Quick Guide for Statewide Contract Vendors

Congratulations on your Statewide Contract (SWC) award! The Operational Services Division (OSD) offers contractors a variety of resources to help them understand and fulfill their responsibilities and maximize their business opportunities.

Though not all-inclusive, the information below and on our website will help vendors navigate their Massachusetts contracting landscape. As you have questions, reach out to your Contract Manager or the OSD Help Desk.

Training

Online training classes are a great way to get started. OSD offers several classes to acclimate vendors to statewide contracting:

COMMBUYS for Awarded Statewide Contract Vendors Selling to the State – Marketing Your Business to Public Purchasers

Link to our complete Vendor Training Schedule. Email the Training Department with questions.

Use of COMMBUYS

• Each SWC vendor, through the Seller Administrator function in COMMBUYS, is responsible for maintaining their COMMBUYS business profile, including address and email information, assigning and updating Seller roles, and selecting accurate commodity codes. Use our Job Aids to make these updates.
• Find your MBPO contract record in COMMBUYS: Select Advanced next to the top Search bar > From the dropdown, select Blankets > Enter the contract number (i.e. FAC101) in the Description field and click the Search button.
• Responding to buyer’s requests for quotes is a first step toward getting business and is a basic requirement of your agreed upon contract terms. Even if you do not intend to bid, vendors must respond to the request with a “no bid” by checking the “Is No Bid” checkbox on the General tab of your quote.
• Vendors must login to COMMBUYS to access Purchase Orders and should acknowledge inbound orders: navigate to the bid using the Advanced Search, and select “Yes” on the Acknowledge Receipt and View Solicitation window.

Attend the COMMBUYS for Awarded Statewide Contract Vendors class for more information.

 

Eligible Entities A wide range of organizations are eligible to use SWCs, including Executive Departments, cities and towns, public schools, and housing authorities. Find a complete list here. Contract User Guides Each SWC has a corresponding Contract User Guide that details what is offered on the contract, how to purchase, the awarded vendors, and other contract information. The Contract User Guide is an important resource for buyers and vendors. Find all Contract User Guides here.

Marketing Your Business There are several resources to help vendors market their businesses: Locate marketing lists on our Marketing Strategies page. Sign up to attend the Selling to the State marketing class. Request the SWC and COMMBUYS logos for use on your website and marketing materials. Forward marketing collateral to your Contract Manager for approval by the OSD Marketing Department.

 

Supplier Diversity Program

The Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) was established to promote diversity in public contracting. During the bid submission process, prospective SWC vendors commit to spending a specific percentage of sales derived from their contract award with qualifying diverse businesses through subcontracting or the purchase of ancillary products and services. SWC vendors certified by the Supplier Diversity Office are not exempt from this requirement. Refer to our SDP guidance document to learn more about the program and how to find eligible businesses.

Contract Reporting

SWC vendors have two distinct quarterly reporting requirements:

• Sales details for the prior quarter (inclusive of SDP and Environmentally Preferable Product sales) are submitted through the Vendor Report Management (VRM) System. Sales data helps the Commonwealth measure contract and vendor performance.
• Administration Fee Reporting and payments also are submitted quarterly through the VRM portal.

Find information about Sales Reporting and Administration Fee requirements on our website.

Environmentally Preferable Products (EPP)

• Provide EPP sales data in your VRM reporting, as specified in the contract template.
• Be familiar with OSD’s Environmentally Preferable Products and Services Guide and Executive Order 515.
• Market your EPP products and services.
• Contact OSD about EPPs that fit within the contract scope that you would like to add to your contract offerings.
• Institute policies that reduce your business’ environmental footprint.

Find information about the Environmentally Preferable Products Procurement Program here.

Business Updates

Changes to your business may require vendors to update their COMMBUYS and/or VRM system profiles, complete new contract documentation and/or contact your OSD Contract Manager. These changes may include new Business Contract Manager information, change of address, and EFT account information, among others. Find guidance on the Keep Your Company’s Information Current page.

VendorWeb

Maintained by the Office of the State Comptroller, the VendorWeb online database provides past and scheduled payments to your business from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Log in to VendorWeb with your Vendor Code and the last four digits of your business’ tax identification number.

For payments from eligible entities that fall outside of the Commonwealth’s payment system (cities and towns, public schools, non-profits, etc.), contact the purchasing entity directly.

Q&A

Contact your Contract Manager with questions.
Reach the OSD Help Desk
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday
[e-mail]
888-MA-State (627-8283)

Additional Resources

Quick Guide for Statewide Contract Vendors

Date published:	June 30, 2021