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Supplier Diversity Program
The Details of Register for the Small Business Purchasing Program (SBPP)
What you need for Register for the Small Business Purchasing Program (SBPP)
The Supplier Diversity Office (SDO), the state agency responsible for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Commonwealth’s bidding process, links public purchasers in search of goods and services with diverse and small businesses that provide them.
During the registration process at the SDO Portal, companies can identify as a small business by meeting certain qualifying criteria. The SDO validates SBPP eligibility information entered by companies through an interface with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR). Eligibility is reviewed periodically, at which time, SBPP members receive an automated email from the SDO asking them to update their SBPP eligibility information in their online account.
Does my firm qualify?
To become a member of the SBPP, a company must:
- Have its principal place of business in Massachusetts;
- Have been in business for at least one year;
- Currently employ a combined total of 50 or fewer full-time equivalent employees in all locations or employees work less than a combined total of 26,000 hours per quarter; and
- Have gross revenues, as reported on the appropriate Massachusetts Department of Revenue tax forms, of $15 million or less, based on a three-year average.
In addition to the above criteria, non-profit firms must:
- Be registered as a nonprofit or charitable organization with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and be up to date with all filings required by that office; and
- Be tax-exempt under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, i.e. organized and operated exclusively for exempt purposes set forth in section 501(c) and none of its earnings may go to any private shareholder or individual person.
How to register Register for the Small Business Purchasing Program (SBPP)
Step 1: Access the SBPP registration in Supplier Diversity Office (SDO) Portal.
- If you your have any questions email SDO via sbppreview@mass.gov.
Step 2: When you get to the SBPP registration form on SDO Portal:
This application/registration will connect with the Department of Revenue (DOR) to determine your eligibility for this program. To ensure that the DOR can correctly match your company information to tax records, please use the following information as you complete the online SBPP application form:
|
If your business is… |
For the “Business Tax ID” enter… |
For the “Business Name” enter… |
|
A sole proprietor/self-employed using Form 1040 to file taxes |
Social Security Number (SSN) |
Your First and Last Name as they appear on Form 1040 |
|
An LLC/LLP using Form 1040 to file taxes |
Social Security Number (SSN) |
Your First and Last Name as they appear on Form 1040 |
|
Any other type of business and tax filing situation (Forms 1065, 1120, 1120-S) |
Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) |
The business name as it appears on your forms |
Step 3: Your application will be reviewed overnight through an automated process at the DOR, and you will receive an email with your SBPP eligibility results the following day.
- If you receive a confirmation of SBPP participation, no additional action is needed.
- If SDO Portal states that your company's eligibility could not be verified, the email will include guidance on additional steps to take.
More info for Register for the Small Business Purchasing Program (SBPP)
How is my eligibility for the SBPP validated?
When businesses submit responses to SBPP qualification questions through SDO Portal, the system first will attempt to validate companies’ SBPP eligibility through an online interface with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. Firms successfully validated through the interface will receive an approval notification with 24-48 hours. Businesses whose eligibility was not validated through the online process, but believe they meet the program’s eligibility criteria, must provide documentation to demonstrate eligibility. Use the appropriate Attestation form below to gather required documentation for all program criteria.
Forward the completed form, which must be notarized, and all supporting documentation to SDO Portal.
It is recommended that attestation forms be filed within 25 business days of receiving notice that the company or organization could not be verified through the online validation process.
Firms which are found to be ineligible may reapply for SBPP participation one year from the date of the initial online validation message.