Vendor Registration Quick Start Guide
ColoradoVSS Help Desk
Overview
This guide provides an overview for vendor registration in ColoradoVSS. This guide is useful for vendors who have not registered on ColoradoVSS or are unsure if they have registered.
ColoradoVSS is a website where companies and individuals are able to register and maintain vendor account information. Solicitations for goods and services as well as construction notices for State Agencies and State Institutions of Higher Education are published on ColoradoVSS. For more information on how to do business with the State of Colorado please refer to the ACCESSColorado program of the State Purchasing Office.
Index
Overview ... 1
Section 1: Check for existing account ... 2
Section 2: Existsing account registration ... 5
Section 3: No existing accoung / New account registration for U.S. Vendors ... 9
Section 4: No existing account / New account registration for Foreign Vendors ... 20
Section 5: Review and update account information……….32 Note: Grey highlighted words are direct links to help you navigate within this document.
Important tips
Avoid browser issues by using Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 8, 9 or 10 or Mozilla Firefox 10, and disable all pop up blockers.
Remember your ColoradoVSS User ID and Password after you create them as you will need them to log back into the website. User ID and Password fields are case sensitive.
In the website you may be presented with different login screens. Only bookmark www.colorado.gov/vss as your login page.
New accounts are not activated for award or payment by the State of Colorado until the information is verified with the Colorado Secretary of State and the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. Vendors will receive emails regarding their account status.
After registration keep your account updated with current information. Refer to Section 5 to learn how to review and update your account information. All account updates made in ColoradoVSS are pending until approved by the State of Colorado. Vendors will receive email notification regarding the status of their updates.
ColoradoVSS Vendor Registration Quick Start Guide 2 Step 1.1: Download all Forms available on the ColoradoVSS Home Page and then click on the Register
button to start the registration process.
Step 1.2: Carefully read the State of ColoradoVSS Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and then click on the Accept Terms button if you agree with all of the terms and conditions to continue the
registration process.
Step 1.3: Review the Registration Tips page.
• Click the Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) link to receive a free DUNS Number (optional).
• Download the ColoradoVSS Business Type Definition file from the Forms section of the home page if you didn’t do it in Step 1.1.
• Click the Next button to continue.
Step 1.4: The Search for Existing Account page helps you determine if you have an existing account. • To initiate the search process, you can search by Company or by Individual.
• Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TIN) are usually a business owner’s Social Security Number (SSN) or a company’s Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN).
• Enter the information in either the Company Search or Individual Search section and click on the Search button.
• If company account information is not found, complete a thorough search by individually searching by name and Taxpayer Identification Number before continuing.
ColoradoVSS Vendor Registration Quick Start Guide 4 Based on the search results:
• If your account HAS been found, please continue to Section 2.
In the examples below, EXISTING ACCOUNTS have been found: Example 1: A company account is found.
Example 2: An individual account is found.
Section 2: Existing account registration
ColoradoVSS Vendor Registration Quick Start Guide 6 When an existing account is found, you will see the links below. Select the link that best fits your needs.
Most likely, you will select the link described in Step 2.3 below. Step 2.1: Contact your Administrator link
• Explanation –A User ID has already been established for this account.
• Action – Click on this link to display the account contact information. Contact this person for assistance with accessing this account.
Step 2.2: Click to Continue Activation link
• Explanation – A user is in the process of creating an account, but has not completed the registration. The user can return at a later date to complete the process.
• Action – Click on the link to continue with the registration if you are the user who initiated registration or contact the ColoradoVSS Help Desk for assistance.
Step 2.3: Click here to activate your account link
• Explanation – The company or individual has done business with the State of Colorado in the past, but has not yet established an account.
Step 2.3.1: The Account Verification page will prompt you to enter information to authenticate you as a valid user for this account. Enter your US Taxpayer ID Number (TIN) to verify your account and click on the Submit button to continue.
Step 2.3.2: Complete all of the fields indicated with a red asterisk * on the My User Information page and click on the Next button to continue.
ColoradoVSS Vendor Registration Quick Start Guide 8 Step 2.3.3: Click on the Submit Registration button. The Thank You! page verifies that you have
completed the registration process and you will receive an email confirmation of your registration status.
Index
This section is a continuation from Section 1 for new U.S. vendors only. (Foreign vendors should skip this section and go directly to Section 4.)
In the example below, no account has been found. You can click on the New Registration button to create a new U.S. account.
Step 3.1: Complete all of the fields indicated with a red asterisk (*) on the My User Information page and then click on the Next button to continue.
ColoradoVSS Vendor Registration Quick Start Guide 10 Step 3.2: You will be prompted to verify the email address that you entered on the previous page.
Confirm that your email address is correct and then click the Next button to continue. A confirmation email will then be sent to your email address.
Step 3.4: Open your email and click on the link provided to continue with the registration process.
