The Port of Long Beach and the City of Long Beach together form one of the largest concentrations of public purchasing in Southern California, and both run vendor systems entirely separate from the State of California. GERC registers Long Beach businesses on Cal eProcure, secures Small Business, SB-PW and DVBE certification, and prepares the bids for the port, the city and the state.
Three separate front doors, and most firms only find one
Long Beach firms routinely register with the state, or with the city, and assume that covers them. It does not. The Port of Long Beach procures independently of the city. The City of Long Beach maintains its own vendor registration and its own local preference. The State of California runs Cal eProcure. Each is a separate registration, and a preference earned in one carries no weight in the others.
For firms in logistics, construction, engineering, environmental and marine services, this is where most of the accessible contract volume sits. The work is registering in all three, with commodity codes and certifications that match what each buyer is actually looking for.
Who buys in Long Beach
- Port of Long Beach. Terminal and rail infrastructure, dredging, engineering, environmental services, security, facilities and professional services.
- City of Long Beach. Public works, utilities, fleet, facilities, technology and professional services, plus its own local business programme.
- Long Beach Airport and the Long Beach Water Department. Both procure within the city framework with their own solicitations.
- State departments and Caltrans. District 7 highway and infrastructure work, bid statewide through Cal eProcure.
- Education. Long Beach Unified, Long Beach City College and California State University, Long Beach.
- Metro and the transit agencies. Capital projects and maintenance reaching into the harbour corridor.
Services most used in this market
- SB-PW certification for contractors, marine and specialty trades bidding public works.
- Small Business and Micro Business certification for suppliers, logistics and professional services firms.
- DVBE certification and partnering where a solicitation carries a participation requirement.
- Cal eProcure registration with logistics, construction, engineering and environmental commodity codes.
- Port and city vendor registration alongside the state, so all three doors are open.
- Bid and proposal writing scored against the evaluation criteria in each solicitation.
The sequence we take clients through
- Eligibility review. Which size category you actually fall into, before anything is filed.
- Registration. Cal eProcure, and SAM.gov where federal work is in scope.
- Certification. SB, Micro, SB-PW or DVBE, documented so the file is not returned.
- Local registrations. The city, county, port and district portals that matter for your sector.
- Bidding. Capability statement first, then live solicitations.
- Renewals. Certification runs two years; we file inside the 90-day window so your preference never lapses.
Common questions
Does the Port of Long Beach use the state vendor system?
No. The port procures independently, with its own vendor registration and its own solicitations. State Small Business certification does not enrol you with the port.
Do I need to register with both the city and the port?
If you want work from both, yes. The City of Long Beach and the Port of Long Beach run separate systems, and the city also operates its own local business preference.
Which certification suits a marine or dredging contractor?
Usually SB-PW, which allows average gross receipts up to $46 million and 200 employees for public works, because materials and subcontractor costs pass straight through a contractor’s receipts.
Is there a fee to register or certify with the state?
No. Cal eProcure registration and SB, SB-PW and DVBE certification are free to apply for, hold and renew.
Ready to talk? Book a consultation — a free 15-minute assessment, or a 90-minute Strategy Consultation at $250.
Schedule a Consultation
- Call (909) 454-7076 — the fastest route. Monday to Friday.
- Book a consultation — pick a time that suits you.
- Email us about Long Beach — opens a message already titled, so it reaches the right person.
If you only want to know whether you need this at all, ask. There is no charge for that conversation.
GERC is a woman-led advisory firm led by Dr. Shirley Ayangbah, a PhD legal economist with more than 14 years of experience. Registered in SAM.gov under CAGE code 11SD2, certified as a California Small Business (Micro) and for Public Works. NAICS 541611, 541618 and 541690.