How to Register as a Vendor in Pennsylvania

What it's for

Pennsylvania lists its solicitations on PA eMarketplace, but you view full documents and submit responses through the PA Supplier Portal. To bid, register as a Procurement vendor. The Office of the Budget says this type covers "Procurement, COSTARS, Bids, IFB, ITQ" along with construction and eMarketplace work. Other vendor types, such as non-procurement payees, don't give you bidding access. Finishing registration gets you a Commonwealth vendor number.

Have this ready

• Nine-digit EIN, entered without hyphens
• Legal organization name and business type
• Disregarded-entity status and the parent company's TIN, if that applies to you
• Email address and phone number
• Mailing street address or PO box
• At least one product category (the guide requires a minimum of one)
• You'll review and digitally sign an IRS W-9 during registration

Steps

1. Go to the PA Supplier Portal and start a Procurement vendor registration. The Budget Office publishes a PDF guide and a video.
2. Vendor Identification: enter your EIN.
3. Vendor Details: enter company, business type, address, contact and product category information.
4. Submit Registration Form: review the form and digitally sign the W-9.
5. Create User ID: set up the administrative user for your company. A "Congratulations" message means registration is complete, but don't log in until the confirmation email arrives.
6. To bid, search the Solicitations tab on eMarketplace. Then log in to the PA Supplier Portal and use Bid Processing to open the full solicitation and respond.

After you register

• Keep your vendor number handy. Agencies and COSTARS both use it.
• Keep contacts, addresses and product categories current in the Supplier Portal.
• Official guides don't describe a registration renewal cycle.
• Help: Payable Services Center, ra-pscsrmportal@pa.gov (Mon-Fri, 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.), or the Customer Service Center at 877-435-7363, option 2.

Watch out for

• COSTARS (the state's cooperative purchasing program for local governments and other members) is optional and separate from Supplier Portal registration. You join by winning a COSTARS bid, and DGS charges an annual administrative fee: $166 for DGS-verified small diverse or veteran-owned businesses, $500 for self-certified small businesses and $1,500 for everyone else.
• Construction: DGS construction bids appear on eMarketplace, and many require Supplier Portal registration just to download plans and specs. DGS also uses e-Builder for construction projects. PennDOT highway lettings are separate, in ECMS.
• Registering with the PA Supplier Portal is free. Don't pay a third party to do it for you.

Sources

• www.pa.gov/services/budget/1_1_4-register-as-a-procurement-vendor-to-the-commonw
• www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/budget/documents/for-people-doing-busine
• www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/dgs/documents/documents/procurement-form
• www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/dgs/documents/small-diverse-business-pro
• www.pa.gov/services/dgs/pay-costars-administrative-fee

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.