Austin ISD — the essentials
- Where bids post
- Bonfire e-bidding platform (Contract & Procurement Services)
- How to submit
- Electronically through Bonfire
- Registration
- Required — unregistered vendors can't view or be notified
- Solicitation types
- IFB, RFP, RFQ
Austin ISD buys at the scale of a small city: new schools and renovations, classroom and cafeteria supplies, technology, transportation, and a long list of services. It runs all of it through Bonfire, an online e-bidding and procurement platform.
Where Austin ISD bids are posted
The district's Contract & Procurement Services office lists opportunities through Bonfire, which handles vendor registration, solicitation notifications, electronic bid submission, and contract management. This is the critical detail: vendors who aren't registered in Bonfire won't be notified of AISD solicitations and can't view them until registration is complete. No registration, no visibility.
How to register and bid
- Create a vendor profile in the Austin ISD Bonfire portal.
- Complete your commodity/category selections so you're notified about relevant solicitations.
- When a fit appears, download the documents and submit your response electronically before the deadline.
Austin ISD issues several solicitation types: Invitations for Bid (IFB) and Requests for Proposals (RFP) for goods and general services, and Requests for Qualifications (RFQ) for professional services, which are selected on qualifications rather than price. Competitive solicitations are advertised under Texas Education Code §44.031.
Easy to miss entirely. Because AISD postings are gated behind Bonfire registration and category settings, school-district contracts are some of the most-missed in the metro. Register in Bonfire now so you can see and respond to them when they come up.
See the Austin-area bids that fit your trade
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Tips for winning district work
- Register in Bonfire first — you literally cannot see or bid on AISD solicitations without it.
- Watch for RFQs if you provide professional services; those are won on qualifications, so a strong statement of experience matters more than a low number.
- Meet every requirement. Districts hold to insurance, background-check, and certification rules strictly.
- Plan around the school calendar. Construction and supply solicitations cluster around summer and the budget cycle.
Frequently asked questions
Where does Austin ISD post bids?
On the Bonfire platform, managed by the district's Contract & Procurement Services office. You must be registered in Bonfire to view or be notified of solicitations.
What types of solicitations does AISD issue?
Invitations for Bid (IFB) and Requests for Proposals (RFP) for goods and services, and Requests for Qualifications (RFQ) for professional services.
How do I keep track of AISD plus the city and county?
Each uses a different portal, so today most vendors check them separately. I'm building BidScout to watch them all and email you only what fits your business — starting with the state ESBD feed, with AISD and city portals next on my roadmap.