North Dakota 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.
How to register as a North Dakota vendor
- Create or use an existing NDLogin account, the state's single sign-on user account.
- Open NDBuys and complete the Bidders List registration form with your identifying information, addresses, contacts and the email address that should receive solicitation notices.
- Select the commodity codes for the goods and services you sell so you get matching solicitation notices.
- Respond to solicitations posted in NDBuys, and keep your Bidders List profile current to keep receiving notices.
- If you win, check whether you must register with the ND Secretary of State and keep that registration active for the whole contract period; also register as a payee to be paid.
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 North Dakota's local agencies for you and emails the matches each morning.
Small business and certification programs
- Resident tie-bid preference (N.D.C.C. 54-44.4-05.1): When bids tie on price or evaluation score, a resident North Dakota bidder gets the award; the reciprocal preference law was repealed in 2023 (SB 2042), and the page lists no small business or veteran set-aside.
Federal set-asides work differently from state programs; see our guide to small business set-asides.
Cities, counties and school districts
State cooperative purchasing contracts can be used by eligible entities including cities, counties, townships, public education, tribal entities and public transit authorities; they find them in NDBuys by filtering on Cooperative Agreement.
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 North Dakota bid in one place.
Tips specific to North Dakota
- State agencies and institutions must use the Bidders List for Level 3 formal sealed purchases, so being registered under the right commodity codes matters for larger bids.
- Secretary of State registration is not required for everyone: sole proprietors using their own name, and out-of-state vendors shipping goods by common carrier, are among the listed exemptions.
- SPO contact: infospo@nd.gov or 701-328-4912; a Supplier Registration, NDBuys Navigation and Account Management quick reference guide is on the OMB site.
Open North Dakota bids with upcoming deadlines
See all 67 open North Dakota bids →
What North Dakota agencies are buying
Open North Dakota bids on BidsNexus right now, by category:
- Construction: 11 open
- Vehicles & Equipment: 7 open
- Environmental: 4 open
- Transportation & Logistics: 3 open
- Computer Hardware: 3 open
- Information Technology: 2 open
Next steps
- Register with the state (above) and, for federal work, in SAM.gov.
- Find your NAICS codes so you're matched to the right solicitations.
- Learn how to read an RFP quickly and make a bid/no-bid decision.
- Set up a free daily alert for North Dakota in your categories.
Sources
Checked against the state's official pages on September 23, 2026. Rules and portals change, so confirm details on the official site before you register or bid.
https://www.omb.nd.gov/doing-business-state
https://www.omb.nd.gov/doing-business-state/bidders/bidders-list-registration-and-maintenance
https://www.omb.nd.gov/doing-business-state/procurement/vendor-registration-guidelines
https://www.omb.nd.gov/doing-business-state/procurement/preference-laws
https://www.omb.nd.gov/doing-business-state/procurement/cooperative-purchasing