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Selling to the State of Texas
Purchasing portal, certifications and where to get helpHow a company registers as a supplier with the State of Texas, the state's certification programs and drone programs, and where to get help in Texas, with the official sources. Federal registrations such as SAM.gov are in the federal guides.
Purchasing portal
How to register
- Read the CMBL FAQ first. It says a vendor is not required to be on the CMBL to do business with the State of Texas. State purchasing entities use the CMBL as a mailing list to send bid notices.
- Check that the business is in good standing with the state. If the business is subject to Texas franchise tax, check that its franchise tax account status is ACTIVE.
- Get an EIN (Employer Identification Number) from the IRS. The Comptroller requires an EIN and does not accept Social Security numbers.
- List the NIGP (National Institute of Governmental Purchasing) class and item codes closest to your products or services, and the Texas highway districts where you can deliver.
- Go to the Comptroller eSystems sign-in page (security.app.cpa.state.tx.us), click Create Password, set up a user profile and security questions, accept the Terms of Use and verify your email.
- On the eSystems menu, select Apply for CMBL and follow the prompts.
- Pay the $70 annual registration fee online by credit or debit card or electronic check (U.S. addresses only), or mail a check. CMBL registration is not free. The Comptroller says vendors without a U.S. mailing address must mail a check or money order, and mailed payments can take up to 30 working days.
- Watch for the renewal notice. The Comptroller sends it 40 to 45 days before the CMBL registration expires. A two-year registration is not available.
- Search open bids on the Electronic State Business Daily (ESBD) at txsmartbuy.gov/esbd.
State certifications
- VetHUB (Veteran Heroes United in Business) certification, the state's Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) programTexas Comptroller of Public AccountsBusinesses at least 51% owned, managed and operated by Texas resident owners who are service-disabled veterans with a service-connected disability of at least 20%. The business must be for-profit, primarily based in Texas and within SBA size standards. The Comptroller says certification is free, lasts up to four years, and review can take up to 90 days. Apply online in the VetHUB certification portal (vethub.gob2g.com); paper applications are not accepted.
- Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) certificationTexas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the other agencies in the Texas Unified Certification Program (TUCP)Small firms owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, for federally funded transportation contracts (49 CFR Part 26). TxDOT's page says all DBE certification activities are halted until further notice. The TUCP directory lists firms certified by six agencies.
- Small Business Enterprise (SBE) certificationTexas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)Businesses that meet U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) size standards, for highway construction and maintenance projects paid entirely with state or local funds (43 Texas Administrative Code §9.300). Apply through TxDOT's DMS system (txdot.txdotcms.com). Certification lasts three years.
Drone programs
- Autonomy Research Institute (ARI), formerly the Lone Star UAS Center of Excellence and InnovationTexas A&M University-Corpus ChristiARI says it is one of nine FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) designated Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) test sites. ARI says its test site has 11 test ranges covering more than 6,000 square miles of airspace from the Gulf Coast to the Big Bend region. Its FAQ says private and public entities can launch and land UAS there to test and develop their technology, and that the test site charges fees for its services. ARI invites companies and government agencies to join its research consortium.
Where to get help in Texas
- APEX AcceleratorTexas APEX Accelerators (six regional centers; the APEX Accelerators locator shows the center for each county)APEX Accelerator locator
- Small Business Development Center (SBDC)Texas Small Business Development Centers (four regional networks; the SBA locator shows the nearest center)SBA local assistance search
- Economic developmentTexas Economic Development & Tourism Office, Office of the GovernorEconomic development agency website
The federal guides
- 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.
Official sources
- Texas Comptroller: Centralized Master Bidders List (CMBL)
- Texas Comptroller: How to Register as a Texas Vendor on the CMBL
- Texas Comptroller: CMBL FAQ
- Comptroller eSystems sign-in (CMBL application)
- Electronic State Business Daily (ESBD)
- Texas Comptroller: VetHUB program
- Texas Comptroller: VetHUB certification process
- Texas Comptroller: VetHUB FAQ
- VetHUB certification portal
- TxDOT: Disadvantaged and Small Business Enterprise Programs
- TxDOT: Small Business Enterprise Program
- Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi: Autonomy Research Institute
- Autonomy Research Institute FAQ
- Autonomy Research Institute: About
- SBA: Find local assistance (SBDC locator)
- SBA: Resource Partners (Small Business Development Centers)
- Texas South-West SBDC Network (hosted by UTSA)
- University of Houston Texas Gulf Coast SBDC Network
- Northwest Texas SBDC (Texas Tech University)
- North Texas SBDC Network
- Office of the Texas Governor: Economic Development & Tourism
- 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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