How do I register as a vendor in Maryland?

Register on eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA) (https://emma.maryland.gov/). Use the New Supplier Register Now link on the eMMA home page to create a vendor account.

How to Bid on Government Contracts in Maryland (2026 Guide)

Maryland buys through a central state purchasing office, and its cities, counties and school districts buy on their own as well. To sell to the state you register once as a vendor, then watch for solicitations in your commodity codes and respond by the deadline. This page covers the state registration steps, where bids are posted and the programs that help small businesses, with links to the official pages.

Central purchasing officeMaryland Department of General Services (administers eMMA)

Vendor registrationeMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA)

Where bids are postedeMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA), Public Solicitations (https://emma.maryland.gov/page.aspx/en/rfp/request_browse_public); eMMA posts bid opportunities and awards for state agencies and many counties and local municipalities.

Open bids right now488 open Maryland bids (101 closing this week, 116 new in the last 7 days)

How to register as a Maryland vendor

Use the New Supplier Register Now link on the eMMA home page to create a vendor account.
Once registered, receive notices of bid opportunities, submit bid responses online, and view bid results online in eMMA.
If eligible, complete the Certified Small Business (Small Business Reserve and Small Business Preference) self-certification and/or the Veteran-Owned Small Business Enterprise certification inside eMMA.
Re-certify Small Business Reserve status every year in eMMA.

Registration gets you on the state's list, but it rarely sends you every relevant bid. Many agencies, and most local governments, post on their own portals. A free BidsNexus alert watches the state portal and Maryland's local agencies for you and emails the matches each morning.

Small business and certification programs

Small Business Reserve (SBR), part of Certified Small Business certification: Free self-certification in eMMA for businesses meeting state small business standards, renewed yearly; 66 agencies must spend at least 15% of procurement with qualified small businesses.
Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Program: The state goal is 29% of each agency's procurement dollars through prime or subcontract participation by certified MBEs.
Veteran-Owned Small Business Enterprise (VSBE) Program: Certified veteran-owned small businesses are targeted for at least 1% of the total dollar value of procurement contracts; certification is done in eMMA.

Federal set-asides work differently from state programs; see our guide to small business set-asides.

Cities, counties and school districts

eMMA is used by Maryland state agencies as well as many counties and local municipalities, and it lists bids from state, county and local government entities. Which specific counties or school systems use it was not confirmed on the pages checked.

Local bids are where most small businesses win their first contracts: smaller dollar values, shorter responses and less competition from national firms. BidsNexus collects them into one list, so you can browse every open Maryland bid in one place.

Tips specific to Maryland

There is no cost to participate in the Small Business Reserve program; vendors attest to eligibility in eMMA and must re-certify annually.
eMMA support: emma.helpdesk@maryland.gov.