How to Register as a Vendor in Illinois

What it's for

BidBuy is Illinois' eProcurement system for general goods and services bids. You register there to get bid notices and submit offers. Illinois also asks vendors to register in the Illinois Procurement Gateway (IPG), which collects the disclosure forms state agencies need before they award.

Have this ready

• FEIN/EIN, legal name and W-9 details
• Registration with the Illinois Secretary of State as an entity in good standing. This is required before you bid, except for sole proprietors.
• An IDHR Eligibility Number, which you get by filing the Employer Report Form (PC-1) with the Illinois Department of Human Rights
• A State Board of Elections registration certificate, if your bids across all Illinois agencies will total more than $50,000 in a year
• NIGP commodity codes for what you sell
• Business classification details such as federal tax status, firm type, number of employees and veteran status
• Addresses, an administrator contact (your email becomes your login ID), and shipping/delivery terms

Steps

1. Go to bidbuy.illinois.gov/bso and choose the option to register.
2. Work through the sections the vendor manual describes: Company Information, Administrator Information, Addresses, Terms, Categories & Certifications, and Commodity/Service Codes. Fields marked with an asterisk are required. You can save and come back later. The session times out after 15 minutes without activity.
3. Choose NIGP codes. BidBuy uses them to match you to bid notices.
4. Review the summary and finish. You'll get an email confirming your registration.
5. Register in the IPG (ipg.illinois.gov) and complete the IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure.
6. If they apply to you, get your IDHR Eligibility Number and State Board of Elections certificate before you bid.

After you register

• BidBuy sends notices of bids that match your NIGP codes, so keep the codes accurate.
• Keep your profile, contacts and addresses current. The Seller Administrator Manual covers profile upkeep.
• Keep your IPG disclosures, IDHR number and SBE registration current. How long IPG registration stays valid was not confirmed.
• BidBuy support: 866-455-2897 or il.bidbuy@illinois.gov. IPG: 217-782-1270 or eec.ipg@illinois.gov.

Watch out for

• Several registrations. BidBuy alone is not enough. Missing SOS good standing, an IDHR number or an SBE certificate can get your bid thrown out or delay the award.
• Construction and DOT. State building construction goes through the Capital Development Board, which has its own procurement channel (see cpo-general.illinois.gov/cpo/cdb.html). IDOT posts its own transportation lettings, and higher education buys through a separate CPO.
• Fees. IPG is officially free, and no BidBuy fee appears in state materials. You don't need a paid third-party "registration service."

Sources

• cms.illinois.gov/business/procurement/how-to-do-business.html
• pathway2procurement.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/cpo-pathway-to-procurement/documents/bidbuy-do
• pathway2procurement.illinois.gov/abouttheipg.html
• cpo-general.illinois.gov/bidbuy.html
• cpo-general.illinois.gov/cpo/cdb.html

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.