Selling to the State of South Dakota

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

Office of Procurement Management (Bureau of Human Resources and Administration), with bidder registration and bidding through ESM Solutions

How to register

1. 1Register the business with the South Dakota Secretary of State at sdsos.gov. The state's Vendor Manual says corporations, LLCs (limited liability companies), partnerships and similar entities must register before any contract can be awarded, or must explain their exemption in the bid.
2. 2Download the NIGP (National Institute of Governmental Purchasing) 3-digit commodity and service code list from the Office of Procurement Management page. Note the codes that match your products and services.
3. 3Open the Register to Bid link on the Office of Procurement Management page. It goes to the ESM Solutions supplier registration form at supplier.esmsolutions.com.
4. 4Enter the company details and choose your commodity codes. The Vendor Manual says bid notices go out only for the codes chosen at registration.
5. 5Registration is free. The Vendor Manual says no fee is required to be on the bidders' list, and bidders do not have to pay ESM Solutions. ESM's optional paid services are not required.
6. 6Download the IRS Form W-9 from the Information for Vendors section of the same page and keep a signed copy ready.
7. 7Find open bids on the Central Bid Exchange Posting Board. Sign in at eprocurement.esmsolutions.com to view and submit bids.
8. 8For contracts of $50,000 or more for supplies or services ($100,000 or more for public improvements), South Dakota law (SB 189) bars contracts with companies owned or controlled by a parent entity or government of China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Cuba or Venezuela. The Office of Procurement Management page says bidders must confirm they are not such a company when they bid. Sign the SB 189 Vendor Certification Form and email it to OPM@state.sd.us to be added to the state's Compliant Vendor List.
9. 9Keep the ESM profile current. The Vendor Manual says this is the bidder's responsibility.

• Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and Airport Concession DBE (ACDBE) certificationSouth Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT), the state's Unified Certification ProgramSmall, for-profit firms at least 51% owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, under federal rule 49 CFR Part 26. It applies to federally assisted highway, transit and airport contracts. Each disadvantaged owner files a Personal Net Worth statement with the Uniform Certification Application, and SDDOT does an on-site review. SDDOT says there is no cost to apply. SDDOT says it has finished re-evaluating in-state DBEs under the October 2025 USDOT interim final rule and is accepting new in-state and interstate applications.

• APEX AcceleratorSouth Dakota APEX Accelerator (University of South Dakota), offices in Pierre, Rapid City, Sioux Falls and YanktonAPEX Accelerator website
• Small Business Development Center (SBDC)South Dakota Small Business Development Center (SBDC)SBDC website
• Economic developmentSouth Dakota Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED)Economic 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.

• South Dakota Office of Procurement Management page (BHRA knowledge article KB0044779)
• Doing Business with the State of South Dakota: Vendor's Manual (revised Aug. 22, 2024)
• South Dakota SB 189 Vendor Certification Form (SDCL ch. 5-18A)
• ESM Solutions supplier registration (Register to Bid link)
• South Dakota Central Bid Exchange Posting Board (ESM)
• ESM Solutions vendor sign-in (South Dakota eProcurement)
• SDDOT Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program
• SDDOT Aviation (checked for drone programs; none listed)
• South Dakota APEX Accelerator
• South Dakota APEX Accelerator guide: Government Contracting, A Step-by-Step Guide 2025
• South Dakota Small Business Development Center
• South Dakota SBDC services page (no-cost consulting)
• South Dakota Governor's Office of Economic Development
• SD GOED resource partners (lists the SBDC)
• APEX Accelerators program site (center locator)
• Federal Register: USDOT DBE/ACDBE interim final rule, effective Oct. 3, 2025
• Federal Register: USDOT DBE/ACDBE final rule, published and effective Sept. 25, 2026

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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