PlanetBids Vendor Registration Guide
PlanetBids is a procurement portal platform widely used by California and Western US local governments. Each PlanetBids-using agency has its own portal at agencyname.planetbids.com. Vendors register per portal.
Portal URL: https://planetbids.com
Who uses PlanetBids?
California cities, counties, school districts, special districts (water, sewer, transit), and some state agencies. Examples include the City of Los Angeles, San Diego County, Riverside, San Bernardino County, and many Bay Area cities and special districts.
178+ portals across California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and other Western US states. Heavy California municipal and special-district usage.
Registration steps
- Identify the specific PlanetBids portal for the agency you want to bid with.
- Click "Vendor Registration" on the agency's PlanetBids portal.
- Enter business name, NAICS or category codes (specific to that agency), and contact details.
- Verify email and complete profile.
- Subscribe to bid notifications for your category codes within that agency's portal.
Cost
Free for vendors at most agencies; some California municipalities charge a small annual fee ($25-$100) for vendor registration as a cost-recovery measure.
What to expect
Registration per agency is 15-30 minutes. PlanetBids portals use agency-specific category codes (not NAICS) so you need to select the right ones for notifications. Bid submission is typically electronic with PDF + Excel pricing sheets.
Tips
- Many PlanetBids agencies require electronic bid submission only. Confirm submission method before deadline.
- Pay attention to which PlanetBids agencies use Cooperative Purchasing — sometimes you can sell to one agency through another's contract.
- PlanetBids does not have a unified cross-agency search — aggregators like ProcureTap surface PlanetBids opportunities across multiple agencies.
Common questions about PlanetBids
What is PlanetBids?
PlanetBids is a vendor bid management system used primarily by California and Western US local governments (cities, counties, special districts) to publish RFPs and receive electronic bid submissions. Each agency runs its own separate PlanetBids portal.
How do I find all PlanetBids opportunities?
There is no single cross-agency PlanetBids search. Each of the 178+ PlanetBids-using agencies has a separate portal. Either register on each portal individually, or use an aggregator like ProcureTap that indexes PlanetBids bids across all portals.
Is PlanetBids only in California?
PlanetBids is heaviest in California but also covers agencies in Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and other Western US states. The company was acquired by Euna Solutions in 2023.
Does PlanetBids charge vendors?
Most PlanetBids agencies do not charge vendors. A handful of California municipalities charge $25-$100/year for vendor registration as cost-recovery. The platform itself is paid for by the agency, not the vendor.
What are PlanetBids category codes?
Each PlanetBids agency uses its own category (commodity) code system — usually a customized version of NIGP codes rather than NAICS. You must select the right codes on each portal to receive bid notifications matching your services.