Escambia County encourages local, small, women-owned, and minority-owned businesses to register as vendors with the county. Businesses registered on OpenGov have an immediate advantage in acting on any advertised bid solicitations that fit the description of their business. There is no cost to register as a vendor on OpenGov. Once you have registered, you will be able to monitor the online board or receive notifications for various project opportunities available for bidding, requests for proposals, or requests for quotes.

If you have questions, please contact purchasing at purchasing@myescambia.com.

Some of the eligible goods and services which can be provided by certified vendors are listed below:

Small Business Enterprise Initiative

Escambia County adopted a Small Business Enterprise Ordinance in July 2014  to establish a Small Business Enterprise program with the purpose and intent of providing the maximum opportunity for increased participation of qualified small businesses in the county’s procurement processes.  Information on the SBE Initiative and application form are available here. 

Vendor Training Opportunities 

The Office of Purchasing has established a training guide for new businesses to register in OpenGov. You can download this training guide here.  You can also stop by the Office of Purchasing or contact one of our procurement experts for additional training. 

Vendor Registration - Classifications & Commodity Codes

New vendors will need to create a free vendor account with OpenGov. This is a free account and the email you use to register will be the email used to receive notifications when new projects are posted. It's important to verify that you're selecting the appropriate small business classifications if applicable. This is a self identification system, and while not required we do encourage vendors to upload any appropriate certifications to their vendor profile.   Register as a vendor with Escambia County here.  

While completing your vendor registration you will be asked to enter a NIGP commodity code. Since the vendor notification system utilized by the Office of Purchasing is commodity-driven, the selection of the correct commodity codes is extremely important to ensure you receive the appropriate notifications for your line of business.   View a list of commodity codes and commodity class items here. If you are unsure of which commodity code your line of business would fall under or need assistance please contact the Office of Purchasing at 850-595-4980. 

Read related ordinances:
Sec. 46-110
Sec. 46-111
Sec. 46-112

New to Government Contracts?

Florida Apex Accelerator is a great resource for local small business to utilize for support on understanding Government Contracts &  government contracts.  This program will assist with solicitation review as well as Sunbiz & Sam.Gov registration, most importantly, there is no cost to small businesses to receive these services.  Visit https://flapex.org/ to learn more & get in touch with your area representative.