How to Register as a Vendor in California

What it's for

Cal eProcure is California's portal for state bid opportunities, run by the Department of General Services (DGS) and FI$Cal. DGS's first step to doing business with the state is: "Go to www.caleprocure.ca.gov and register your business." Registration is free and lets you respond to events and get email alerts matched to your product/service codes. The same portal handles Small Business (SB) and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) certification.

Have this ready

• Tax ID: FEIN, or SSN for a sole proprietor
• Company name and website (if any)
• Primary business address (you can add more later)
• Primary contact name, email, and phone (you can add more users)
• UNSPSC codes and keywords for what you sell. DGS publishes "A Guide to Keywords and UNSPSCs" to help you pick them.
• If applying for SB/DVBE certification: the documents that program requires (separate application)

Steps

Per DGS's Cal eProcure bidder registration instructions:

1. Go to caleprocure.ca.gov and start a new bidder registration.
2. Company profile: choose FEIN or SSN, enter your company name and website.
3. Primary address: enter your business address; add others if needed.
4. User accounts: add your primary contact and any other users.
5. Bidder notifications: opt in to bid alerts, pick who receives them, and select your UNSPSC codes and service areas using keyword search.
6. Terms and conditions: agree and submit.
7. Check your email for a temporary login, activate the account, and set a new password (at least 8 characters with upper and lower case, a number, and a special character).
8. Optional but recommended: apply for SB or DVBE certification if you qualify.

After you register

• Alerts go out based on your UNSPSC codes and service areas. Add codes if you miss relevant bids.
• Keep contacts and addresses current in your profile.
• Research buyers using DGS's Statewide Procurement Data Dashboards and past purchases in SCPRS.
• Help: FI$Cal Service Center, 1-855-421-6355 or vendors@fiscal.ca.gov; DGS procurement questions, 1-800-559-5529 or custserv@dgs.ca.gov; SB/DVBE, (916) 375-4940.
• Account renewal rules were not stated in the official guides checked. SB/DVBE certifications have their own renewal rules.

Watch out for

• Construction and DOT are separate: Caltrans posts construction and other contracts on its own Bid Opportunities page (dot.ca.gov/programs/procurement-and-contracts/bid-opportunities), and DGS and the Department of Water Resources list construction work separately too.
• Pick codes carefully. Notifications only match the UNSPSCs you choose.
• SB/DVBE certification is separate. Registering does not certify you.
• Paid third-party "registration services" are unnecessary. DGS says Cal eProcure registration is free.

Sources

• www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Resources/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Resources-List-Folder/
• www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/PD/OSDS/Outreach/Resources/CaleProcureRegistrationI
• www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Resources/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Resources-List-Folder/
• www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/PD/OSDS/Outreach/Resources/2025/Keywords_UNSPSC_Gui
• dot.ca.gov/programs/procurement-and-contracts/bid-opportunities

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.