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Vendor Registration Frequently-Asked Questions

 

Question Answer
Why does state government buy from vendors? West Virginia state agencies sometimes procure goods or services that cannot be manufactured or performed internally, or are not cost efficient to do so.  Increased competition for state orders amongst vendor community and bulk-buying power of the state results in lower price for goods and services.  Also, in rare instances, state agencies may find themselves in an emergency situation, where life and property is at risk, and may be authorized to solicit a private-sector solution immediately.
   
I am logged into the Vendor Self-Service portal at wvOASIS.gov, but I cannot find where I can pay be registration fee online. To renew your $125 registration fee online, please follow these steps:

In your VSS portal, in the "Account Summary," scroll until you see a "Click here to renew vendor registration fees" hyperlink.  Click it.

Please enter and submit the required fields and your credit card information in the West Virginia State Treasurer's Office online ePay portal.

For detailed instructions on how to renew your registration fee, click here for illustrated material in PDF format.

In addition, the wvOASIS agency recommends vendors using the Vendor Self-Service portal not be connected to any type of Virtual Private Network (VPN).  According to their communication with the Purchasing Division, using the portal while logged into a VPN may cause certain areas of the portal to not function properly.
How often do I have to register with the West Virginia Purchasing Division in order to participate in the competitive bid process? Registration is in effect for one year.
How do I know when it is time to renew my company’s vendor registration? Vendors may check their registration expiration date through the Vendor Self-Service portal.  As of August 2015, reminder letters are sent to the vendor’s contact person at the default Ordering address via U.S. mail approximately 60 days prior to expiration.
How do I add a branch if my company is already registered? Vendors may add an address to their vendor/customer record through the Vendor Self-Service portal at wvOASIS.gov.  Vendors may also submit a completed Vendor Registration & Disclosure Statement and Small, Women, & Minority-Owned Business Certification (WV-1) in order to add their branch.  A second annual fee is not required if a branch sharing the same tax identification number has already paid for the year.
Where do I send my Vendor Registration & Disclosure Statement and Small, Women, & Minority-Owned Business Certification form? Since the launch of the wvOASIS Vendor Self-Service portal in June 2014, the preferred method for vendors updating or renewing their registration with the West Virginia Purchasing Division is to do so online through the Vendor Self-Service portal.  If you are unable to access this system, as an alternative, the Purchasing Division will accept a WV-1 form, which must be sent directly to the West Virginia Purchasing Division.  WV-1A forms must be sent to the requesting state agency’s procurement officer for completion of Part II before being sent to the West Virginia Purchasing Division.
How can I pay the $125 annual vendor registration fee? The perferred method of payment is through the Vendor Self-Service portal at wvOASIS.gov.  Alternatively, if registering with the WV-1 form, acceptable forms of payment include check, money order, U.S. currency (in exact change), or by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover).  Currently ACH payments are not accepted.
What if my company name or tax identification number changes? A new WV-1 form or online VSS registration must be completed and submitted.  If the tax identification number changes, the vendor will be assigned a new vendor/customer number.
When can I start doing business with the State of West Virginia and participating in the competitive-bid process? Vendors are responsible for checking the West Virginia Purchasing Bulletin in Vendor Self-Service at wvOASIS.gov for bid opportunities as well as marketing their commodities and services directly to state agency procurement officers for purchases of $50,000 or less.
How can I view bids submitted to the West Virginia Purchasing Division, request a bid package, or view projects currently out for bid? This information is available on the West Virginia Purchasing Division’s web site at http://www.state.wv.us/admin/purchase/bidinfo.html.  In addition, information about previously-awarded contracts can be found in the West Virginia Purchasing Division's online Transparency section.
Where can I find a central location for vendor-related information? The West Virginia Purchasing Division’s Vendor Resource Center is designed as an informational resource for vendors.
Can the Purchasing Division provide an invoice to my company for the $125 vendor registration fee? No.  Because the annual vendor registration fee is not a bill, we do not provide any invoice related to this fee.  If your company is properly registered in Vendor Self-Service with email contact information provided, you should receive an electronic renewal notice that may be helpful for meeting any internal need for documentation.  In addition, as of August 2015, a reminder letter regarding vendor registration renewal should be sent to your company via U.S. mail that may also be retained as internal documentation related to your payment of this fee.  If requested through Purchasing.VendorRegistration@wv.gov, a vendor registration status letter can be provided as well.
How do I find my Dun & Bradstreet D-U-N-S ® Number? Please visit the external website https://www.dnb.com/duns-number/lookup.html for more information as well as a lookup tool for vendors.

 


Small, Women-, and Minority-Owned Businesses Frequently-Asked Questions

Question Answer
How often do I need to update my SWAM certification? SWAM certification must be updated every two years.  It is the responsibility of the SWAM vendor to update prior to the expiration to ensure no interruption in the SWAM status.
How will I know when my SWAM certification has been reviewed and my status? Once the Vendor Registration & Disclosure Statement and Small, Women, & Minority-Owned Business Certification has been received and reviewed, those vendors designating a SWAM status will receive a letter from the West Virginia Purchasing Division.  This letter will notify the vendor if the SWAM certification has been approved or denied.  If approved, the effective date and the type of designation will be included in the letter.  SWAM vendors may also check the West Virginia Purchasing Division’s website at http://www.state.wv.us/admin/purchase/VendorReg.html, which will list all approved SWAM vendors.
Is there a vendor preference for SWAM certified vendors? In accordance with West Virginia Code §5A-3-37(a)(7), a non-resident vendor certified as a small, women or minority-owned business by the West Virginia Purchasing Division may be eligible for a preference equal to highest preference awarded to a resident vendor when bidding on the same solicitation.
Can my application for SWAM certification be denied?

In accordance with the Code of State Rules, the Purchasing Director may deny certification for any of the following reasons:

The Purchasing Division determines that the applicant fails to meet the standards for certifications;

The applicant fails to furnish the Purchasing Division with requested information within the allotted time;

The applicant knowingly provides false or misleading information to the Purchasing Division;

The applicant has been debarred from participating in any government procurement process; or

The applicant has been suspended from participating in any government procurement process.

Will I be notified when my SWAM certification is ready to expire? The vendor is responsible for knowing when its SWAM certification expires and taking the appropriate steps to renew its certification.  Your company's SWAM certification status can be viewed online in Vendor Self-Service.
Will state agencies know my business is SWAM certified? Effective 7/1/2012, the West Virginia Purchasing Division will post a list of all certified small, women and minority-owned businesses at http://www.state.wv.us/admin/purchase/VendorReg.html.  State agencies will utilize this site to determine certified SWAM vendors and their effective date of certification.
Does the Vendor Registration & Disclosure Statement and Small, Women, & Minority-Owned Business Certification that I completed prior to July 1, 2012, when the official SWAM certification began, allow my business to qualify for SWAM certification now? No.  To ensure that the vendor is properly certified with the West Virginia Purchasing Division as a small, women- and minority-owned business, the vendor must complete the revised (as of 07/25/2023) Vendor Registration & Disclosure Statement and Small, Women, & Minority-Owned Business Certification and note its SWAM designation.
Will I have to pay the annual $125 vendor registration fee if I only am registering for SWAM designation to be used in other states? No.  If a vendor does not receive purchase orders exceeding $5,000 from the State of West Virginia, the vendor would complete the Vendor Registration & Disclosure Statement and Small, Women, & Minority-Owned Business Certification (WV-1A) and not be required to pay the annual fee for vendor registrationf.

 


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