Where do I find state and local government contract opportunities?

State and local government procurement is decentralized, requiring different strategies than federal contracting: **State procurement portals (examples):** - California: Cal eProcure - Texas: Electronic State Business Daily (ESBD) - Florida: MyFloridaMarketPlace - New York: NYS Contract Reporter - Each state has unique portal and procedures **Finding opportunities:** - Register with target state procurement systems - Monitor state vendor portals regularly - Check county and city procurement websites - Use aggregator services (paid and free) - Subscribe to public notice publications **Aggregator services:** - BidNet Direct - GovWin (Deltek) - Onvia - Various industry-specific services - Quality and coverage varies by service **Cooperative purchasing strategies:** - GSA Schedule: States can use with cooperative purchasing clause - NASPO ValuePoint: Multi-state cooperative contracts - U.S. Communities: Local government cooperative - Sourcewell: Education and government cooperative - E&I Cooperative Services: Higher education focus **Key differences from federal:** - Less standardized requirements - Often prefer local businesses - Different certification requirements - Varying payment terms and timing - Unique bonding and insurance requirements **Getting started:** - Focus on states where you have presence - Research state small business certifications - Understand state-specific preference programs - Consider reciprocity of certifications - Build relationships at state and local level