What it is

eVA is the Commonwealth of Virginia's eProcurement marketplace, operated by the Department of General Services (DGS). According to eVA, it is used by all Virginia state agencies, colleges and universities, as well as many local governments. For a founder, it is the main front door to selling goods or services to Virginia public buyers.

What it offers founders

Registered suppliers get placed on bidders lists and receive email or fax notifications about business opportunities that match their commodity codes. The public side of the site lets anyone search Virginia Business Opportunities (VBO), open construction solicitations, future procurements, awarded construction contracts and Government to Government (G2G) opportunities. eVA also publishes transparency tools, including public spend reports, a supplier list and a search of orders, suppliers and contracts, which can help you see who buys what you sell and which vendors already hold contracts. It links to statewide contract listings, mandatory sources, IT contracts managed by VITA and non-IT contracts managed by DGS.

  • Opportunities: VBO, VIBE, future procurements and construction solicitations
  • Research: spend reports, supplier list and contract search
  • Learning: supplier training materials and a supplier outreach calendar

How to register

eVA states that registration is free to join. The Register Now page walks suppliers through the online registration form and a New Supplier Registration Guide. You will need to identify your NIGP commodity codes, and after registering you attach a signed Commonwealth of Virginia Substitute W-9 in your account. eVA notes registration is not complete until the W-9 is received. A printable paper registration packet is available for those with limited internet access.

The I Sell To Virginia page explains purchasing thresholds: small purchases are $100,000 and under, with single quotes allowed at $10,000 and under, while purchases over $100,000 require a sealed solicitation. It also points to SWaM (Small, Woman-owned and Minority-owned) certification through the Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity, which eVA describes as an important part of defining yourself when doing business with Virginia.

Getting help

eVA offers supplier training materials, an outreach calendar of supplier events and a customer care page for login and account issues.

Why it matters in the DMV ecosystem

Virginia state and local government is a large buyer, and eVA is where much of that buying is posted. Founders in Northern Virginia and across the region who sell products or services that government uses can register once, set accurate commodity codes, and start receiving relevant solicitations, while using the spend data to plan which agencies to approach.