Step 3.5: After you click on the link you will be transitioned to an activation login page. Enter the User ID and Password that you created and click the Login button.
ColoradoVSS Vendor Registration Quick Start Guide 12 Step 3.6: Select the US TIN Type for your account and then select the Classification that applies to your
business or individual vendor account. Click the Next button to continue.
Note: If you select the first TIN Type option, be sure to also select whether you have a SSN, ITIN, or ATIN.
Step 3.7: The next step is the My Business Information page. A few fields on this page will be pre-populated by answers you provided on the previous page. The fields with red asterisks (*) are required to move forward. However, if any of the other fields are applicable to you, we suggest you fill them in.
• Select the “Use My TIN Number” option from the Verify My Locations by dropdown list under the Location Verification section.
• Enter your Location Web Address and also enter your DUNS Number from D&B in the Ordering DUNS field under the Organization Information section (if applicable).
• Enter your company Legal Name or individual First Name/Last Name, Alias/DBA (if applicable) and select your desired option from the Name on Check dropdown list under the Legal Name Information section.
• Enter your Taxpayer ID Number in the 1099 TIN Information section. • Complete the Legal (1099) Address Information section.
ColoradoVSS Vendor Registration Quick Start Guide 14 • Click on the Next button to continue.
o PLEASE NOTE: Do not enter any discount information in the Discount Information section located under this tab.
NOTE: IF YOU RECEIVE AN ERROR STATING THAT YOUR TAXPAYER ID NUMBER ALREADY EXISTS FOR ANOTHER ACCOUNT IN THE SYSTEM, SELECT THE CANCEL REGISTRATION BUTTON AND CONTACT THE ColoradoVSS HELP DESK FOR ASSISTANCE. YOUR VENDOR ACCOUNT MAY ALREADY BE REGISTERED OR IT MAY NEED TO BE UNRESTRICTED.
Step 3.8: You entered your Legal address in the previous step. In this step, the ColoradoVSS will ask you questions regarding 4 additional types of addresses on the Add Business Location – Address
Information Questionnaire page.
• ColoradoVSS collects an address for Ordering from you and an address for sending Payments to you, an optional address for Administrative correspondence, and an optional address for Billing you if you owe fees or other payments to State of Colorado.
• You can choose the same address or different addresses for each of these 4 address types. • All accounts must have at least 1 active Payment address and 1 active Ordering address.
The 3 Address Questions above are labeled A, B, and C in this example. Here is a short explanation for each question.
A. If your Legal Address is the same address as any one of the additional four address types (Administrative, Ordering, Payment, and Billing) then choose “Yes” on A. Otherwise, choose “No”.
B. Regardless if you choose “Yes” or “No” on A above, if your Administrative, Ordering, Payment, and Billing addresses are all the same address, choose “Yes” on B. Otherwise, choose “No”. C. If you want a single contact person for all four address types, choose “Yes” on C. Otherwise,
choose “No”.
Below is an example of what the Addresses and Contacts page will look like if you answered “Yes” to all of the previous questions. Complete your address and contact information and then click the Next button. If you answered “No” to the second or third questions then you will be transitioned to a series of pages to collect information for each of the address types.
• Enter Phone under the Address Information section.
• Enter Principal Contact name, Phone, and Email and select the “Email” option from the Correspondence Type dropdown list under the Contact Information section.
• Select the Next button to continue.
ColoradoVSS Vendor Registration Quick Start Guide 16 Step 3.9: The Additional Business Information page allows you to add information for your vendor
account related to Solicitation commodity code notifications and business type options for reporting.
Step 3.9.1: Click on the Add button under the Commodities section.
• ColoradoVSS utilizes commodity codes from the National Institute of Government Purchasing (NIGP) for the procurement of both goods/products and services.
• Click on the Add Items button to select commodity codes relevant to your account. • You will receive automated email notices whenever solicitations for one of your selected
commodity codes is published.
• Enter a keyword in the Commodity Description with asterisks *around* it and click on the Browse button to perform a search.
• Check the box for your desired commodity codes and click on the OK button.
Step 3.9.2: Click on the Add button under the Business Types section.
• The State of Colorado collects business type information to comply with Federal and State reporting requirements.
• Use the Next button to navigate through all of the available business type options. • Use the ColoradoVSS Business Type Definitions file posted to the Forms section on the
ColoradoVSS Home Page (and on the Registration Tips page) for detailed information to help you complete this section.
• Check the box for the appropriate business type(s) for your vendor account and click on the OK button.
• Leave the certification fields blank and then click on the Next button to continue.
ColoradoVSS Vendor Registration Quick Start Guide 18 Step 3.10: The Registration Summary page displays all of the information that you have entered during
registration for you to review.
