The State of California purchases a wide variety of goods and services ranging from pencils to temporary labor. In FY 2018, the state spent more than $10 billion on goods and services, with more than $3 billion with certified small businesses. The Procurement Division at the California Department of General Services (DGS) is the central purchasing authority for all state departments and local government agencies.
The State of California recognizes only two certifications: Small Business Enterprise (SB or SBE) and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE). There is also a new subsect of the SB certification for Public Works businesses, SB-PW that allows public works businesses a higher revenue limit to become certified as small.
Become a Vendor with the State of California
1. Get registered in the Cal eProcure database to do business with the State of California. All businesses are eligible to become vendors, regardless of size or location. For assistance, refer to the Cal eProcure Vendor Training page and this DGS Resources page.
2. Get certified through Cal eProcure to increase your opportunities with State agencies. Find out more about the SB, SB-PW, and DVBE certifications here.
3. Advanced: Apply for a California Multiple Award Schedules (CMAS) contract. CMAS is the state’s version of GSA schedules. Some local municipalities also use CMAS for purchasing.
More information is available at the DGS Procurement Division website. The State also organizes frequent outreach activities teaching businesses how to get registered and certified, often partnered with an APEX Accelerator.
NEW: Register in the SB/DVBE Emergency Registry. You must be a certified SB/DVBE and able to deliver on-demand emergency goods and services.
This APEX Accelerator is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the Department of Defense.
