How to do Business with the City of Jackson
1. Register as a Vendor
Start by registering as a vendor with the city through the Vendor Self Service (VSS) platform: https://selfservice.jacksonms.gov/vss/Vendors/default.aspx
- VSS Guide for NEW vendors: Click here.
- VSS Guide for EXISTING vendors: Click here.
2. Enroll in Direct Deposit
In addition to registration, vendors should enroll in Direct Deposit. Direct Deposit ensures a more predictable and efficient payment process by enabling the City to make electronic fund transfers to vendor bank accounts.
- Direct Deposit for NEW vendors: new vendors can sign up for Direct Deposit during the VSS registration process. Vendors need to complete and attach the Direct Deposit Form at the end of the VSS application.
- Direct Deposit for EXISTING vendors: after completing the VSS registration process, existing vendors need to go into the document management section of VSS. Vendors then need to complete and attach the Direct Deposit Form in their VSS profile.
3. Equal Business Opportunity Office (EBO) & Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Certification Program
After registering, please read through the guidelines for the City of Jackson’s EBO Program and determine if your office meets the necessary criteria to sign up for the City’s MBE Certification Program.
Equal Business Opportunity (EBO) Office
The mission of the Equal Business Opportunity (EBO) Office is to promote the inclusiveness of minority and female owned businesses within the city’s procurement process and to facilitate via race and gender-neutral tools, the equitable awarding of contracts to minority and female business enterprises. To find out more about the City of Jackson’s EBO Office, please visit: https://www.jacksonms.gov/ebo/
Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Certification Program
To assist the EBO program in increasing minority participation, the City of Jackson created the Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Certification Program. The purpose of the MBE Certification Program is to allow prime contractors to subcontract with MBEs. If you are a minority business enterprise (e.g., African Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans) or a female business enterprise that performs a commercially useful function (i.e., construction, architectural/engineering services, professional services, non-professional services, and goods/commodities/wholesale), we invite you to get certified as an MBE. To find out more information about the MBE Certification Program, please visit: https://jackson.diversitycompliance.com/Default.asp
4. Find Opportunities
Once you have completed all registration requirements, we welcome you to look for current and upcoming business opportunities. Invitation for Bids (IFB), Request for Proposals (RFP) and Request for Qualifications (RFQs) can be found online in 3 different locations:
You may also reach out to departments within the City of Jackson to determine if they have any other upcoming business opportunities that may not be advertised to the general public.
5. Submit Bids
Once you have located a business opportunity, submit your bid or proposal through the online portal found on Central Bidding or in hard-copy form, as specified in the solicitation documents for the IFB, RFP or RFQ.
