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Become a Statewide Contract Vendor

To sell your goods and services to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as a Statewide Contract Vendor, you must execute a contract with the Operational Services Division (OSD) or its designee after responding to a fair, open, and competitive solicitation for bids.
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Become a Statewide Contract Vendor

There are many reasons to pursue Statewide Contracting and many resources to help you succeed. Statewide Contracting, however, also requires time, has defined reporting obligations, and may require you to work with a partner to meet a Supplier Diversity Program plan. Read the Is Statewide Contracting Right for You? document for some considerations if your company is contemplating becoming a Statewide Contract Vendor. 

Steps to Take If You’re Interested in Statewide Contracting

Businesses that are interested in working with the state should be advised that Statewide Contracts are not often rebid or reopened to add new businesses. For this reason, businesses are advised to take steps now to be positioned to respond to Statewide Contract bid opportunities once they are posted in the state’s eProcurement portal – COMMBUYS. 

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  1. Set up a free business profile in COMMBUYS – the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' online purchasing and procurement portal: 
    1. Statewide Contract (SWC) and other state opportunities are posted in COMMBUYS 
    2. Bidding to get on Statewide and Departmental Contracts takes place in COMMBUYS
    3. Executive Departments and various other entities transact their purchasing in COMMBUYS
  2. Add all relevant United Nations Standard Products and Services Codes (UNSPSC) to your COMMBUYS profile to receive email notifications for matching opportunities.
  3. Review OSD’s procurement schedule, published monthly, to determine what SWC activity the state is planning over the next several months. 
  4. Examine the state’s existing SWCs by reviewing the Contract User Guide(s) that align with your business’ offerings. Take note of the duration of existing contracts and the associated commodity codes, each listed on page one. Businesses may wish to include relevant commodity codes in their COMMBUYS profile. 
  5. Examine Request for Response (RFR) documents for existing contracts that fall in line with your business offerings. In part, these RFRs may raise your awareness about future contract requirements. Find RFR documents for existing contracts in COMMBUYS: COMMBUYS.com > Select Advanced to the right of the top Search Bar > Select Blankets from the Document Type drop-down > Enter the contract number, i.e. FAC120, in the Description field. 
  6. Attend Free online training courses to learn about state procurement: 
    1. How the State Buys Goods and Services 
    2. How to Locate and Respond to Bids in COMMBUYS 
    3. Understanding Elements of Bid Solicitation 
  7. Sign up to receive OSD's bi-monthly magazine, Buy the Way. 
  8. Connect with us through social media. Follow @Mass_OSD on our Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, MA Procurement Insights Blog, and YouTube channels to keep up to date with the latest agency activities.

For further guidance on responding to Statewide Contract bid opportunities, review  Steps to Consider If You're Interested in Statewide Contracting.  

Other Opportunities to Work with Commonwealth Organizations

Through COMMBUYS, businesses may find other opportunities to sell their goods and services to Executive Departments, municipal organizations, and other entities. Review OSD’s training courses to learn how to utilize COMMBUYS to locate these opportunities.  

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