How to Register on eVA (Virginia): Contractor Guide (2026)

What eVA is

eVA is the Commonwealth of Virginia's electronic procurement system. The Vendors Manual published by the Department of General Services (DGS), Division of Purchases and Supply (DPS), states that the Commonwealth's electronic procurement system is eVA, at eva.virginia.gov, and the eVA Memorandum of Agreement describes it as the Commonwealth's statewide electronic procurement solution, with terms set by DPS. Section 2.2-1110 of the Code of Virginia requires state using agencies to use the DGS central electronic procurement system for procurement actions, including construction, unless DPS authorizes otherwise in writing. The same section requires them to post Invitations to Bid, Requests for Proposal, sole source and emergency award notices, and awarded contracts and modifications there.

Registration is the entry ticket. Section 3.1 of the Vendors Manual states that vendors wishing to register as a regular bidder or offeror with state agencies and institutions must register in eVA, that vendors who want to submit an online electronic bid or proposal must register first, and that vendors must register in eVA prior to award to be considered. It also states that a registration fee will not apply, though other fees may be applicable. eVA's I Sell to Virginia page calls registration free to join.

Construction firms should know one boundary. The Vendors Manual covers nontechnology goods and nonprofessional services, and it states that it does not generally apply to capital outlay construction, which follows the DGS Construction and Professional Services Manual (CPSM). Construction firms still end up in eVA. DGS form DGS-30-384, the eVA vendor registration statement that the CPSM tells agencies to attach to construction solicitations and contracts, states that all vendors desiring to provide construction or professional services to the Commonwealth shall complete the free eVA Vendor Registration, and that failure to register will result in a bid or proposal being rejected. For a wider map of bid sources, see our guide to finding government construction bids.

Registered on eVA? See matched public bids from thousands of portals free for 7 days so you can compare what eVA carries with the wider public feed.

Step 1 - Gather your tax, contact, and address details

Before you open the form, collect the company, tax, contact, and address details that eVA's registration screen asks for. The New Supplier Registration quick reference guide that DGS links from eVA's Register Now page, dated October 2022, shows the screen and notes that fields marked with an asterisk are mandatory. Its Company information section asks you to select a taxpayer ID type (US based with an EIN, US based with an SSN, or one of three foreign-based options), then enter the EIN, company name, name as shown on the W-9, DBA/location name, and organization type, and answer whether you accept charge cards. Optional fields shown include supplemental organization type, tax exempt status, DUNS, web address, delivery methods, and Unique Entity ID. The Contact Information section asks for the contact's first name, last name, and email, with position, phone, and fax optional.

Use the same legal name and taxpayer ID that your Commonwealth W-9 will show (see Step 7). eVA's account maintenance guide for suppliers says that changes to items such as the taxpayer ID, tax address, organization type, name as shown on the W-9, and company name require an Information Change Request approved by eVA Vendor Support, so get them right the first time.

Step 2 - Open Supplier Registration from eVA's Register Now page

Go to eva.virginia.gov, choose Register Now, and click the Supplier Registration link. The Register Now page separates suppliers from buyers: state agencies, colleges, and universities request logins through their procurement office, and local governments use a separate link. Type the portal address yourself rather than following a link from an unexpected email.

If your internet access is limited, the Register Now page links a Paper Registration request, and section 3.1 of the Vendors Manual states that a paper registration package can be obtained by calling 1-866-289-7367. The same section asks applicants to allow sufficient time for the application to be processed, so register well before the bid you are chasing. If a screen label or step order differs from this guide, treat the official portal as the source of truth.

Step 3 - Choose NIGP commodity codes and turn on notifications

Select at least one commodity code that describes what you sell, then choose Yes to be matched to business opportunities. The registration guide shows a required Commodities field in the Regions & Commodities section, an optional Regions Served field, and a required setting labeled "Notify my Company when a solicitation is created within my scope," with a supplier email address for those notices.

eVA's commodity codes are NIGP codes. The Register Now page links a "Look-up your Commodity Codes" tool, which eVA's menus call the NIGP Code Look Up. It lets you search five-digit codes by starting number or by description. Construction firms will find separate classes for new building construction services, general construction services, heavy construction services, and trade construction services, so search on your scope words and pick codes for the work you actually bid.

Codes drive notices. Section 4.1 of the Vendors Manual states that vendors registered in eVA for a particular commodity or service automatically receive an email notification of the solicitation. You can change codes later: eVA's How to Add and Delete Commodity Codes guide says a user with the Supplier Admin role edits the Supplier Commodities list under Company Profile, Qualifications, and that changes are updated immediately after Save.

Step 4 - Enter your tax address and other addresses

Enter your tax address, then confirm whether your order, payment, physical, and billing addresses match it. The registration guide states that the Additional Addresses answers default to Yes and that you can select No and provide a different address.

Choose these with care. The eVA billing FAQ states that eVA invoices are mailed to the billing address in your eVA account profile, and section 5.2 of the Vendors Manual makes the vendor responsible for keeping its vendor profile accurate and current, including the addresses where orders and payments should go.

