PlanetBids Vendor Registration Guide
PlanetBids is a procurement portal platform widely used by California and Western US local governments. Each PlanetBids-using agency has its own portal at agencyname.planetbids.com. Vendors register per portal.
Portal URL: https://planetbids.com
Who uses PlanetBids?
California cities, counties, school districts, special districts (water, sewer, transit), and some state agencies. Examples include the City of Los Angeles, San Diego County, Riverside, San Bernardino County, and many Bay Area cities and special districts.
178+ portals across California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and other Western US states. Heavy California municipal and special-district usage.
Registration steps
- Identify the specific PlanetBids portal for the agency you want to bid with.
- Click "Vendor Registration" on the agency's PlanetBids portal.
- Enter business name, NAICS or category codes (specific to that agency), and contact details.
- Verify email and complete profile.
- Subscribe to bid notifications for your category codes within that agency's portal.
Cost
Free for vendors at most agencies; some California municipalities charge a small annual fee ($25-$100) for vendor registration as a cost-recovery measure.
What to expect
Registration per agency is 15-30 minutes. PlanetBids portals use agency-specific category codes (not NAICS) so you need to select the right ones for notifications. Bid submission is typically electronic with PDF + Excel pricing sheets.
Tips
- Many PlanetBids agencies require electronic bid submission only. Confirm submission method before deadline.
- Pay attention to which PlanetBids agencies use Cooperative Purchasing — sometimes you can sell to one agency through another's contract.
- PlanetBids does not have a unified cross-agency search — aggregators like ProcureTap surface PlanetBids opportunities across multiple agencies.