One way to gain more information about issues affecting state government buyers is to frequently review the web sites, journals and newsletters of buyer and purchasing associations. Some associations also provide a number of other valuable resources, such as manuals and directories. As a starting point, we have included a sampling of information on the major national associations. In this section, for your convenience we've listed the front page from each web site to give you a flavor of the kinds of information available to vendors. It's often a good idea to familiarize yourself with the policy and operating guidelines for each agency you wish to do business with.
Many states have purchasing guidelines which are available on their web sites.
These guidelines can provide you with the purchasing rules and state statutes which apply to their dealings with you, the vendor. We've included a sample one from the State of Idaho Purchasing Department to give you an idea. Please note, that laws and regulations vary tremendously from state to state. Check out the state's vendor manual for a step by step guide to the process. Manuals explain the rules that apply to the submission of your proposals, whether unsolicited proposals are allowed or even legal, whether there are preferences given to businesses located within the state, how to apply to supplier and other vendor lists, etc.