Step 5 - Accept the eVA Memorandum of Agreement and submit

Read and accept the eVA Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), complete the security check, and click Register. The registration guide says to scroll back to the top of the screen to click Register, after which eVA thanks you for registering and says an email with instructions for creating a login will follow.

The MOA is the agreement behind your account. The current version, dated May 16, 2006 and posted on the eVA Billing page, states that eVA fees are set out in an eVA Fee Schedule published on the eVA website, that the Commonwealth must announce fee schedule changes at least 60 calendar days before they take effect, that eVA fees are payable within 30 days after you receive an invoice, and that you must keep your registration information accurate and complete.

Step 6 - Set your password from the welcome email

Open the eVA welcome email and use its link to confirm your identity and set your password. The registration guide's sample email states that the link is valid for only 60 minutes and that you will need to request a new password reset link if you miss that window. The eVA Customer Care page advises adding noreply@cgeva.com to your safe senders list so eVA emails are not filtered as spam.

Add the rest of your team after you log in. eVA's account maintenance guide says suppliers can create additional contacts and send each one an invitation to activate an account, and that each new contact must accept the MOA when first logging in.

Step 7 - Upload a signed Commonwealth of Virginia Substitute W-9

Log in, open Company Profile under General Info, and add your signed Commonwealth of Virginia Substitute W-9 under Documents & Certs. eVA's Register Now page states that registration is not considered complete unless a Commonwealth of Virginia Substitute W-9 is received, that the form must be signed (handwritten, Adobe, or Docusign) and dated, and that payments for goods or services will be delayed without a properly executed form. The page links the form itself.

The registration guide lists the upload steps: choose Add Legal Documents, select the Legal Documents/Form W9 document type, upload the saved W-9, enter the begin date (the date you are uploading it), and click Save.

Step 8 - Apply for SWaM or DBE certification if you qualify

If your firm qualifies, apply for certification with the Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity (SBSD), which eVA's Register Now page links as SWaM Certification. SBSD's site lists certification programs for small, women-owned, and minority-owned businesses (SWaM), Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE), and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses, with applications through its Certification Portal. SBSD's FAQs state that there is no cost for certification in Virginia, that certification is granted for a five-year term, and that a SWaM file review takes approximately 60 business days. They describe DBE as a federal U.S. Department of Transportation program focused on federally funded projects through the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT).

Certification also affects your eVA fees. The eVA billing FAQ states that the vendor transaction fee is based on your registration status and certification as recorded in eVA on the date an order is issued, and that fees are not automatically adjusted when a certification is backdated or awarded retroactively. Apply early if you expect orders soon.

eVA vendor fees: registration vs. transaction fees

Registering is free. The eVA Fee Schedule (Revised, Effective 07-01-2014), posted on the eVA Billing page, lists original registration and annual renewal fees at $0 and marks them Discontinued, and the eVA billing FAQ states that DGS/DPS permanently discontinued vendor registration fees as of July 1, 2009.

Orders are different. DGS's "Current eVA Fees Effective 07-01-2014" document, linked from the eVA Billing page, lists these Supplier Transaction Fees for orders originally issued on or after July 1, 2014:

• eVA-registered businesses certified as small businesses by SBSD: 1%, capped at $500 per order.
• eVA-registered businesses that are not certified small businesses: 1%, capped at $1,500 per order.

The same document notes that additional factors, such as commodity, may be involved in assessing eVA fees and that this is reviewed annually. The billing FAQ states that vendor transaction fees are assessed only when a vendor receives an order. Under that schedule, a single $400,000 order would hit the cap: 1% is $4,000, so the fee would stop at $1,500, or $500 for a certified small business. eVA's Shipping / Freight exemption notice, also on the Billing page, says shipping or freight entered as a separate line item under NIGP code 96286 is exempt from transaction fees, for that line only.

The billing FAQ (revised November 2018) says invoices are issued every other month, with organizations whose names begin with A through J, numbers, or special characters billed in odd-numbered months and K through Z in even-numbered months, and that invoices generally wait until the account balance reaches $5.00. VDOT's August 4, 2026 Notice of Advertisement says DGS invoices the fee approximately 30 days after the purchase order is issued, payable 30 days after the invoice date. For billing questions, the eVA Billing page lists FeeRelatedPO@dgs.virginia.gov. The MOA lets the Commonwealth change fees on 60 days' notice, so verify current fees on eVA before you price a bid.

State construction on eVA: what the CPSM adds

State capital construction follows the DGS Construction and Professional Services Manual. DGS's Division of Engineering and Buildings (DEB) states that the 2026 CPSM, Revision 0, became effective July 31, 2026. CPSM section 5.9.5 cites section 2.2-4303 of the Code of Virginia as requiring Invitations for Bid to be posted on eVA. It also requires at least 30 days from advertisement to bid receipt for work over $300,000 unless the DEB Director approves otherwise, while smaller projects may use shorter periods but no less than the 10 days the Code requires.

