New York government bids for small agencies
Where New York, its cities and counties post their bids, how to register, and the open ones that suit a small web, software, video or marketing agency right now.
Open right now (4)
- Marketing agency of record, SUNY Niagara Pro
- Enrollment marketing services, University at Albany Pro
- Communications firm for NY's reparations commission Pro
- Build NY Health Dept.'s Lead Rental System Pro
Where New York posts its bids
- State bids
- New York State Contract Reporter (NYSCR). New York's official site for state procurement: all state agencies, authorities, state universities and public benefit corporations advertise bid opportunities of $150,000 or more here, and many municipalities and schools also post. Searching ads is open; a free account is needed for the site's resources and email alerts.
- Register as a vendor
- NYSCR free account (free). An account gets you daily e-Alert emails for ads that match your opportunity profile (categories, location, ad type). An expanded registration adds your company to the Business Registry that agencies and prime contractors search.
- Technology buying
- Office of Information Technology Services (ITS) - Procurement. ITS lists its competitive and discretionary procurement opportunities and posts intent-to-award notices for discretionary purchases of $50,000 to $150,000. OGS also runs centralized statewide contracts.
- Small business certification
- Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) certification - Division of Minority and Women's Business Development, Empire State Development. State MWBE certification helps position certified firms for government contracting opportunities; applications and recertifications go through the Empire State MWBE Hub. Service-disabled veteran-owned business (SDVOB) certification is run separately by OGS.
- Free bid coaching
- Monroe County - Upstate New York APEX Accelerator: the state's APEX Accelerator helps small businesses with registrations and proposals at no cost.
Big city, county and agency buyers
Each of these runs its own bid page, and most want you registered in their system too.
| Buyer | Bid page | Runs on |
|---|---|---|
| City of New York | Open bids | PASSPort (city's own system) |
| Suffolk County | Open bids | Bonfire |
| Nassau County | Open bids | own website (CivicPlus bid postings) |
| Erie County | Open bids | own website |
| Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) | Open bids | own website |
Good to know
- State agencies, authorities, state universities and public benefit corporations must advertise bid opportunities valued at $150,000 or more in the NYS Contract Reporter. source
- All NYS Contract Reporter services, including bid notifications, are free; you register to sign up for alerts. source
- ITS posts intent-to-award notifications for discretionary procurements between $50,000 and $150,000. source
- The MTA says it spends over $7 billion a year on procurement and encourages inquiries from small businesses. source
Before you bid
Registering takes time, so do it before you find the perfect bid: how to get registered, and how to write a capability statement (with a free template).
Checked 2026-11-07 against the official sites linked above. Portals and fees change; the official page always wins.