New vendors

If you’re considering submitting a bid to do business with Metro, this page will tell you the most important things you need to know.

See information for existing Metro vendors

See additional information for small and disadvantaged businesses

How to bid on a Metro contract

Metro only accepts bids and supporting documents online, via the Supplier Portal. Follow these five steps to prepare and submit your bid:

1. Register as a vendor on the Supplier Portal.
2. Find an open bid solicitation you’re interested in.
3. Prepare your written bid.
4. Gather any additional supporting documents that are required for your bid.
5. Submit your bid and supporting documents via the Supplier Portal.

How to register as a vendor

You can register as a vendor on the Supplier Portal by following the steps below. Use the Supplier Portal on a computer, not a mobile device.

Go to the Supplier Portal

1. Click New Supplier Register.
2. From the Preliminary information page, select the option that best describes your bidder type (business or individual), then click Next.
3. On the User Account Setup page, enter your company name and other basic information, then click Next. Use UPPER CASE LETTERS for your company name.
4. On the Primary Address page, enter your company address, then click Next.
5. On the Other Account Addresses page, review your entered information for accuracy. Check the Invoice Address box if your company’s Accounts Receivable department has an address separate from the company’s main address, then click Next.
6. On the Address Contacts page, enter additional company addresses as necessary, then click Next.
7. On the Additional Classification Information page, enter your company’s Tax Identification Number (TIN).
   1. If you’re registering as a sole proprietorship, enter your Social Security number as your company’s TIN.
   2. If your business operates outside the United States, enter your Foreign TIN from your W-8BEN-E form.
8. Enter or look up your company’s NAICS code in the Standard Industry Code field. If you need to enter more than one code, click Add Row.
9. Answer the questions about your business ownership and income. If you are a qualified small business or disadvantaged business, a veteran, or disabled, you can specify that here. Then, click Next.
10. On the Categorization Information page, click the + to expand the Sell Categories folder, select the categories that best describe your organization’s bidding interest, and click Next.
11. On the Terms and Conditions page, agree to the terms, then click Finish to receive a registration confirmation. Check your email for the Supplier Portal URL and your user ID and temporary password.

How to find open bid solicitations

Open bid solicitations (often informally known by other terms, like procurement opportunities, requests for proposals, or requests for quotes) are your formal opportunities to submit competitive bids to provide products and services to Metro.

Bid solicitations are open for a specific period of time. There are precise procedures you need to use to bid, and we carefully adhere to a set of rules when we’re accepting and evaluating bids, to make sure our vendor selection is fair and serves the public interest.

See open bid solicitations

How to submit your bid

After you prepare your written bid, review the bid solicitation carefully on the Supplier Portal, and gather all the supporting documents you need to submit along with it. Then log in to the Supplier Portal and follow the steps below.

Go to the Supplier Portal 

1. Click View Solicitations and Bids, find your open bid solicitation in the search results, and click on its Solicitation ID to open the bid.
2. Review the bid information to make sure you have all the documents you need to submit.
3. Click Bid on Solicitation, and submit your bid and your supporting documents.

How to track your bid

Once your bid is submitted, you can track it on the Supplier Portal.