Purchasing

How to Become a Vendor with the City of Jackson

1. Find Opportunities

We welcome you to look for current and upcoming business opportunities with the City of Jackson. Current Invitation for Bids (IFB), Request for Proposals (RFP) and Request for Qualifications (RFQs) can be found online in 3 different locations:

• The City of Jackson Website 
• The State of Mississippi Website 
• Central Bidding 

Even if you don't find existing opportunities, you may still subscribe to the City of Jackson's bid opportunities e-mail list. This will alert you when new opportunities arise. Visit the Bid Opportunities page to subscribe.

You may also reach out directly to departments within the City of Jackson to determine if they have any other upcoming business opportunities that may not be advertised to the general public.

2. Submit Bids 

Once you have located a business opportunity, you can submit your bid or proposal through the online portal found on Central Bidding. You may also submit your bid or proposal in hard copy form to the Municipal Clerk's Office as specified in the solicitation documents for the IFB, RFP or RFQ.  

3. Register as a Vendor 

Before a vendor can be awarded a purchase order or contract by the City of Jackson, they must register with the City of Jackson. Vendors can register online using the Vendor Self Service platform: selfservice.jacksonms.gov/vss/ 

After registering on the platform, vendors can then use Vendor Self Service to update their information on-demand. They can also view and monitor current and past purchase orders, contracts, invoices, and 1099s.

To help vendors navigate the registration process, they can use the attached guides:

• New Vendors: If you are a new vendor to the City of Jackson, follow the attached guide (click here) to help you navigate the registration process on Vendor Self Service.
• Existing Vendors: If you are an existing vendor with the City of Jackson, but you would like to use the Vendor Self Service platform, you may follow the attached guide (click here) to help you navigate the registration process on Vendor Self Service. As an existing vendor, you will need your Vendor ID # and either your 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

4. Enroll in Direct Deposit 

During the registration process, vendors should also enroll in direct deposit. The direct deposit system ensures a more predictable and efficient payment process, enabling the City to make electronic fund transfers to vendor bank accounts.     

• New Vendors: new vendors can sign up for direct deposit during the registration process on Vendor Self Service by completing and attaching the Direct Deposit Form at the end of the online application. 
• Existing Vendors: after completing the Vendor Self Service registration process, existing vendors need to go into the document management section of their profile and upload a complete Direct Deposit Form.

5. Equal Business Opportunity Office (EBO) & Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Certification

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.   

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. To find out more about the City of Jackson’s EBO Office, please visit jacksonms.gov/ebo/.

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