Selling to the State of Montana

How a company registers as a supplier with the State of Montana, the state's certification programs and drone programs, and where to get help in Montana, with the official sources. Federal registrations such as SAM.gov are in the federal guides.

eMACS (electronic Montana Acquisition and Contracting System) vendor portal, State Procurement Services Division (SPSD), Montana Department of Administration

How to register

1. 1Check first whether your company already has an eMACS account. The vendor portal asks anyone who may have registered before to contact the eMACS help desk (emacs@mt.gov or 406-444-2575) before registering, to avoid duplicate accounts.
2. 2Go to vendorportal.mt.gov and create a Profile 1 registration. The portal calls this a free service. Profile 1 puts your company on the eMACS Vendor List, sends you notices of State bids, and lets you respond online.
3. 3Enter your business information and pick your commodity codes. The eMACS sign-in page says vendors select the commodity codes for which they want to receive bid notifications. The code list is posted on the eMACS Resources page.
4. 4Watch open State bids on the eMACS public bid site (linked from the SPSD home page) and submit your responses online.
5. 5If your company wins a contract, complete a Profile 2 registration. Profile 2 asks for payment, tax and insurance information. Montana signs contracts and related documents with DocuSign.
6. 6For free help, contact the Montana APEX Accelerator. SPSD and Montana APEX run yearly information meetings on using eMACS and submitting bids online.
7. 7For other questions, contact SPSD at (406) 444-2575 or spsd@mt.gov.

• Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) certificationMontana Department of Transportation (MDT), Office of Civil RightsFor-profit small businesses (by U.S. Small Business Administration size standards) that want work on transportation contracts. MDT lists these rules: average annual gross receipts under $32.82 million over the past 3 years (ACDBE limits are higher: $56.42 million over 5 years, or $75.23 million over 3 years for passenger car rental companies); majority owners who own 51% or more, have personal net worth under $2,047,000 (excluding business equity, primary residence and retirement accounts), and are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents; and a Personal Narrative showing social and economic disadvantage based on the owner's own experiences, 'without regard to race or sex.' In-state firms upload forms through the File Transfer Service (transfer.mt.gov) addressed to mdtdbeprogram@mt.gov.
• Small Business Enterprise (SBE) certificationMontana Department of Transportation (MDT), Office of Civil RightsSmall businesses seeking transportation contracts that meet MDT's size and ownership rules (SBA size standards; average annual gross receipts under $32.82 million over the past 3 years; majority owners who own 51% or more and are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents). SBE applicants file the SBE Application and the ACDBE/DBE Personal Net Worth Form. The Personal Narrative is required only for DBE/ACDBE. MDT says DBEs are automatically eligible for the SBE Program and should not fill out both sets of forms.

• Montana Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) CouncilGovernor-appointed council, administratively attached to the Montana Department of Transportation (Executive Order 11-2019)Created to recommend a statewide process for State agencies buying UAS (drones), including a required cost-benefit analysis before any UAS purchase over $1,000, and to write a Montana UAS Plan. Three council seats go to stakeholders from other governments and/or private industry. The page lists meeting records for 2020 and 2021 only.

• APEX AcceleratorMontana APEX Accelerator (lead center at Big Sky Economic Development, Billings; offices in Missoula, Kalispell, Lewistown and Great Falls)APEX Accelerator website
• Small Business Development Center (SBDC)Montana Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network, Montana Department of Commerce (10 regional centers)SBDC website
• Economic developmentMontana Department of CommerceEconomic development agency website

• Where to startThe order: the basics, codes and size, SAM.gov, certifications, drone rules, documents, where to sell, and free and low-cost help.
• SAM.gov registrationThe federal government's free registration for companies that want federal contracts: the Unique Entity ID, the CAGE code and the yearly renewal.
• Codes and profilesNAICS and PSC codes, SBA size standards, CAGE and NCAGE codes, and the SBA Small Business Search profile buyers search.
• SBA certificationsThe SBA's 8(a), HUBZone, women-owned (WOSB and EDWOSB) and veteran-owned (VetCert) programs: who each is for and how to apply.
• Drone complianceThe rules for selling drones to government and flying them: NDAA and the American Security Drone Act, Blue UAS, the FCC, FAA Part 107, ITAR, EAR and CMMC.
• Documents to prepareWhat government buyers, SBA lenders, SBIR and STTR programs and investors ask to see.
• Selling to federal buyersWhere federal contracts, subcontracts and research funding are posted: SAM.gov, primes, the GSA schedule, SBIR and STTR, DIU, AFWERX, the Army, the Navy, SOFWERX and DHS.
• Utilities and public buyersUtilities, HUD-funded agencies, state transportation departments, cities and counties, and cooperative contracts such as Sourcewell and NASPO ValuePoint.
• Free and low-cost helpAPEX Accelerators, SBDCs, SBA district offices, SCORE, veterans' and women's business centers, MEP centers and agency small business offices.

• Montana SPSD – eMACS Resources
• Montana eMACS vendor portal (JAGGAER supplier sign-in)
• Montana SPSD – home page
• Montana SPSD – Vendor Resources (preferences)
• MDT – ACDBE, DBE & SBE Certification
• MDT – Disadvantaged Business Enterprise & Small Business Enterprise
• MDT – Montana UAS Council
• Montana APEX Accelerator
• Montana Department of Commerce – Small Business Development Center
• Montana Department of Commerce – home page
• University of Montana – Autonomous Aerial Systems Office

Last checked September 25, 2026. Rules, fees and programs change; the official sources are where to confirm them before applying or spending money.

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