CPSM sections 3.1.9 and 5.9.6 tell agencies to attach an eVA vendor registration statement, form DGS-30-384 or DGS-30-385, to Requests for Proposals, Invitations for Bids, notices of intent to award, notices of award, A/E contracts, and construction contracts. DGS-30-384 (Rev. 01/21) states that all bidders or offerors must register in eVA and pay the vendor transaction fees, that failure to register will result in the bid or proposal being rejected, and that the solicitation or contract will result in a stated number of purchase orders, with the applicable fee assessed for each order. Find that number in the bid documents and price the fee in.

DGS's sample Notice of Invitation for Bids, form DGS-30-256 (Rev. 07/26), shows the choices an agency fills in: sealed bids received electronically through eVA, at a bid receipt office, or both; whether a bid bond is required; and a statement that the bidder shall be a registered vendor in eVA. The sample notice also requires contractor registration under section 54.1-1100 et seq. of the Code of Virginia, and section 4.15 of the Vendors Manual explains that a vendor bidding on construction must be a registered contractor with the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation. The CPSM defines a sealed bid as one submitted in a sealed envelope or electronically into eVA using the eVA Secure Vendor Portal. After bids, CPSM section 7.1.2.5 requires the agency to post a notice of intent to award for at least 10 days before award, including on eVA.

VDOT highway work has its own layer. VDOT's August 4, 2026 Notice of Advertisement states that all bidders must register in eVA prior to award of any contracts and that failure to register will result in the contract not being awarded. It also states that eVA is completely separate from VDOT's other bidding requirements: contractors must still be prequalified, and bidders must be enrolled in BidX. For VDOT lettings, eVA registration is necessary but not sufficient.

How to find and submit a bid on eVA

Start with Virginia Business Opportunities (VBO), eVA's public posting page at mvendor.cgieva.com/Vendor/public/AllOpportunities.jsp. DGS's VBO flyer describes it as the place to find sealed and unsealed solicitations such as Quick Quotes, Invitations for Bid (IFB), and Requests for Proposal (RFP), along with historic award information, bid tabulations, and detailed solicitation documents. eVA's Business Opportunities menu also links an Open Construction view and Future Procurements, and its Transparency menu links Construction Awards. eVA's response guides describe a daily Leads notification email and a My Leads list for registered suppliers.

Not every local owner posts there. eVA's I Sell to Virginia page says all Virginia state agencies, colleges, and universities, as well as many local governments, post bidding opportunities in eVA. Section 2.2-4302.1 of the Code of Virginia requires state public bodies to post Invitations to Bid on the DGS central electronic procurement website and encourages local public bodies to use it, and section 4.16 of the Vendors Manual describes VBO as carrying notices from state and some local government agencies. Expect many, but not all, Virginia cities, counties, and school divisions on eVA, and check each local owner's own procurement page too.

How you respond depends on the solicitation. eVA's How to Respond to an IFB guide (updated March 22, 2024) walks through the online flow: open the opportunity, review the Info and Items tabs and every attachment, contact the listed Buyer with questions, then choose Respond Online and start your proposal. You attach only the documents the buyer requested, such as acknowledgment of addenda, references, and licenses, enter unit prices on the Item tab or upload the Excel item list, click Validate & Submit, and then Submit my proposal. Drafts stay under Sourcing, Manage RFx's. eVA's RFP guide (updated December 16, 2024) warns that every RFP is unique and that responses may not always be submitted electronically through your eVA account, and it lists an 80 MB limit per uploaded file. For construction, the bid notice tells you whether to submit through eVA, on paper, or either way, so follow it exactly.

Track addenda closely. Section 4.1 of the Vendors Manual states that addenda are also required to be posted, and section 4.6 states that acknowledgment of an addendum must be returned before the time set for receipt of bids or accompany the bid, and that failure to acknowledge an addendum may be cause for rejection. For state capital projects, CPSM section 7.1.2.3 requires addenda with significant information to be issued at least 10 days before bid receipt or the bid date to be delayed, allows one-page minor clarifications up to 6 days before, and requires addenda that only delay or cancel bid receipt at least 24 hours before. Check the solicitation again in the final days before bids are due.

Bidding in more than one state? Compare eVA with our guides to Cal eProcure, MyFloridaMarketPlace, Texas ESBD, and SCBO in South Carolina. Federal work in Virginia runs through SAM.gov registration, and our portal registration guides index lists every portal we cover.

How ConstructionBids.ai helps

ConstructionBids.ai brings public construction bids from thousands of portals into one searchable feed with deadline alerts, which can sit alongside your eVA routine. Registering in eVA, keeping your W-9 and commodity codes current, and responding the way each solicitation requires are still on you; we don't replace any of them.

Because Virginia law encourages, but does not require, local public bodies to post on eVA, and VDOT lettings carry their own requirements, expect to watch other sources for some city, county, school division, and highway work. One feed filtered to your trades and region cuts the time spent checking them by hand.

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