City Vendor Common Questions

A Supplier Portal is an online platform/system that allows businesses/vendors to interact with their suppliers in a more efficient and streamlined way. It serves as a central hub where suppliers can access key information. These portals are often used to improve communication and collaboration between a business and its suppliers, reducing administrative work and improving transparency.

• Create New Vendor Account → click here
• Create New Supplier Portal User ID Under An Existing Vendor Account → click here 
• Create New Vendor Account (City Employee) → click here
• Create a Bidder Account → click here

• Vendor account: Allows you to sign a contract or receive any form of payment from the City of Boston, including reimbursements or grant payments. Vendors can also respond to Invitations for Bid, Requests for Proposals and other procurement opportunities. You can register as an individual, business, or organization. It may take 2-3 business days for your account to be approved.
• Bidder: Only register as a Bidder if you need immediate access to bidding functions. If awarded a contract, you will need a Vendor account to sign the contract and receive payment from the City. Bidders are instantly active, but can only respond to the City’s Invitations for Bid, Requests for Proposals, and other procurement opportunities.

Yes! If you do not have a Tax ID/EIN please use your Social Security Number instead.

BUT, if you are a company located outside of the USA and you do not have an EIN, you will need to fill out a vendor application by clicking HERE. Once complete, please email this form to ap@boston.gov and attach a W9.

To locate your vendor ID, please reach out to Vendor Support at 617-961-1058 or at vendor.questions@boston.gov

Yes, you will need a vendor ID for reimbursements and a sidewalk deposit. To apply for a grant, you will not need a vendor ID BUT to be awarded the grant you will need a vendor ID. 

Please try clicking ‘forgot user ID’ followed by ‘forgot password’ on the Supplier Portal. If this does not work, please reach out to Vendor Support at 617-961-1058 or at vendor.questions@boston.gov

Please reach out to Vendor Support at 617-961-1058 or at vendor.questions@boston.gov with your user ID so we can unlock your account.

Please follow the directions attached → HERE,  to create a new user ID under an existing vendor account. If you do not have your vendor ID number, please reach out to Vendor Support at 617-961-1058 or at vendor.questions@boston.gov

To update your address on your vendor account please follow the directions attached here → HERE

Please send a filled out W9 to vendor.questions@boston.gov. In the body of the email, please request that you would like your vendor name changed and include the vendor ID number if possible.

To update your banking information for direct deposit/ACH, please follow the directions attached → HERE

Please email vendor support (vendor.questions@boston.gov) with this request. Include the email address you would like the purchase orders to be sent to.

To reactivate a vendor account, please email vendor.questions@boston.gov In the email please include a signed W9. In the body of the email, please request that you would like your vendor account reactivated.

If you are not an employee of the City of Boston, please choose 07- Non-employee Compensation.

Some changes will not be reflected on your vendor account right away. Various changes need to be approved by the Auditing Department. Please allow 2-3 business days to see the change on your vendor account. 

For steps on how to find the event you’ve been invited to please follow the directions attached here →  HERE

For steps on how to find the bid package and specifications please follow the directions attached here →  HERE

You can only revise your bid if the event is still open. If so, please follow the steps below.

1. Sign into your vendor account.
2. Click main menu → manage events and place bids → my event activity
3. Click the number next to ‘events bid on’
4. Choose the event you’d like to revise under ‘event ID’.
5. Click ‘view, edit, or copy from saved bids

The City of Boston is subject to City of Boston Code, Chapter 4, section 7, which is intended to ensure that persons and businesses supplying goods and/or services to the City of Boston deploy fair policies relating to the screening and identification of persons with criminal backgrounds through the Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) system. Vendors entering into contracts with the City must affirm that their policies regarding CORI information are consistent with the standards set by the City of Boston.

Please click the link to view the fillable CM-16 form → HERE

Please click the link to view the fillable CM-06 form → HERE

Please click the link to view a fillable contractor certification (CM-09) form →  HERE

Please click the link to view the fillable living wage forms for employees → HERE

For steps on how to add a contract signer please follow the directions attached here → HERE

For steps on how to sign and upload a contract please follow the directions attached here → HERE

The City prefers that contracts are digitally signed with Adobe Reader.

Please click here for a free download  → http://get.adobe.com/reader/

Please click this link to learn how Boston’s bidding process works → HERE

You can access the Supplier portal using any browser but we recommend you use Microsoft Edge. We also recommend you clear your cache and history. For directions how to do so please click → HERE

Under Massachusetts law, every person has a right to access public government records. Not all records are public, and you may need to pay a fee to get them. Please click → HERE to request a public record. 

There is no difference. Both words are interchangeable. 

To find this week and last week’s City Record click → HERE.

Please click this link to learn more about the FY26 Buying Plan → HERE

Please click here. Under the section ‘City Record Newsletter” please enter  your email address and zipcode.

Please view the ‘Get Your Business Certified’ page. If you have any questions, please reach out to businesscertification@boston.gov