Getting registered

Before you can bid, agencies need to know who you are. That means registering as a vendor: once with the federal government if you want federal work, and on the websites your local agencies use. Registering shouldn't cost you anything.

Federal work: register in SAM.gov

To bid on federal contracts, your business must complete a full registration in SAM.gov. You'll get a Unique Entity ID, which identifies your business to the federal government. A few things to know:

• Registration is free. The government never charges to register, update or renew.
• It can take up to 10 business days to become active, so don't leave it until you've found a bid.
• You must renew every 365 days to stay active.
• Getting only a Unique Entity ID, without the full registration, isn't enough to bid on federal contracts.
• Free help is available from APEX Accelerators, an official government program for small businesses.

Local work: vendor accounts

Each local agency, or the website it uses, has its own vendor registration. On the systems we checked, vendor accounts are free, though some sites also sell paid upgrades you don't need to bid. To sell to state agencies, register in MyFloridaMarketPlace: registration is free, but the state takes a 1% transaction fee from payments on state contracts. Sign up on the ones your local agencies use, choose the categories that match your trade, and turn on email alerts. Each agency's purchasing page says which system it uses.

What to have ready

• Your legal business name and address, exactly as they appear on your IRS records.
• Your tax ID (EIN).
• Bank account details, for federal registration, so you can be paid.
• A local business tax receipt. In Duval County, the Tax Collector issues it, and you need one if you sell goods or services to the public or work as an independent contractor. Other counties and cities have their own.
• Your state license, if your trade needs one. In Florida, electrical, air conditioning (HVAC) and plumbing contractors are licensed through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Janitorial work and mowing don't need a state license, but applying fertilizer or pesticide for pay needs certification from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
• A certificate of insurance. Many solicitations ask for general liability insurance and set minimum amounts.
• Workers' compensation, when Florida law requires it: construction businesses with one or more employees, and other businesses with four or more. Owners who are corporate officers or LLC members count toward those numbers, and can apply for an exemption. HVAC, electrical and plumbing work counts as construction. Many solicitations ask for proof of coverage or of your exemption.

Keep digital copies of your license, tax receipt and insurance certificate in one folder. Almost every bid asks for them, and having them ready saves hours.

With your registrations done and your documents ready, you're set up to bid. The next article walks through your first bid, step by step.