Bonfire Vendor Registration Guide
Bonfire is a cloud procurement platform that government agencies use to issue RFPs, manage evaluations, and award contracts. From a vendor's perspective, Bonfire is a registration-once-per-agency system — each Bonfire-using agency has its own vendor portal at agencyname.bonfirehub.com.
Portal URL: https://gobonfire.com
Who uses Bonfire?
Bonfire is one of the most popular cloud procurement platforms among US cities, counties, and special districts. Notable users include the City of Atlanta, Calgary, Cambridge MA, Iowa state agencies, multiple Texas cities, and many Canadian provinces.
146+ government organizations including cities, counties, school districts, hospitals, and state agencies across the US and Canada.
Registration steps
- Identify the specific Bonfire portal for the agency you want to bid with (each has its own URL).
- Click "Register as a Vendor" on that agency's Bonfire portal.
- Enter business name, contact information, NAICS codes, and certifications.
- Verify your email and complete the profile.
- Repeat the registration on each agency's Bonfire portal you want to bid with — there is no single cross-agency Bonfire registration.
Cost
Free for vendors. The agency pays Bonfire license fees.
What to expect
Per-agency registration is fast (15-30 minutes). The platform supports bid notifications, document downloads, and electronic bid submission. Bid submissions through Bonfire are timestamped automatically; no late submissions are accepted.
Tips
- Use ProcureTap to discover Bonfire opportunities you would otherwise miss — many agency-specific Bonfire portals don't advertise widely.
- Bonfire opportunity notifications work, but they require registration per agency. Aggregators provide cross-portal coverage.
- Bonfire stores all bid documents and addenda in one place per opportunity — check the portal for the latest version before submitting.
Common questions about Bonfire
What is Bonfire used for?
Bonfire is a cloud e-procurement platform that government agencies use to publish RFPs, RFQs, and ITBs, receive vendor bids electronically, and manage evaluation scoring. Vendors use it to view opportunities, download solicitation documents, ask questions, and submit responses.
Is Bonfire free for vendors?
Yes. Bonfire is always free for vendors — the government agency pays the software license. There is no subscription fee to register or bid on Bonfire.
Do I have to register on every Bonfire portal separately?
Yes. Bonfire is multi-tenant: each agency has its own portal (e.g., cityofatlanta.bonfirehub.com). Vendor accounts do not carry across agencies. Register once per Bonfire agency you want to bid with.
How do I find Bonfire bid opportunities?
Bonfire itself does not have a central search. You can either register on each Bonfire portal individually and subscribe to their bid alerts, or use an aggregator like ProcureTap that indexes bids across 146+ Bonfire agencies plus other portals.
Is Bonfire the same as OpenGov procurement?
No. Bonfire (gobonfire.com) and OpenGov (opengov.com) are separate procurement platforms. OpenGov acquired ProcureNow in 2020 and merged it with their platform. Bonfire remains an independent Canadian company, though both compete for the same agencies.