Santa Margarita Water District Modernizes Procurement With PlanetBids Platform

The Orange County water services company is taking a proactive step towards improving procurement efficiency, compliance, and vendor collaboration.

Santa Margarita Water District (SMWD), which provides water, recycled water, and wastewater services to more than 200,000 residents in South Orange County, California, has partnered with PlanetBids to digitalize and streamline its Purchasing Department operations with an end-to-end procurement software system. Through the adoption of solutions to automate processes related to bid creation and management, vendor and contract management, and insurance certificate verification, SMWD is taking a proactive step towards improving procurement efficiency, compliance, and vendor collaboration.

As a leader in water resource sustainability and long-term planning, SMWD recognizes the importance of having agile, scalable digital systems to support its ambitious goals, including expanding local water supply, maximizing wastewater recycling, and securing long-term storage.

By partnering with PlanetBids, SMWD is positioned to:

• Centralize Procurement Processes: With a unified online platform, the District will manage bids, contracts, vendors, and insurance certificates more efficiently, eliminating reliance on manual tracking systems, paper bids, and disconnected workflows.
• Strengthen Vendor Relationships and Outreach: A new online vendor portal will allow SMWD to better engage with local and regional suppliers, aligning with its mission to maximize environmental and financial resources.
• Enhance Compliance and Risk Management: With built-in audit trails and automated insurance tracking, the District will improve transparency and ensure adherence to regulatory and internal standards.
• Streamline Contract Oversight: The District will streamline and centralize contract for better visibility and structure across procurement lifecycles, helping staff focus on strategic priorities and reduce administrative burden.

“We are so proud to help the Santa Margarita Water District leave manual and paper-based purchasing processes in the past in favor of more efficient, transparent, and cost-effective digital procurement,” PlanetBids CEO David DiGiacomo said. “PlanetBids was purpose-built by procurement experts specifically for public agencies like SMWD to help them provide more effective business opportunities to local communities while showing cost savings for taxpayers.”

Vendors interested in working with Santa Margarita Water District can register for free and explore bid opportunities at on the District's Bid Opportunities page (http://smwd.com/589/RFQsRFPsBids).