How to Register as a Vendor in Kansas

What it's for

Kansas runs state purchasing through SMART, the state's PeopleSoft financial system. Vendors use its eSupplier portal to search bid events and contracts. The Office of Procurement and Contracts says a vendor must be registered in SMART to submit a response to any bid event. Registering gets you a bidder record and bidder number tied to the category codes you choose.

Have this ready

• Business name and address
• FEIN / Taxpayer ID Number. It must match IRS records, or registration fails with a TIN match error.
• Contact name, phone and email
• Your UNSPSC category codes, chosen before you start. Kansas uses UNSPSC (over 40,000 codes), and a searchable list is under "Help and Contact Us" in eSupplier.
• Registration with the Kansas Secretary of State if it applies to your business (not stated on the pages reviewed)
• W-9 and banking details are not mentioned for bidder registration. Expect to give them if you are set up for payment after an award (not confirmed).

Steps

1. Read the Office of Procurement and Contracts' Bidder Registration page.
2. Look up and write down the UNSPSC codes that fit your goods and services. The state asks you to do this before you start.
3. Open the eSupplier portal (supplier.sok.ks.gov) and use the Registration tile to fill out the online bidder registration form, including your category codes.
4. Submit. If you get a TIN match error, email bids@ks.gov instead of trying again and again.
5. Wait for the approval email with your bidder number.
6. Search bid events in eSupplier and respond by the rules in each event.

After you register

• Changes: Don't re-register. Email changes to bids@ks.gov with your company name and taxpayer ID number.
• Keep your category codes current so you're matched to the right events.
• Login and password help: Kansas Service Desk, 785-368-8000, Option 2. Procurement and Contracts: 785-296-2376.
• A renewal schedule was not confirmed in official sources.

Watch out for

• Construction and DOT. State building construction and architect/engineer work are advertised by the Office of Facilities & Property Management (OFPM) and in the Kansas Register. KDOT and the Regents universities post their own bids.
• Browser problems. eSupplier is a PeopleSoft site that needs cookies turned on. The state publishes a Browser Compatibility Guide.
• Fees. No fee is stated on official pages. You don't need a paid third-party "registration service."

Sources

• admin.ks.gov/offices/procurement-contracts/bidding--contracts/bidder-registration
• admin.ks.gov/offices/systems-management/it-support/applications/esupplier
• supplier.sok.ks.gov/psc/sokfsprdsup/SUPPLIER/ERP/c/SCP_PUBLIC_MENU_FL.SCP_PUB_BID_CMP_FL.
• supplier.sok.ks.gov/sokfsprdsup/signon.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.