How to become a vendor in California
Updated November 11, 2026. Registration facts checked on official California pages on November 10, 2026; sources are listed at the end. EasBid is an independent bid search service and is not part of the State of California or any government agency. Always confirm requirements on the state's own pages before you apply.
To become a vendor in California, you register your business in Cal eProcure, the supplier system run by Department of General Services, Procurement Division (DGS-PD). The official pages we read state no registration fee. Once you are registered and have picked your UNSPSC codes, state agencies can find you and you can receive notices for bids that match what you sell. Right now EasBid lists 1,018 open government bids in California from state, local and federal sources.
California vendor registration at a glance
| Where to register | Cal eProcure |
|---|---|
| Who runs state purchasing | Department of General Services, Procurement Division (DGS-PD) |
| Registration fee | No fee stated on the official page |
| Codes used to match bids | UNSPSC (plus keywords) |
| Certification programs | Small Business (SB) / Small Business for Public Works (SB-PW) certification Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) certification SB/DVBE Emergency Registry (for certified firms) |
| Facts checked | November 10, 2026 |
How to register as a California vendor, step by step
These are the steps as the state describes them, in plain words. The portal may word things differently, and it can change, so keep the official page open beside you.
- Create a business account on Cal eProcure (DGS publishes a video and a step-by-step registration guide).
- Set up bid notifications so new solicitations that match your business reach you by email.
- Add keywords and UNSPSC codes to your profile so buyers and notices can match you.
- If eligible, apply online through the same Cal eProcure account for Small Business (SB) or Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) certification, with the required documents.
- Contact the small business/DVBE advocate at the departments you want to sell to.
- Optionally post a free subcontracting ad on a bid solicitation to team with a prime contractor or find subcontractors.
What to have ready before you start
Registration goes faster when the basics are in front of you. For California, gather:
- Your legal business name exactly as it appears on your tax records, and any trade name you use.
- Your federal Employer Identification Number (EIN), or a Social Security number for a sole proprietor, since the state uses it to match you for payment.
- A business address, a phone number and an email address that someone reads every day; bid notices and questions from buyers go there.
- A short list of what you sell, so you can choose the matching UNSPSC codes in one sitting.
The pages we read did not list any extra state tax certificate or form for registration itself; individual bids can still ask for insurance, licenses or a bond.
Does it cost anything to register in California?
No fee is stated on the official pages we read: No fee stated on the official page. Be careful with outside services that offer to register you for a price. The state's own portal is where registration happens, and California does not require you to use a paid middleman to sell to its agencies. Some separate things can cost money, such as a notary for a form, a professional license, insurance or a bid bond on construction work.
Which commodity codes does California use?
California matches vendors to bids with UNSPSC (plus keywords). UNSPSC is the United Nations Standard Products and Services Code, a four-level product code set. Choose the most specific codes that match your goods or services; buyers send bid notices by these codes. If you also want federal work, you will need NAICS codes for SAM.gov; our free NAICS code lookup and the guide what a NAICS code is help you pick them.
Certification programs in California
Certification is separate from registration. You can register and bid without it, but a certificate can open set-aside contracts or count toward goals that agencies and prime contractors have to meet. The programs the state points to:
- Small Business (SB) / Small Business for Public Works (SB-PW) certification (dgs.ca.gov)
- Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) certification (dgs.ca.gov)
- SB/DVBE Emergency Registry (for certified firms) (dgs.ca.gov)
Small business. Small business programs reserve some purchases for firms under a size limit, or give them a preference when bids are close. The size limits are set by each program, not by the federal SBA tables, so check the state's own definition.
Veteran. Veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned programs give certified firms access to goals or set-asides on state contracts. Federal veteran set-asides use a separate certification from the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Federal programs such as 8(a), HUBZone, women-owned (WOSB) and service-disabled veteran-owned (SDVOSB) are certified by the U.S. Small Business Administration, not by the state; see small business set-asides explained.
Cities, counties and school districts in California
Cities, counties and school districts usually run their own purchasing and bid lists, so registering with the state does not put you on every local list.
Large local governments in California include Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno, Sacramento, Long Beach, Oakland. Each one usually keeps its own vendor list and posts its own bids, so register with the ones you want to sell to as well.
EasBid reads many of these local sources together with the state's, so one search shows state and local bids side by side.
What California agencies are buying right now
As of November 11, 2026, EasBid lists 1,018 open bids in California. The busiest categories are Construction & Trades (184), IT, Software & Telecom (157), Defense, Aerospace & Research (54). Looking at what is open now is a good way to choose your codes and to see which agencies buy what you sell.
- California Construction & Trades bids 184 open
- California IT, Software & Telecom bids 157 open
- California Defense, Aerospace & Research bids 54 open
- California Equipment, Supplies & MRO bids 52 open
- California Consulting & Professional Services bids 48 open
- California Facilities, Janitorial & Grounds bids 44 open
By trade: Electrical bids in California.
See new California bids this week.
Federal contracts in California
A California registration covers state agencies only. Federal agencies, including the military bases, VA medical centers and national parks in California, buy through SAM.gov, which has its own free registration and gives you a Unique Entity ID. Our step-by-step guide to registering in SAM.gov walks through it, and federal bids on EasBid lists open notices.
Tips for your first California bid
- Read the whole solicitation before you price anything; the due date, the question deadline and the submission method are usually on the first pages. Our guide on reading a solicitation shows what to look for.
- Ask questions in writing before the question deadline. Answers are usually posted as an addendum that every bidder can see.
- Check whether the bid needs a license, insurance certificate or bond, and get those started early.
- Submit through the channel the notice names, Cal eProcure or otherwise, and leave a day of margin; late bids are normally rejected.
- Whether you win or lose, ask for the award results. They show the winning prices and help you price the next one.
New to the bid types? See RFP, RFQ and IFB explained and how to win government contracts.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a fee to register as a vendor in California?
No fee is stated on the official California pages read on November 10, 2026. Registration happens on Cal eProcure.
What codes does California use for vendor registration?
California uses UNSPSC (plus keywords). Pick every code that matches what you sell, because the codes decide which bid notices you receive.
Do I need a certification to bid on California contracts?
No. Certification is optional and separate from registration. Programs such as Small Business (SB) / Small Business for Public Works (SB-PW) certification and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) certification can open set-asides or count toward participation goals.
Does registering with California cover cities and counties?
Usually not. Cities, counties and school districts usually run their own purchasing and bid lists, so registering with the state does not put you on every local list.
Is California vendor registration the same as SAM.gov?
No. Cal eProcure is for California state agencies. Federal contracts need a separate, free SAM.gov registration.
How do I find California government bids?
Watch Cal eProcure for state bids and the purchasing pages of the cities, counties and schools you want to sell to. EasBid lists open California bids from state, local and federal sources in one search (1,018 open as of November 11, 2026).
Sources
Official pages read for this guide. Facts are summarized in our own words; follow the links for the full official text.
- How to do Business with California State Government (dgs.ca.gov, read November 10, 2026)
- Apply For or Re-apply as Small Business, Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (dgs.ca.gov, read November 10, 2026)
- Office of Small Business and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Services (dgs.ca.gov, read November 10, 2026)
- SBDVBE ER State Department Information (dgs.ca.gov, read November 10, 2026)