, such as electric line hardware, are covered by stringent technical specifications and/or standards. These products must be evaluated by the BWL Standards Engineer or the Safety Administrator prior to being placed on the BWL bid list.
Documents
How We Buy
As a public utility, we conduct our business in an open and competitive fashion in accordance with regulations approved by our Board of Commissioners. A brief outline of our regulations are available for review, which includes:
- Procurement policy
- Types of projects
- Procurement cards (credit cards)
- Insurance requirements
- Invoice processing
- Deliveries
What We Buy
The BWL requires a wide variety of commodities and services to support and maintain our operations. We purchase everything from power plant equipment and parts to office supplies, laboratory equipment, computer products, vehicles, etc. We contract for services that we cannot provide with our own internal labor force, such as temporary staffing, catering, engineering, utility-related consulting, equipment repair, etc.
Electrical & Mechanical Equipment
- Transformers, Regulators, Switches, Capacitors
- Wire, Conduit & Connectors
- Relays, Controls & Relay Boards
- Meters & Regulators
- Measuring Equipment & Dampers
- Poles, Cross Arms & Pole Line Hardware
- Street Lighting & Lamps
- Generators & Compressors
- Motors & Motor Controls
- Fabricated Steel Products
- Fire Protection Equipment & Supplies
- Pipe, Tubing & Pipe Fittings
- Concrete Boxes, Manhole Frames & Cover Tools
Electric Power Plant Parts
- Boiler Replacement Parts
- Coal Conveyor Parts
- Monitoring System Equipment
- Valves, Bearings
- Chemical Treatment Equipment
- Treatment Chemicals
Industrial Supplies
- Tools
- Safety Equipment
- Paints, Varnishes, Thinners, Protective Coatings
- Compressed Gases
- Janitorial Supplies and Chemicals
- Lumber & Wood Products
- Uniforms, Raingear & Boots
Information Technology Products
- Computers & Supplies
- Software License Agreements
- Computer Programming Services
- Telephones, Cell Phones, Pagers
- Telecommunications Equipment
Services
- HVAC Repair and Maintenance
- Electric Line Construction & Water Line Construction
- Professional & Consulting Services
- Engineering
- Energy Efficiency
- Environmental Services
- Employment Agencies
Office Equipment & Supplies
- Printed Material
- Office & Computer Supplies
- Reproduction Supplies
- Promotional Items
- Signs, Decals, Labels, Rubber Stamps
- Furniture & Fixtures
Fleet Equipment & Services
- Vehicles & Parts
- Maintenance & Repair Services
- Construction Equipment
- Vehicle & Equipment Rental Agreements
- Petroleum Products
Facility Interconnect
As part of the FAC-001-3 standard, if you are seeking to interconnect with BWL transmission or generation facilities, please review the below document which outlines the technical requirements for metering, communications, system protection and studies needed before work can begin.
Contact Information
Office Address & Location
Purchasing & Warehousing is located at 1110 S. Pennsylvania Ave., Lansing.
Mailing Address
Lansing Board of Water & Light
Purchasing & Warehousing Department
PO Box 13007
Lansing, MI 48901
Business Hours
Receiving hours for deliveries at the warehouse are 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Purchasing hours are 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Suppliers are required to call ahead and make an appointment to see a buyer.
Phone & Fax
Office Telephone: (517) 702-6198
Office Fax: (517) 702-6042
Frequently Asked Questions
Complete the online Supplier Registration by clicking here. Your application will NOT be processed until you fully complete your registration.
Price is always a contributing factor, but not the only factor. We also consider other deliverables such as service, quality, and estimated time of delivery.
Bid tabulations can be found by clicking here.
Yes, please visit our Public Notices page for more information.
These are surplus from the Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) project and are not to be returned to BWL, but to the City Maintenance Department off of South Street.
Click here to read through our eProcurement FAQ sheet, or contact Rachelle.Hall@lbwl.com for more information.