sb-getstart.doc

Let’s Get Started!

1. Can My Business Participate? Determine Your Eligibility The first thing you need to do is determine if your business is eligible to participate in the program. Use the checklist below.

Any entity, including all of its affiliates combined, is eligible to participate in the Small Business Purchasing Program if that entity, exclusively through Comm-PASS SmartBid, accepts the participation agreement and attests to meeting all program criteria below, as applicable:

· has its principal place of business in Massachusetts;

· has been in business for at least one year;

· currently employs a combined total of 50 or fewer full-time equivalents in all locations;

· has gross revenues as reported on the appropriate IRS tax form of $15 million or less, based on a 3-year average; and, EITHER

· for any entity attesting to Business Type “For-Profit”:

· is organized under the laws of the Commonwealth or is properly registered to do business in the Commonwealth; and

· is independently owned and operated.

OR

· for any entity attesting to Business Type “Non-Profit” (i.e. 501(c)):

· is registered as a nonprofit or charitable organization with and up to date on its filings with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office; and

· is tax-exempt under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, i.e. organized and operated exclusively for exempt purposes set forth in section 501(c) and none of its earnings may inure to any private shareholder or individual.

If you have checked off all the boxes above and you have been in business for at least one year, you can participate!

2. How Do I Enroll? Declare Your Eligibility and Participation

If your company is eligible you can make an informed decision about when to enroll in SmartBid. SmartBid is an online service which provides subscribers with a custom desktop to track opportunities of interest, automatic email notifications for all procurement postings which match your Areas of Interest, a Business Directory listing to advertise your company, online response capability for paperless bidding, and more.

My SBPP-eligible company is new to Comm-PASS SmartBid

Navigate to www.comm-pass.com, select the Join tab, and follow the SmartBid Subscribe options. When you agree to participate and your company meets SBPP-eligibility criteria, your company will appear in the Business Directory with an SBPP value of Yes.

My SBPP-eligible company already has an active Comm-PASS SmartBid account

To declare SBPP-eligibility and agree to participate, login to SmartBid, select My Profile, select Edit Contact Information and update all information including the SBPP Eligibility and Agreement. Select the Save option, and your company appears in the Business Directory with an SBPP value of YES!

3. How Do I Effectively Participate in the SBPP? Training If your company is eligible and you understand when to expect opportunities, you can make a decision about when to enroll in training. Access Detailed SBPP training information.

4. When Can I Expect Activity? Understand State Buying Cycles The next thing you need to do is determine when opportunities can be expected. Review the information below.

The state’s fiscal year starts July 1 and ends June 30. Executive Department purchasing activity usually begins after the close of the prior fiscal year’s accounts payable period in August.

5. What’s Next? Compete through SmartBid

As an SBPP-eligible company, you know it takes a lot of effort to compete, to survive and to thrive in today’s marketplace. Here are two additional tools we strongly encourage you to use.

The Comm-PASS Resource Center

Select the RESOURCE CENTER tab from the Comm-PASS main navigation bar to access a wealth of information including FAQ’s and step-by-step guides. Topics range from Comm-PASS SmartBid features to public purchasing laws. All information is presented in straightforward, non-technical, non-legal language!

The OSD Helpdesk

Don’t spend precious time on frustration or confusion! Email our Help Desk at comm-pass@state.ma.us. Our goal is to respond to all messages received between (:00am and 5:00pm Monday through Friday and typically respond within the same day.