Small business FAQs

How does SMUD define “small business?
SMUD defers to the California Department of General Services’ definition of a small business:

  1. Independently owned and operated
  2. Not dominant in its field of operation
  3. Principal office located in California
  4. Owners (officers, if a corporation) domiciled in California
  5. Including affiliates, be either,
    1. A business with 100 or fewer employees; an average annual gross receipts of $15 million or less, over the last three years;
    2. A manufacturer with 100 or fewer employees; or,
    3. A microbusiness; A small business will automatically be designated as a microbusiness, if gross annual receipts are less than $3,500,000; or the small business is a manufacturer with 25 or fewer employees.

For Small Business certification information, online registration or to request a certification packet please visit the DGS website at: : https://caleprocure.ca.gov/pages/sbdvbe-index.aspx.

Does my headquarters office need to be in SMUD territory?

Yes, your main office must be a SMUD ratepayer and this address must match the address on file with the DGS.

 

What if I am not a SMUD customer but I lease space in SMUD territory?
You may still qualify. Please reach out to our verification team at EBSS-help@smud.org.

 

How do I get certified as a Small Business through the Department of General Services (DGS)?
Certification is obtained through the California Department of General Services (DGS). For certification information, online registration or to request a certification packet please visit the DGS website at https://caleprocure.ca.gov/pages/sbdvbe-index.aspx.

 

How do I let SMUD know I am certified as a Small Business with the DGS?
When you complete or update your profile in our Electronic Bid Solicitation System (EBSS) you will enter your DGS certification number.

Please refer to the Doing business with SMUD overview for information on how to input your DGS number in the new Ariba portal.

Become a seed vendor

If I am a certified MBE/WBE, do I qualify for the SEED program?
No, SMUD only recognizes the CA Dept. of General Services certification. The SEED program provides incentives to Certified Small Businesses located in SMUD’s ratepayer territory.

How do I find SEED vendors?

If you are interested in working with SEED vendors, you can find them in the following way:

  • Step 1: See the Category List to determine the category for which you are seeking a SEED vendor
  • Step 2: Email a request for SEED vendors in your specified categories to SEED.mgr@smud.org

Will I receive a SEED certification document?

No. SMUD does not issue a formal certification; your vendor profile  in our Electronic Bid Solicitation System (EBSS) will reflect your SEED status as “verified.”

 

Does my SEED qualification expire?

Yes. Your SEED qualification aligns with your Small Business certification with the DGS. When your DGS certification expires, so will your SEED qualification.  If you are leasing space, your SEED verification period may be aligned to when your lease expires.

What is a Supplier Posting in EBSS?
A Supplier Posting tab is available in all solicitations posted in the EBSS. Interested vendors may use this area to post messages that may be viewed by other vendors viewing the same solicitation. Message example: “I am a SEED qualified vendor seeking to partner with a prime to bid on this contract.”

Please note: that this functionality is not available for solicitations (events) posted within the new Ariba portal (additional information on Ariba can be found here.

 

How do I register as a SEED Vendor?

The instructions below are for registering your business on the SMUD EBSS system. For information on how to register for new solicitations (events) on Ariba can be found here.

  1. Log onto www.bids.smud.org
  2. Click on “Register as a New User”
  3. Scroll to the bottom of the page and select “I Agree” or “I Do Not Agree”
  4. Under “User Information” enter your personal information. Make sure to enter your Department of General Services (DGS) Reference Number if you have one. Click “Save”. If you do not have a DGS reference number and would like to obtain one, please go to caleprocure.ca.gov/pages/index.aspx.
  5. The next screen will have a message “Registration confirmation. Thank you for registering”. Click on “Click here to login”. You must login with your ID and Password, in the gray banner on the left side of the screen.
  6. Then click on “Maintain Enrolled Categories/User Info” in the gray banner on the left side of the screen
  7. Click on the Manage Account tab and select the proper radio buttons and click “Save”
  8. Click on the tab Enrolled Categories. Select “Add/Maintain Categories.” You can click on “View all categories” to see all available selections.
  9. Select the High Level Category Group from the drop down menu and then the Low Level Category Group.
  10. You may select as many categories that are applicable to your business by changing the “High” and “Low” level categories. Be sure to click on “Add” once you’ve selected each category to add it to your profile. Once you’re done, click on “Save”. If you saved properly, you should receive a message “Categories Saved Successfully”.
  11. Click on “Close” on the top of the screen to return to the main menu
  12. Click on “Log Out’ in the gray banner on the left side of the screen to close your profile

 

Why am I not receiving email notifications of solicitations?
If you do not a receive email notifications of solicitations, your vendor profile may not be set up correctly. You must choose industry categories to identify the products and/or services offered by your company.

  • Log into your EBSS profile, click on “Maintain Enrolled Categories/User Info: in the gray banner on the left side of the screen
  • Click on the Manage Account tab and select the proper radio buttons and click “Save”
  • Next click on the Enrolled Categories tab and select “Add/Maintain Categories”
  • Select the High Level Category Group and then the Low Level Category Group from the drop down menu. You may select as many categories that are applicable to your business – be sure to click on “ADD” once you’ve selected each category and then click on “Save” and you should receive a “Categories Saved Successfully” message.
Please note that this functionality is not available for solicitations (events) posted within the new Ariba portal (additional information on Ariba can be found here. 

 

How do I register for a workshop or conference?
Visit our small business opportunities page to learn about our special events or visit smud.org/workshops to register for our upcoming classes and workshops.

How do I provide my goods or services to SMUD’s customers?
Interested in offering your customers SMUD financing and/or rebates? Download the Residential Equipment Efficiency Program Contractor Financing Application.

 

Why should I get certified?
Only certified small businesses can qualify for the SEED program and participate in Sheltered Market solicitations. Certified Small Businesses are included in the State’s Small Business Vendor Database and may receive invitations to bid from many other local agencies using the State’s database.

 

Who do I contact for assistance?

 

How can suppliers/bidders look for sub or prime contractors to work with?
Review our Category List and send an email identifying which category(s) you are seeking to one of the following email addresses.