How to Register as a Vendor in New Hampshire

What it's for

New Hampshire's Department of Administrative Services (DAS), Bureau of Purchase and Property, keeps the state's vendor file. You need a vendor number to be awarded state business and to get paid. Bids themselves are posted publicly on the Statewide Bids and Proposals page, and anyone can view and download them.

Have this ready

• A valid email address. The online registration requires one.
• Legal business name, FEIN (or SSN for a sole proprietor), address and contact info. The official pages don't list every field, so treat this as typical rather than confirmed.
• A W-9. If you use the paper route, the state asks for its "Vendor Application and Alternate W-9."
• Registration with the NH Secretary of State, if your business type requires it. The state says you "may be required to register with the Secretary of State" and must be "currently registered to do business and in good standing" to be awarded a contract.
• Bank details, if you want direct deposit. The State Treasury handles direct deposit.

Steps

1. Go to the State of New Hampshire Online Vendor Registration site (apps.das.nh.gov/vendorregistration). You can also get there from the Vendor Resource Center page.
2. Complete the online registration and submit it.
3. Watch your email. The state says you "will receive an e-mail update with their vendor number within 1 to 3 business days."
4. If you can't register online, download the Vendor Application package (Vendor Application and Alternate W-9). Fax it to (603) 271-2700 or mail it to Bureau of Purchase and Property, 25 Capitol St, Room 102, Concord NH 03301.
5. If you haven't already, register with the Secretary of State and make sure you are in good standing before you bid on anything you might win.

After you register

• Check the Statewide Bids and Proposals page often. It lists each bid's description, bid number, attachments, addenda, closing date, commodity and contact. The official pages we reviewed don't confirm an automatic email notification service, so don't count on one.
• Read the state's "Contract Terms and Conditions" and "Purchasing Rules Manual," which are linked from the Vendor Resource Center.
• Send questions about registration to prch.web@das.nh.gov.
• Keep your contacts and address current, and keep your Secretary of State filings current so you stay in good standing.

Watch out for

• Many agency RFPs are posted on the individual agency's website, not only on the DAS bid page.
• NHDOT road and bridge bids are posted separately on dot.nh.gov (Doing Business, Invitation to Bid). State building projects run through the DAS Bureau of Public Works Design and Construction.
• Losing good standing with the Secretary of State (for example, by missing an annual report) can block an award.
• The state doesn't require a paid registration service. You can register yourself.

Sources

• apps.das.nh.gov/vendorregistration/
• apps.das.nh.gov/bidscontracts/vendor.aspx
• apps.das.nh.gov/bidscontracts/bids.aspx
• www.dot.nh.gov/doing-business-nhdot/contractors/invitation-bid

FindMyBids isn't affiliated with any government agency. Registration is free or low cost on official sites; you don't need to pay a third party. Always follow the official portal's instructions.