• If you determine that any of your vendor account information is incorrect you can click the Update Information link for the appropriate section to navigate back to correct your information.
• Click on the Print This Page button to print of your registration information. • Click on the Submit Registration button to complete the registration process.
Step 3.11: To review your account information, go to the ColoradoVSS Home Page, enter your User ID and Password and click on the Login button.
Step 3.12: Review your Account Summary tab.
• Save your Vendor Code and use it on all of your correspondence with the State of Colorado. • Your Vendor Status will be “Inactive” until your account information has been verified. • Your EFT Status will be “N/A” unless you complete and return the EFT Authorization Form
available on the ColoradoVSS Home Page.
Step 3.13: Go to the Business Opportunities tab to review solicitations.
Index
If EFT payment is desired, please work with the department that has accepted your bid to set up EFT payments information
ColoradoVSS Vendor Registration Quick Start Guide 20 This section is a continuation from Section 1 for new foreign vendors only.
(This section does not apply to U.S. vendors.)
In the example below, no existing account has been found. You can click on the New Registration button to create a new foreign vendor account.
Step 4.1: Complete all of the fields indicated with a red asterisk (*) on the My User Information page and then click on the Next button to continue. (International telephone number formats may be used.)
Step 4.2: You will be prompted to verify the email address that you entered on the previous page. Confirm that your email address is correct and then click the Next button to continue. A confirmation email will then be sent your email address.
Step 4.3: Review the information on the Thank You! page and then click the Close Browser button to exit registration. Check your email for an email from ColoradoVSS to continue with your account registration.
ColoradoVSS Vendor Registration Quick Start Guide 22 Step 4.4: Open your email and click on the link provided to continue with the registration process.
Step 4.6: For TIN Type select the “I do not have any of the above forms of Taxpayer identification” option and for Classification select the “Foreign Business Entity” option. Click the Next button to continue.
Note: If you have questions about how to answer any of the registration questions, click the Submit Question button at the bottom of the page to send a message to the ColoradoVSS Help Desk. After you submit your question, click the Save and Close button to exit the application. The information that you entered will be saved and made available upon your return. Once you receive an answer to your question from the ColoradoVSS Help Desk, you can log back in with your User ID and Password and you will return to the place where you left off in the registration process.
Step 4.7: The next step is the My Business Information page. A few fields on this page will be pre-populated by answers you provided on the previous page. The fields with red asterisks (*) are required entries. However, if any other fields are applicable to you, we suggest you entering the information.
• Select the “Create My Own” option from the Verify My Locations by dropdown list under the Location Verification section and then enter the Vendor Verification Based on, Vendor Verification Password and Confirm Verification Password fields.
• Under the Organization Information section, enter your Foreign Tax ID and select a W-8 Form option. Also complete the Location Web Address field and enter your DUNS Number from D&B in the Ordering DUNS field (if applicable).
ColoradoVSS Vendor Registration Quick Start Guide 24 • Enter your company’s Legal Name and Alias/DBA (if applicable) and select your desired option
from the Name on Check dropdown list under the Legal Name Information section. • Foreign vendors should skip the 1099 information sections.
• Click on the Next button to continue.
o Note: Do not enter any discount information for your account under the Discount Information section.
Step 4.8: In this step, you will be asked questions regarding 4 additional types of addresses on the Add Business Location – Address Information Questionnaire page.
• ColoradoVSS collects an address for Ordering from you, an address for sending Payments to you, an optional address for Administrative correspondence, and an optional address for Billing you if you owe fees or other payments to State of Colorado.
• All accounts must have at least 1 active Payment address and 1 active Ordering address. • Select the “Yes” or “No” button for each of the Address Questions and then click on the Next
button to continue.
Below is an example of what the Addresses and Contacts page will look like if you answered “Yes” to all of the previous questions. Complete your address and contact information and then click the Next button. If you answered “No” to the second or third questions then you will be transitioned to a series of pages to collect information for each of the address types.
• Enter Street 1, City, State/Province, Zip/Postal Code, Country and Phone under the Address Information section. (International telephone formats may be used.)
• Enter Principal Contact name, Phone, and Email and select the “Email” option from the Correspondence Type dropdown list under the Contact Information section. (International telephone formats may be used.)
• Select the Next button to continue.
ColoradoVSS Vendor Registration Quick Start Guide 26 Note: Canadian vendors will have their provinces listed in the State/Province dropdown in this section
with an identifier of CA (ex: CA-Alberta). If you are not a Canadian vendor, your province will not be in the State/Province field dropdown. If this is the case, locate the selection that displays your country followed by the words “Province Not Found” (ex: India Province not Found) and you will be contacted after completing registration to have this information added to your records. If your country is not listed in the “Country” dropdown, select the ME-Province Not Found option from the “State/Province” dropdown along with the Missing Entry- Country not found entry from the Country dropdown
Country field dropdown:
Step 4.9: The Additional Business Information page allows you to add information for your vendor account related to Solicitation commodity code notifications and business type options for reporting.
