Guide
Selling IT to New York City
How small tech firms win New York City IT contracts: City Record Online, PASSPort, the Procurement Policy Board rules, small purchases and micropurchases, and M/WBE certification.
New York City is one of the largest public buyers in the US. Dozens of city agencies buy software, IT services, hardware and support, and many of those purchases are small enough for a firm of a few people. The rules are detailed, but they are published and the same across agencies.
Where NYC tenders are posted
- City Record Online (CROL) is the searchable edition of the City Record, the city's official journal. Agencies publish solicitation notices, award notices and public hearings there. It is the best single place to see what the city is buying.
- PASSPort is the city's procurement portal, run by the Mayor's Office of Contract Services (MOCS). Many solicitations are released, answered and submitted there, and it is where vendors enrol and file their disclosures. Some opportunities can be browsed publicly; you need an account to respond.
A notice on City Record Online usually tells you where to get the documents and how to submit. Follow its instructions, not habit.
Get set up in PASSPort
Before you can win a city contract you need a PASSPort account for your firm. Expect to:
- Create the account and enrol your business.
- Pick the commodity codes for what you sell, so agencies can find and invite you.
- Complete the vendor disclosures about your firm's ownership, principals and history. These replaced the old paper VENDEX questionnaires and are used when agencies decide whether you are a "responsible" vendor.
- Keep your disclosures up to date. An out-of-date filing can delay an award.
Do this before a deadline you care about, not during it.
The Procurement Policy Board rules
The Procurement Policy Board (PPB) sets the rules most city agencies must follow when they buy. They are published in the city's rules (Title 9 of the Rules of the City of New York). The main methods are:
| Method | How it works |
|---|---|
| Competitive sealed bid | Award to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder |
| Competitive sealed proposal (RFP) | Award on best value, weighing technical quality and price |
| Small purchase | A simpler, faster process for contracts under a set value |
| Micropurchase | The smallest purchases, which agencies can make with little or no competition |
| Negotiated acquisition, sole source and others | Used in specific circumstances set out in the rules |
The PPB has changed the small purchase and micropurchase limits several times in recent years, and state law also affects them. Check the current limits in the PPB rules on the MOCS website before you plan around a number.
Agencies also buy through citywide requirements contracts and other governments' contracts, so some IT spending never appears as an open tender.
Small purchases and micropurchases
These are the most realistic route in for a small firm:
- Micropurchases can be bought directly from a vendor. Agencies often use them for software subscriptions, small fixes and short pieces of work. Reaching agency staff directly matters here.
- Small purchases usually require the agency to ask several vendors for quotes. Agencies may solicit vendors from the city's small purchase bidders list, which is drawn from PASSPort enrolment, so your commodity codes count.
- There is also a non-competitive small purchase method for certified M/WBEs, which lets agencies buy from them without a full competition up to a set limit.
M/WBE certification
The city's Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) program is certified by the Department of Small Business Services (SBS). Certification is free. It puts you in the city's online directory, counts towards agencies' and prime contractors' M/WBE goals, and opens the M/WBE small purchase method above. SBS also certifies other groups, such as emerging business enterprises. Check eligibility rules and documents with SBS.
Who buys IT
- The Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI) runs much of the city's shared technology and buys for it.
- The Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) buys many goods centrally, including some hardware.
- Individual agencies buy their own services and systems, so watch notices from the agencies whose work you know.
Some public bodies in the city, such as the school system and city-affiliated authorities, may follow their own procurement rules and portals. Check each buyer's rules.
StackBid reads City Record Online for open IT and software solicitations and lists them daily alongside other US tenders. For the wider picture, see selling IT to government in the US, selling IT to local government and US small business set-asides.
Common questions
Where are New York City tenders posted?
City agencies publish procurement notices in the City Record, searchable on City Record Online. Many solicitations are then run through PASSPort, the procurement portal of the Mayor's Office of Contract Services.
Do I need a PASSPort account to bid on NYC contracts?
For most city procurements, yes. PASSPort is where vendors enrol, file disclosures and respond to many solicitations. Set it up and complete your disclosures before you need to bid.
Who certifies M/WBEs in New York City?
The Department of Small Business Services (SBS) certifies Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises for the city. Certification is free and can open faster small purchase routes with city agencies.