Procurement Portal Guides

The portals where government buys.

Every government sale starts with a registration: SAM.gov for federal, SmartBuy for Texas, eProcure for California. Each guide gives you the exact steps, the real fees, and the mistakes that stall first-time vendors.

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CaliforniaCal eProcureCalifornia awarded $15.04B in state contracts in FY2024-25. Register free on Cal eProcure, certify for the 5% small business preference, and bid the SB/DVBE set-aside lane.Fee: Free (registration and all certifications)Setup: Same day online; certification up to 30 daysFloridaMyFloridaMarketPlaceRegistering in MyFloridaMarketPlace is free. The transaction fee is 0.7% through June 30, 2027, and every solicitation over $35,000 posts in the Vendor Information Portal, not the retired VBS.Fee: Free (0.7% transaction fee on payments)Setup: About an hour, plus a 1-hour syncNew YorkNYS Contract ReporterNew York advertises state procurements here, free. The threshold jumped to $150,000 in May 2026, and certified MWBEs and SDVOBs can be awarded work discretionarily up to $1,500,000.Fee: Free (account, eAlerts, Business Registry)Setup: Minutes online; Vendor ID via your agencyFederalSAM.govThe federal government obligated $793B on contracts in FY2025. SAM.gov registration is free, takes up to 10 business days, and is required before you can submit an offer.Fee: Free (registration, UEI, and renewal)Setup: Up to 10 business days to become activeTexasTexas SmartBuyTexas state agencies spent $35.8B on procurement in FY2024. This guide gets you registered on the CMBL for $70, watching live bids on the ESBD, and in front of 1,600+ local buyers.Fee: $70/year (CMBL)Setup: About 1 hour online

Explore More Resources

Dive deeper into government contracting with our complete resource library.

How to Sell to the Government

The zero-to-bidding guide: SAM.gov registration, NAICS and PSC codes, set-asides, and where federal and state opportunities actually post.

Free Tools

8 interactive tools: readiness quiz, scorecard, set-aside calculator, NAICS finder, capability statement builder, and more.

Blog

Actionable strategies for winning federal contracts — from SBIR proposals to competitive intelligence.

Agency Guides

How to sell to every major federal agency — DoD, NASA, DHS, VA, and more.

State Guides

How to sell to all 50 state governments. Eligibility, registration, certifications, and bidding rules.

Procurement Portals

Register where government actually buys: SAM.gov, Texas SmartBuy, Cal eProcure, and more. Real fees and timelines.

NAICS Codes

NAICS deep-dives with the March 2023 SBA size standards, FY2025 federal spending, and the top buying agencies per code.

PSC Codes

The other code on every federal contract. What each product service code covers, FY2025 obligations, and the NAICS crosswalk.

GovTech Glossary

24 essential government contracting terms explained in plain language.

Help Center

Guides for getting started with Outrider — company profiles, opportunities, and intelligence reports.

Explore Topics

Deep dives into procurement, compliance, funding, and government technology.