Getting Started with PennBid
(For Projects Over $25,000)
Many Delaware County projects over $25,000 are advertised and managed through PennBid, an online bidding system used by counties, municipalities, and public agencies across Pennsylvania.
Registering on PennBid is free and usually takes about 15–20 minutes.
Step 1: Create Your PennBid Account
To begin, visit the PennBid portal and select the Register option. You’ll enter basic information such as your name, business name, and email address. After submitting the form, PennBid sends a confirmation email to continue the setup process.
If you don’t see the email right away, it may land in your spam or junk folder.
Step 2: Confirm Your Account and Set a Password
From the confirmation email, you’ll be prompted to finish setting up your account. This includes creating a password that meets PennBid’s security requirements and confirming your contact information.
Once this step is complete, you’ll be able to move forward with your vendor profile.
Step 3: Add Business Information
Next, PennBid asks for basic details about your business, such as:
- Business address and phone number
- A short description of what your company does
- A primary contact person
You can update this information later if anything changes.
Step 4: Choose Commodity Codes
Commodity codes help PennBid match your business with relevant bid opportunities. You’ll select codes that describe the products or services you offer. Think of commodity codes like labels or tags. When an opportunity is posted, the system looks at these tags to notify you which services are a good fit.
A good practice is to:
- Start with broad codes that clearly fit your work
- Add or refine codes over time as you learn the system
You must select at least one commodity code to complete registration. You don’t need to memorize the codes or understand the numbering system. When registering, you’ll typically search by keyword (for example, “design,” “catering,” or “landscaping”) and select the codes that best match your services.
Step 5: Set Notification Preferences
During registration, you’ll also choose the locations where you want to receive bid notifications. For Delaware County opportunities, vendors typically select Pennsylvania as their state.
Keeping email notifications turned on helps ensure you don’t miss new projects that match your services.
Step 6: Registration Complete
Once all steps are finished, your registration is complete. You can then log into PennBid to:
- View open opportunities
- Download bid documents
- Submit questions and proposals when applicable
Need More Detail?
This overview explains the registration process at a high level. For step-by-step instructions with screenshots, refer to the official PennBid Vendor Registration Guide.
You can also access all PennBid/Vendor Training Resources by clicking here: https://pennbid.net/vendor-training-documents/.
Get Help
PennBid provides technical support for registration and account issues. (610-693-4769 or support@gobonfire.com)