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WEBS Vendor FAQ

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Help! Why am I having problems logging into WEBS?

If you receive an Invalid Account/Login Failed or Specified User Account Invalid error message, take the following steps to correct the issue

  1. Verify that you are attempting to log into the correct site:
  2. Verify that you are using the correct password. If uncertain, reset the password using the “Forgot My Password?” link on the login screen
    1. Click the Forgot My Password link
    2. Enter your email address; check your SPAM folder if the message isn’t received within a few minutes
    3. Check your email account for a link to change your password.
    4. Click the link to enter a new password. The password reset link is active for 24 hours, beyond that timeframe - you will you need to click Forgot My Password link again.
    5. Follow the on-screen directions to update your password (must be at least 8 characters long and consist of a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters)
  3. If you are still unable to login, do not use the “Forgot My Password?” link again. Instead, contact us for help at (360) 902-7400 or WEBSCustomerService@des.wa.gov.

What if I am not receiving email from the system?

  • Many email systems include a feature to filter out 'spam' or junk email. If you are not receiving messages from WEBS, check your spam or junk mail folders.
  • Add WEBSCustomerService@des.wa.gov to your safe senders list to to ensure that you are receiving important messages (temporary password, bidding opportunity, award notification, etc.)
  • Settings vary by email service provider. Contact your Internet service provider (ISP), or on-site IT group if applicable, if you need assistance.

How do I find the bidding opportunity I am looking for?

When you receive an automatic bid notification email from WEBS you can read the solicitation by taking the following steps:

  1. Login to WEBS at: https://pr-webs-vendor.des.wa.gov/.
  2. Click Search Opportunities.
  3. Click the radio buttons next to My Commodity Codes and My Counties
  4. Click SEARCH.
  5. The bidding opportunity should be listed in the next screen.

Sometimes, a government user doesn’t correctly list their bidding opportunity. When this happens, vendors get a notification but the solicitation isn’t there when the search method described above is used. When this happens, you can search for the solicitation by taking the following steps:

  1. Login to WEBS at: https://pr-webs-vendor.des.wa.gov/.
  2. Click Search Opportunities.
  3. Click the radio buttons next to All Commodity Codes and All Counties.
  4. Below the radio buttons, you will see a drop-down menu called Filter by Government Organization. Select the name of the organization that posted the bidding opportunity. You can find the name of the posting organization in the bid notification email.
  5. Click SEARCH.
  6. The bidding opportunity should be listed in the next screen.

If you still cannot locate the bidding opportunity, please contact us at 360-902-7400 or WEBSCustomerService@des.wa.gov.

How do I change my account administrator information?

You may need to change the contact information for your WEBS account administrator. This is a simple change that we can do for you. Send an email to WEBSCustomerService@des.wa.gov with the following information:

  • Company name
  • Previous administrator name if known
  • New administrator name
  • New administrator email address
  • Reason for the change

Once we have updated your account, we will send you a confirmation, along with login credentials. Due to record keeping policy, we will not make this change over the phone. If you have any questions about this process, please contact us at 360-902-7400 or WEBSCustomerService@des.wa.gov.

Will government organizations be required to use this system for all their notification purposes?

Effective July 26, 2009, all state agencies are required to use WEBS for any solicitation that is above the informal bid limit. Many other public agencies, including city and county governments, higher education institutions, school districts and others, are also using the system voluntarily.

How often do I have to update my account?

Vendors should update their account any time essential company information, such as contact names, changes. Updating your data regularly will help guarantee that you receive bid notifications without any problems. We may require that you update your company information on an annual basis – including checks of your spam filter settings.

Commodity Codes | How do I find the category of goods and/or services that I provide?

You will do this in step 3 of the registration process:

  • Using the search box provided, describe as best you can the type(s) of products or services you offer using single word searches.
  • When you find codes that may contain language applicable to your industry, you will check the box next to them and hit the add button. All codes are four or five digits and are essentially broken up in to three main categories: Goods, Services, Construction.

If you have already registered and need to add codes to your profile, follow the steps above after navigating to the “manage commodity code” screen by:

  • Logging into WEBS
  • Clicking on Manage Commodity Codes

What if I don’t see the category of goods or services my company provides?

Rather than sifting through thousands of detailed codes, WEBS was designed using general codes to save you time. Vendors who do not find a WEBS category that is an exact match for the type of goods or services they provide should register in the code(s) that seem to be the best match.

How will I know if I am getting notification for all possible opportunities?

Vendors have the ability to view all bid postings at any time on the bid calendar. The calendar allows vendors to view all bid opportunities without having to be registered for all goods and services. Vendors may update their list of goods and services at any time to ensure they receive prompt notification of bid opportunities.

If you are not receiving bid notifications, please see the information on commodity codes and spam filters or call WEBS Customer Service at (360) 902-7400.

Do I still have to register with other public entities to do business?

Not all public agencies in the state are required to post bid notifications in WEBS, so you may want to register with other government entities to receive notice of their bid opportunities.

Resources

WEBS Vendor User Guide: This is a User Guide for Vendors registered or vendors getting registered in WEBS.