HOW TO BECOME A VENDOR

To become a SMART vendor means to participate in the procurement process.  SMART is committed to the concept of full and open competition.  In order to meet this commitment, SMART must bridge the gap between the unique requirements of SMART and the exact suppliers of those requirements.  The identification of discrete suppliers is an ongoing and repetitive process, which must be accomplished quickly and precisely.  

SMART utilizes the NIGP Commodity/Service Code to precisely identify suppliers.  THE NIGP Commodity/Service Code was developed by the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing and has become the standard for public purchasing.  The code is a set of numbers, which numerically identifies the goods and services SMART buys.  Using the code allows SMART to maintain a database of potential “business partners”, vendors who have the potential to provide goods or perform services on behalf of SMART.  SMART’s Procurement Department relies upon the database of registered vendors as the first and primary source for purchasing opportunities.  

Potential business partners simply register with SMART at any time.  A mandatory step in the registration process is the selection of commodity codes.  You should select each and every commodity code that would identify all of the goods or services that your firm could provide to SMART.  SMART’s Purchasing Agents search among the register vendors using the commodity codes to compile the contact list for every solicitation. 

To register, fill out the vendor registration application and follow the simple, step-by-step instructions.