Step 4.9.1: Click on the Add button under the Commodities section.
• ColoradoVSS utilizes commodity codes from the National Institute of Government Purchasing (NIGP) for the procurement of both goods/products and services.
• You will receive automated email notices whenever solicitations for one of your selected commodity codes is published.
• Enter a keyword in the Commodity Description with asterisks *around* it and click on the Browse link to perform a search.
• Check the box for your desired commodity codes and click on the OK button.
• Perform multiple searches and select the 3 and/or 5 digit commodity codes that best represent all products and/or services that you would be interested in bidding on. (NIGP services codes always start with a 9.)
ColoradoVSS Vendor Registration Quick Start Guide 28 Step 4.9.2: Click on the Add button under the Business Types section.
• The State of Colorado collects business type information to comply with Federal and State reporting requirements.
• Use the Next link to navigate through all of the available business type options. • Use the ColoradoVSS Business Type Definitions file posted to the Forms area on the
ColoradoVSS Home Page (and on the Registration Tips page) for detailed information to help you complete this section.
• Check the box for the appropriate business type(s) for your vendor account and click on the OK button.
Step 4.10: The Registration Summary page displays the information you entered during registration for your review.
• If any of your vendor account information is incorrect you can click the Update Information link for the appropriate section to navigate back and correct your information.
• Click on the Print This Page button to print your registration information. • Click on the Submit Registration button to complete the registration process.
ColoradoVSS Vendor Registration Quick Start Guide 30 • The Thank You! page verifies you have completed the initial registration process and displays
your new VSS Vendor Code. You will also receive a confirmation email.
Step 4.11: To review your vendor account information, go to the VSS Home Page, enter your User ID and Password and click on the Login button.
Step 4.12: Review your Account Summary tab.
• Save your VSS Vendor Code and use it on all of your correspondence with the State of Colorado. • Your Vendor Status will be “Inactive” until your account information has been verified.
• Your EFT Status will be “N/A” until after you complete and return the EFT Authorization Form available on the ColoradoVSS Home Page.
Step 4.13: Go to the Business Opportunities tab to review solicitations.
ColoradoVSS Vendor Registration Quick Start Guide 32 Step 5.1: To review and update your account information, go to the ColoradoVSS Home Page, enter
your User ID and Password and click on the Login button.
Step 5.2: Review Account Summary tab.
• Save your Vendor Code and use it on all of your correspondence with the State of Colorado. • If your EFT Status = “N/A”, you may complete and return the EFT Authorization Form available
on the form section of the ColoradoVSS Home Page.
Section 5: Review and update account information
Step 5.3: Review My Business Information tab.
• Click the Update button to enter Ordering DUNS (D&B DUNS Number) and Location Web Address under the Organization Information section if applicable.
NOTE: DO NOT ENTER ANY DISCOUNT INFORMATION IN THE DISCOUNT INFORMATION SECTION LOCATED UNDER THIS TAB.
Step 5.4: Review Addresses & Contacts tab.
• Click the View/Update link to access existing address information for your account.
• Click the Assign/Create Addresses & Contacts button to add a new address and/or contact for your account.
• All accounts must always have at least 1 active Payment address and 1 active Ordering address.
ColoradoVSS Vendor Registration Quick Start Guide 34 Step 5.5: Review Account Users tab.
• Click the Add button to optionally setup additional users for your account.
Step 5.6: Review Commodities tab.
• ColoradoVSS utilizes commodity codes from the National Institute of Government Purchasing (NIGP) for the procurement of both goods/products and services.
• Click on the Add Items button to select commodity codes relevant to your account. • You will receive automated email notices whenever solicitations are published with the
commodity code(s) that you have selected.
• Enter a keyword in the Commodity Description with asterisks *around* it and click on the Browse button to perform a search.
• Check the box for your desired commodity codes and click on the OK button.
ColoradoVSS Vendor Registration Quick Start Guide 36 Step 5.7: Review Business Types tab.
• The State of Colorado collects business type information to comply with Federal and State reporting requirements.
• Click on the Add Items button to indicate the business type(s) relevant to your account. • Use the Next button to navigate through all business type options.
• Use the ColoradoVSS Business Type Definitions file posted to the Forms section on the ColoradoVSS Home Page (and on the Registration Tips page) for detailed information to help you complete this section.
Step 5.8: Go to the Business Opportunities tab to review solicitations.
ALL ACCOUNT UPDATES MADE IN ColoradoVSS ARE PENDING UNTIL APPROVED BY THE STATE OF COLORADO. VENDORS WILL RECEIVE EMAILS REGARDING THE STATUS OF THEIR UPDATES.
