How to Use the NYS Contract Reporter to Find New York State Contracts

The NYS Contract Reporter at nyscr.ny.gov lists New York State bids. The New York State Contract Reporter is where New York State agencies advertise contract opportunities. State agencies must advertise procurements of $50,000 or more, and many public authorities, municipalities, school districts and nonprofits post there too. Registration is free and required to view the full advertisements.

Step 1: Create your free account

Go to nyscr.ny.gov and click Register. Enter your business name, contact details and a login. Keep the email address current so alerts don’t go to an old inbox.

Step 2: Set up daily email alerts

Choose the categories and classifications that match what you sell (you can select up to 16). The Contract Reporter then emails you matching opportunities every day. Review your categories every few months as your services grow.

Step 3: Search open opportunities

Search open, closed and archived ads. Use short, specific terms such as “janitorial”, “IT staffing” or “environmental consulting”. Long phrases return fewer results. Archived ads show what agencies bought before and when contracts may come up again.

Step 4: Get listed in the Business Registry

The Contract Reporter’s Business Registry lets state agencies find vendors for smaller, discretionary purchases (under $50,000), and helps prime contractors find certified MWBE and SDVOB subcontractors. Complete your profile so buyers can find you.

Step 5: Respond to the solicitation, not the ad

The ad is only a summary. Download the full solicitation, note the deadlines for questions and submission, and follow the agency’s instructions exactly.

Boost your chances with certification

• NYS MWBE certification (Empire State Development) helps you win work on contracts with MWBE participation goals
• SDVOB certification (Office of General Services) for service-disabled veteran-owned businesses
• Statewide Financial System (SFS) vendor registration so state agencies can pay you

Common NYS Contract Reporter mistakes

1. Choosing categories that are too narrow and missing relevant bids
2. Reading only the ad and missing requirements in the full solicitation
3. Skipping the Business Registry, which is how agencies find vendors for smaller purchases
4. Ignoring NYC. City agencies use PASSPort, not the Contract Reporter (see our NYC PASSPort registration guide).

Let GERC find and win New York bids for you

We set up your Contract Reporter alerts, prepare NYS MWBE and SDVOB applications and write compliant proposals, working remotely with New York businesses. See our New York government contracting services.