How do I become a vendor with the City of Boston?
To become a vendor with the City of Boston, you will need to create an account on the Supplier Portal. This portal is an online system that helps businesses work with the City more easily.
Here are the steps to become a vendor:
- First, you need to create a new vendor account on the Supplier Portal.
- A vendor account lets you sign contracts and receive payments from the City, like reimbursements or grant money.
- You can also use this account to respond to requests for bids and proposals from the City.
- It might take 2-3 business days for your vendor account to be approved.
- If you only need to bid on projects right away, you can create a bidder account, which is active instantly. However, if you win a contract, you will still need a vendor account to sign it and get paid.
If you have questions about becoming a vendor, you can contact Vendor Support:
- Email: vendor.questions@boston.gov
- Phone: (617) 961-1058
- Vendor Support is available Monday through Friday, from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm (EST).
- They also have a virtual drop-in session on the first Tuesday of each month from 2 pm to 4 pm (EST).
The City of Boston also encourages businesses to get certified. This can help departments find your business for opportunities. You can learn more about how to get your business certified on Boston.gov.
SEARCH RESULTS
City Vendor Common Questions
https://www.boston.gov/departments/procurement/city-vendor-common-questions
This resource provides information on frequently asked questions (FAQs) from City of Boston vendors.
How to Use the Supplier Portal
https://www.boston.gov/departments/procurement/how-use-supplier-portal
How-to Guides How-to Guides Create a new vendor account Creating user ID on an existing vendor account Entering a bid online How to find event details and bid specifications Registering as a sourcing bidder Signing and uploading a contract Signing up for automatic email notifications Updating info on an existing vendor account Keep in mind More Supplier Portal help Our Supplier Portal help page has links to tutorials for using the system. We also created more detailed step-by-step walkthroughs: creating an account to bid or adding a new user on an existing account submitting a bid, and signing a contract. Submit a bid in person If you don't want to submit a bid online, we still accept paper bids in person. Call us or visit us to pick up a bid packet at: Purchasing 1 City Hall Square, Room 808 Boston, MA 02201 Office hours: Monday through Friday, 9 am - 5 pm Still need help? / See our responses to common questions asked by City of Boston vendors. FAQs Have questions?
Contracting with the City
https://www.boston.gov/contracting-city
If you need help submitting your bid or proposal on the Supplier Portal, read our how-to page. LIVING WAGE Be informed about Boston Jobs and Living Wage Ordinance Service contracts valued at or above $25,000 with companies that employ at least 25 full-time employees are subject to the Boston Jobs and Living Wage Ordinance. LOGISTICS FOR WORKING WITH THE CITY Contact: Procurement If you are awarded a contract, there are several steps you need to take to ensure you are set up as a vendor with the City. NEXT STEPS FOR CHOSEN PARTNERS Sign the City's legal terms and conditions Complete and submit required documentation (dependent on procurement type) Note: In May 2025, the contract forms were redesigned to align with the City's brand standards. Furnish bonds and insurance (if applicable) Get a purchase order from your department Refine the scope of work (Request for Proposal only) WHEN TO START WORK You cannot start work until a contract has been executed and your company has received a purchase order from the City.
Get Your Business Certified
https://www.boston.gov/departments/supplier-and-workforce-diversity/get-your-business-certified
You will also need to provide certain documents depending on the type of business you own. Find out what documents you need. Step 4 Complete the online application Once you've gathered all the relevant information and documents, you can begin your online application. Unless you have one already, you will need to create an account in order to begin filling in the application. This allows you to easily save and return to your application while it's in progress. BEGIN ONLINE APPLICATION Please note: We also suggest that become a vendor with the City of Boston by creating an account on the Supplier Portal. Your vendor account will allow you to see and bid on City contracts. Keep in mind You can search our database to find certified diverse and small businesses in Boston. We also have a list of all open bid projects in the City of Boston. You can get a paid mail subscription, or see a list of current bids online.
Procurement
https://www.boston.gov/departments/procurement
Page Sections Section Nav Contracting Opportunities Newsletter Bid on City Work Equitable Procurement Grantmaking Department Units Surplus Multilingual info More resources News Contact Us If you have any questions related to your vendor account or want to become a supplier with the City, Vendor Support is open Monday - Friday, 8:30 am - 5:30 pm (EST) at 617-961-1058 or at vendor.questions@boston.gov. The Vendor Support team also offers a virtual two-hour drop-in session on the first Tuesday of each month from 2 - 4 pm (EST). Join VIrtual dROP-IN Session Contact 617-635-4564 send an email 1 City Hall Square Room 808 Boston, MA 02201-2034 United States icon-time Monday through Friday, 9 am - 5 pm Go to supplier Portal Portal Maintenance The supplier portal is unavailable every Thursday from 5-6 pm (EST) for regular maintenance.
