How to Become a City Vendor

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1. Find Opportunities

Look for information on current Invitations for Bid (IFBs), Requests for Proposals (RFPs), or Requests for Qualifications (RFQs). 

Information on current opportunities with the City of Jackson can be found in three places:

  1. The City of Jackson Website 
  2. The State of Mississippi Website 
  3. Central Bidding 

Please also subscribe to the City of Jackson's bid opportunities e-mail list by visiting the bid opportunities page.

 

2. Submit Bids or Proposals

After preparing your bid, proposal, or statement of qualifications, you may submit your documents to the City of Jackson in one of two ways: 

  1. Submit online: visit the Central Bidding website and submit your documents electronically. 
  2. Submit a hard copy: Mail or drop off your documents with the Municipal Clerk's Office as specified in the IFB, RFP, or RFQ. 

 

3. Register with the State of Mississippi

  1. Register online: Before you can work with a municipality in the State of Mississippi you must first register as a business with the Secretary of State's Office. You can register with the Secretary of State's Office online by visiting: https://www.sos.ms.gov/business-services-regulation 
  2. Maintain good standing: In addition to registering with the State of Mississippi, your business must be in good standing with the Secretary of State. You can look up your business' standing online by visiting: https://corp.sos.ms.gov/corp/portal/c/page/corpBusinessIdSearch/portal.aspx#clear=1 

 

4. Register as a Vendor with the City of Jackson

Register online by utilizing the City's Vendor Self Service platform: https://selfservice.jacksonms.gov/vss/Vendors/default.aspx 

To help vendors navigate the registration process, please use the registration guides created by the City:

  1. New Vendors: https://www.jacksonms.gov/documents/vendor-self-service-registration-guide-new-vendors/  
  2. Existing Vendors: https://www.jacksonms.gov/documents/vendor-self-service-registration-guide-existing-vendors/

**Existing vendors will need their Vendor ID # and SSN or FID # to complete the registration process. If you have forgotten your Vendor ID #, contact the Vendor Helpline by calling 601-960-1025 or by emailing vendorhelp@jacksonms.gov.**

 

5. Complete W-9 and Direct Deposit Forms

During the online registration process, vendors need to make sure they complete W-9 and direct deposit forms. These forms can be completed and attached as a part of the online application.

  1. W-9 Form: https://www.jacksonms.gov/documents/vendor-w-9-form/
  2. Direct Deposit Form: https://www.jacksonms.gov/documents/vendor-direct-deposit-form/ 

**Due to cybersecurity risks, vendors may not submit their direct deposit forms via email. They must be uploaded via Vendor Self Service. Vendors may also mail or drop off direct deposit forms in-person with the Purchasing Division. For further information, you may contact the Vendor Helpline by calling 601-960-1025 or by emailing vendorhelp@jacksonms.gov.**

 

6. Maintain Profile on Vendor Self Service

After registering as a vendor with the City of Jackson, vendors can use Vendor Self Service to maintain their business profiles online. Vendors can upload updated W-9 and direct deposit forms as needed; update business and mailing addresses; and view current and past purchase orders, contracts, invoices, payments, and 1099s.

 

7. Get Certified as a Minority Business Enterprise

After registering, please read through the guidelines for the City of Jackson’s EBO Program and determine if your office meets the necessary criteria to sign up for the City’s MBE Certification Program.   

  1. Equal Business Opportunity (EBO) Office: The mission of the Equal Business Opportunity Office (EBO) is to promote the inclusiveness of minority and female owned businesses within the city’s procurement process and to facilitate, via race and gender-neutral tools, the equitable awarding of contracts to minority and female business enterprises. For more information visit: jacksonms.gov/ebo/.
  2. Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Certification Program: To assist the EBO program in increasing minority participation, the City of Jackson created the Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Certification Program.  The purpose of the MBE Certification Program is to allow prime contractors to subcontract with MBEs. If you are a minority business enterprise (e.g., African Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans) or a female business enterprise that performs a commercially useful function (i.e., construction, architectural/engineering services, professional services, non-professional services, and goods/commodities/wholesale), we invite you to get certified as an MBE. To find out more information about the MBE Certification Program, please visit: https://jackson.diversitycompliance.com/Default.asp