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Help with the supplier portal

Having trouble using our online supplier portal? You can find some helpful resources and tips on common issues here.

Our online supplier portal can save you time and money. The online portal makes the bid process a lot easier and faster for everyone. You can even sign up to get emails whenever a new bid in your job field opens.

We created a guide for registering and entering bids online. We still accept paper bids by mail and in person if you don't want to use the online system.

USING THE PORTAL

You have to register to use our online portal. You can still look at bid documents without registering, but you can't submit bids through the portal. To start the registration process, click the "Access Supplier Portal" link on the online supplier portal page.

You can register multiple users under one company, with different preferences for each.

OTHER PROGRAMS YOU MAY NEED

You don't need to download any special software to use the portal, but you may need to use Microsoft Excel for some bids. If you're awarded a job, you'll need to download a free version of Adobe reader to view and add an electronic signature to your contract.

TROUBLESHOOTING

Please note: user IDs and passwords are case sensitive.  If you forgot your password, click on the “forgot my password link” on the login page. Once you enter your user ID, we'll send a password reset link to your email. You can use the same process if you forgot your user ID by clicking the “forgot user ID” link.

If you get an error message when you try to upload a document, check the length of the file name. The system won't accept names longer than 64 characters. This character limit includes the file type — like  “.doc” or “.pdf” — at the end of the file name.

SUBMIT YOUR BID ON TIME

You have to give us your bid within the timeline, whether it’s online or on paper. The Event Coordinator reviews online and paper bids. They may enter all the paper bids into the online system, or just compare the online and paper bids. We invite all bidders to attend the public bid openings.

Supplier Portal Resources

We take most project bids through our online supplier portal. Below are resources in case you're having trouble learning how to use it.

Read an overview of the portal

Look through our training program PDF to learn about portal features and benefits.

VISIT OUR COMPUTER STATION

We set up a computer station at our office to help vendors switch over to the new online system. There are two computers available to enter bid information. Please note: you can only use these computers to bid on projects with the City.

If you want to use the computer station, please visit us at:

Purchasing Department
1 City Hall Square, Room 808
Boston, MA 02201
Office hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

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