How to register as a vendor with City of Boston

City of Boston posts its solicitations on City of Boston Supplier Portal.^[1] Find bids on the Events page of the Supplier Portal; bids over $50,000 are also advertised in the City Record, COMMBUYS and the Goods and Services Bulletin.

BidRover is tracking 61 open bids from buyers in and around City of Boston. Most common categories:

• Construction & facilities · 15
• Healthcare · 7
• Professional services · 6
• Transportation & logistics · 6
• Goods & supplies · 4
• Social & community services · 3
• Agriculture & food · 2
• Education & training · 2

1. TRD05 - Tradesperson Installation, Repair and Maintenance ServicesMassachusetts, United States · Due Dec 22, 2026
2. Terminal C Redevelopment Logan International AirportMassachusetts, United States · Due Nov 6, 2026
3. A460 Digital Data CaptureMassachusetts, United States · Due Dec 3, 2026
4. DOER RFQ-ENE-2027-011 Municipal Decarbonization Planning Services Request for Quotes - PRF74Massachusetts, United States · Due Dec 3, 2026
5. Hospital-Determined Presumptive Eligibility RFAMassachusetts, United States · Due Jul 1, 2099
6. Interviewer/Raters for Sign Language Proficiency Interview (SLPI) Assessment Instrument - Multiple PMassachusetts, United States · Due May 30, 2030

Local buyers with open bids

• City of Boston · 19 open bids

1. 01

   Register on Supplier Portal vendor account

   Start registration. Cost: No fee listed by the City. Use your tax ID/EIN or Social Security number. A vendor account can take 2-3 business days to approve; a bidder account gives immediate bidding access but you need a vendor account if you win.^[2]

2. 02

   Choose your commodity codes

   Notifications are sent by the codes in your vendor profile. Pick every code that describes your work, and revisit them when you add a service.

3. 03

   Get certified if you qualify

   City of Boston Supplier Diversity Certification (MBE, WBE, SBE, SLBE), through the Department of Supplier Diversity. No fee to apply; review aims to finish within 30 business days. An SLBE must have its principal office in Boston.^[3]

4. 04

   Watch the other buyers

   State agencies in Massachusetts buy through the state portal, and school districts, transit agencies and utilities in the area usually post on their own sites. Registering with City of Boston does not register you with them.

Exact requirements vary by portal; the registration page linked above is the authority. Most ask for:

• Your legal business name and address exactly as registered with the state, and your federal tax ID (EIN, or SSN for some sole proprietors).
• A signed IRS Form W-9, which most buyers collect before they can pay you.
• Commodity codes (NIGP, UNSPSC or NAICS, depending on the portal) for every product and service you sell.
• A contact who will receive bid notices, plus any business license or registration the jurisdiction requires.
• Certificates of insurance and, for construction, bonding capacity: these are usually requested per bid rather than at registration.

Work between $10,000 and $50,000 needs at least three written quotes; work above $50,000 is publicly advertised as a bid or RFP for at least two weeks ($100,000 for Boston Public Schools).^[4]

• Written quotes of $10,000-$50,000 must include at least one business certified by the City or the state Supplier Diversity Office.
• The Supplier Portal is down every Thursday from 5-6 p.m. for maintenance.

1. boston.gov/departments/procurement
2. boston.gov/departments/procurement/city-vendor-common-questions
3. boston.gov/departments/small-business-development/get-certified-small-business-office
4. boston.gov/departments/procurement/how-bostons-bidding-process-works