In order to provide purchased services/goods to us, contractors/vendors should do the following:

1. Register with the state’s Washington’s Electronic Business Solution system (WEBS). This is required for all contractors/vendors to have access to and respond to solicitations. We often check the WEBS database for small, minority-owned, women-owned, and veteran-owned business.

2. Register in the Statewide Vendor/Payee Services System. This allows you to receive payments by direct deposit from OFM and other state agencies.

3. Get certified with Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises (OMWBE) if your business is at least 51% minority-owned or women-owned. When we have purchasing needs, we regularly check the OMWBE Directory of Certified Businesses.

4. Get certified with the Washington State Department of Veteran Affairs (WDVA) if your business is at least 51% veteran-owned,  When we have purchasing needs, we regularly check the WDVA directory.

5. Be aware of goods and services direct buy opportunities by checking our supplier diversity webpage for upcoming opportunities, and signing up to receive updates. We may buy directly from businesses if the value of the goods or services is under $40,000 and we are purchasing from a small, minority-owned, women-owned or veteran owned business. 

6. Keep abreast of goods and services bid opportunities. Once you have registered in WEBS using your specific commodity code(s), you will receive WEBS email notifications whenever a procurement is released by any state agency that is seeking services using a commodity code for which you are registered. Other places to keep abreast of bid opportunities include:

   • OFM procurements and contracts
   • Supplier diversity at OFM
   • DES current and future bid opportunities

7. When responding to opportunities and preparing your bid, keep these tips in mind:

   • Ensure you read and understand the procurement document, all appendices, amendments, and other attachments.
   • Attend any pre-bid conferences or site visits. All potential bidders are encouraged to attend the pre-bid conference at which the solicitation is explained and questions about the solicitation can be raised and addressed.  NOTE: Be cognizant of whether the pre-bid conference is mandatory.
   • Research previous bids and contracts.
   • Seek minority- and women-owned business enterprise participation.
   • Ensure your bid is completed per the submission instructions.
   • Include all required attachments and documentation.
   • Make sure you download the solicitation using WEBS to ensure notification of any amendments. Vendors are responsible for checking WEBS and should do so frequently.