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.
While OpenGov offers a wealth of training and vendor resources for how to respond to solicitations, submit questions via the solicitation portal, register, etc., we also encourage vendors interested in doing business with the county to attend pre-solicitation meetings for posted projects where available. Attending these meetings will ensure all parties have and understand the information needed to ask questions or submit their proposals or bids in OpenGov.
If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected].
Some of the eligible goods and services which can be provided by certified vendors are listed below:
Appliances
Architect
Animals Sheltering
Audio Visual
Books/Book Software
Bridges/Roads
Building/Construction
Catering
Chemicals
Climate Control
Computers
Computer Hardware
Computer Software
Concrete/Masonry
Consulting Services
Electrical
Electronics
Emergency Services
Energy/Utilities
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.
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.
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
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.
The mission of Escambia County government is to provide efficient, responsive services that enhance our quality of life, meet common needs and promote a safe and healthy community.
Under Florida law, IP addresses and both the content of emails and email addresses are public records. If you do not want your IP address and the content of your email or your email address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in person.