coloradovss vendor registration quick start guide

Vendor Registration Quick Start Guide

ColoradoVSS Help Desk 303-866-6464

[email protected] www.colorado.gov/VSS

ColoradoVSS Vendor Registration Quick Start Guide 1

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.

Screen shots used in this guide are for illustrative purposes only. Actual website experience may differ

from what is illustrated in this guide and may not be an actual representation of the current website.


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.

Section 1: Check for existing account

Index


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.

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Based on the search results:

• If your account HAS been found, please continue to Section 2.

• If your account has NOT been found, and you are a new U.S. vendor, continue to Section 3.

• If your account has NOT been found, and you are a new foreign vendor, continue to Section 4.

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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

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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.

• Action – Click on this link to create a User ID for the existing account.

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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.

Index


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.

Step 2.3.4: Proceed to Section 5 to review and update your account information.

Index


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.

Section 3: No existing account / New account registration for U.S. Vendors


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 3.3: Review the information on the Thank You! page and then click the Close Browser button to

exit from the application. Check your email for an email to continue with your account registration.

Index


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.

Index


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.

Note: If you have questions about how you should 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 submitting your question, click the Save and Close button to exit the application. For your

convenience, the information entered will be saved and will be accessible upon your return. Once you

receive an answer to your question from the ColoradoVSS Help Desk, you can log back on with your User

ID and Password and you will be at the place where you left off in the registration process.

Index


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.

Index


• 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.

• Select the “Yes” or “No” radio button for each of the Address Questions and then click the Next

button to continue.

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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.

Index


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.

• 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 in ColoradoVSS. (NIGP

services codes always start with a 9.)

Index


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.

Index


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.

• 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.

Index


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



Index

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.)

Section 4: No existing account / New account registration for Foreign Vendors (Located outside the U.S.)


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.

Index


Step 4.4: Open your email and click on the link provided to continue with the registration process.

Step 4.5: 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.

Index


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).

Index


• 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.

• You can specify the same address or different addresses for each of these 4 address types.

Index


• 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.

Index


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

State/Province field dropdown:

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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.



• You will receive automated email notices whenever solicitations for one of your selected

commodity codes is published.


Browse link to perform a search.



all products and/or services that you would be interested in bidding on. (NIGP services codes

always start with a 9.)

Index


Step 4.9.2: Click on the Add button under the Business Types section.



• 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



• 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.

Index


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.

Index


• 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.

Index




Index


Index

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.

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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.



• 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.


Browse button to perform a search.



all products and/or services that you would be interested in bidding on ColoradoVSS. (NIGP

services codes always start with a 9.)

Index


Index


Step 5.7: Review Business Types tab.



• 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



• Check the box for the appropriate business type(s) for your account and click on the OK button.

• Leave the certification fields blank and click on the Save button.

Index



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.

Index

COLORADO

www.colorado.gov/VSS

ColoradoVSS Help Desk | 303-866-6464 | [email protected]

Revised. 05/09/2014 Current revisions to this guide are made available at www.colorado.gov/VSS.

coloradovss vendor registration quick start guide

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