SECTION OVERVIEW AND POLICIES

The “Identifying Information” section of the Vendor Record contains useful information about the vendor. Information on this page can be edited only by the OSC Vendor Management Unit. Important sections are as follows:

Classification – Reflects the type of business relationship the vendor has with New York State. (Section 4.A - Vendor Classifications of this Chapter)

Open for Ordering – If this box is checked, purchase orders can be created for the vendor. (Chapter XI-A, Section 3 - Purchase Orders of this Guide)

Municipality Code – A twelve digit number that indicates whether the vendor is a local governmental entity in New York State.

Customer ID – If this number is displayed, the vendor is a centralized customer. (Section 7.A – Centralized Customers of this Chapter)

Certifications – Reflects government programs for which the vendor qualifies. (Section 4.A - Vendor Certifications of this Chapter)

VENDOR DESIGNATIONS

The SFS vendor file records and displays information about entities New York State does business with. This capability allows State agencies to group vendors according to category, type, qualifications, etc. Currently, there are two designations:

“Classifications” – Designates which type of business the State does with that vendor. A vendor can only have a single classification. Vendors will be classified at the broadest level when multiple classifications may apply. For more information, refer to Section 4.A - Vendor Classifications of this Chapter.

“Certifications” – Designations authorized by a government entity or program which “certifies” a vendor has met certain requirements. A vendor can have multiple certifications. For more information, refer to Section 4.A - Vendor Certifications of this Chapter.

These designations can aid State agencies in executing and reporting on procurement and payment activities.

Vendor Classifications

SECTION OVERVIEW AND POLICIES

In April 2017, SFS will activate the “classification” functionality in the Statewide Financial System. This functionality will enable SFS to provide information on vendor records reflecting the type of business relationship vendors have with New York State. For example, some vendors provide goods and/or services procured by State agencies, while others are recipients of funds through a benefit program or settlement/award. Using classifications will facilitate reporting and other business needs within the SFS.

State agencies must select a classification for each vendor they add to the Statewide Vendor File to indicate the type of business relationship the vendor will have with the State. Each vendor can have only one classification. Agencies can view the vendor’s classification on the Summary tab of the vendor’s record.

Vendor classification affects State agencies’ ability to generate purchase orders in the SFS to that vendor. At the time the agency selects the classification, the “open for ordering” check box on the vendor record will automatically default according to the table below. Agencies may create purchase orders in the SFS only to vendors who are open for ordering.

Classifications:

Agencies should use the broadest classification applicable for vendors. Classifications in this table are listed from the broadest level listed first to the most restrictive level last.

Classification	Description of Classification	Open for Ordering?
Procurement Supplier	Entity/individual that provides goods and/or services which were procured by the State. (e.g., Suppliers that receive purchase orders, suppliers that have contracts, utility suppliers)	Yes
Non-Procurement Srvc Provider	Non-commercial, non-governmental entity/individual which provides services where purchase orders and contracts are not required. (e.g., Client workers, respite providers)	No
Recipient	Individual receiving money from the State through either an entitlement/benefit program or a settlement/award. (e.g., Blind Annuity Veterans, Gold Star Parent, Master Teacher, receivers of loan forgiveness monies, receivers of settlements or awards)	No
Non-NYS Govt Entity	Governmental Entity not located in New York State. (e.g., Federal Agency, non-NYS municipality)	Yes
NYS Muni-School Dist or BOCES	Government run school districts and BOCES located in New York State. (e.g., Public school districts, BOCES regions)	Yes
NYS Muni-Non Sch Dist or BOCES	New York State municipality entities, excluding school districts and BOCES. (e.g., New York towns, counties, cities, fire districts, water districts)	Yes
NYS Agency or Authority	New York State agencies and authorities	Yes
Single Pay or Special Use	Specially assigned vendor IDs created by OSC for a specific purpose. (e.g., Refund, Debt Service, Cash Advance, Payroll, Land Claims)	Yes

Vendors already in the vendor file in April 2017 will be classified by OSC based on the broadest business relationship with New York State prior to that date.

Agencies requesting a change to a vendor’s classification must contact the Vendor Management Unit ([email protected]) with such request and reasons in support of that request. Agencies should also contact the Vendor Management Unit with any questions concerning classifications.

Vendor Certifications

SECTION OVERVIEW AND POLICIES

Vendors receiving payments from New York State may be qualified for certain government programs. These programs are designated in the Statewide Financial System (SFS) as vendor certifications. For example, vendors that qualify as small businesses under the State’s prompt payment legislation have the certification “Small Business - SFL 179-F.” Vendors may qualify for multiple government programs and have multiple certifications in the SFS.

The Agency should understand the requirements for each of these certifications as they may impact the vendors’ business relationships with the State. Vendor certifications can also facilitate reporting out of the SFS.

Process and Transaction Preparation:

A vendor’s certification(s) is in the vendor’s record in the SFS on the “Identifying Information” tab, under the section “Government Classifications.” This section will display information about each certification the vendor holds in the following fields:

Certification Source – Entity responsible for certifying the vendor is qualified pursuant to a specific government program. This entity may be a State agency, the vendor itself (designated as “Supplier” in this field), or another responsible party.

Effective Date – Date the vendor certification was added to the SFS.

Certificate Begin Date – Date the vendor certification began.

Certificate Expiration – Date the vendor certification ends, if applicable.

Certification Number – Identifying number associated with certification, if applicable.

Government Classification – Short description of the government program associated with the certification. (See chart below for current certifications.)

Current Certifications:

The following chart includes available vendor certifications in the SFS. This chart will be updated as new certifications are added to the SFS.

Certification Source	Certification*	Description of Certification
OGS01	SDVOB 17-B	Svc Disabled Veteran Owned Bus - Exec Law Art 17-B Vendors designated by OGS as Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses as established in Executive Law, Article 17-B
Supplier	SFL 179-F	Small Business - SFL 179-F Vendors that self-certify as small businesses eligible for payment within, or prompt payment interest after, 15 days as established in State Finance Law Section 179-F
DED01	M	Vendors designated by the Department of Economic Development as a Minority Owned Business in Executive Law, Article 15-A.
	W	Vendors designated by the Department of Economic Development as a Woman Owned Business in Executive Law, Article 15-A.
	MW	Vendors designated by the Department of Economic Development as a Minority Woman Owned Business in Executive Law, Article 15-A.

*Located in the Government Classification box in SFS

The Certification Source will maintain documentation (e.g., certification designation, certification number, and certificate including the start and expiration dates) to support the vendor’s compliance with the requirements for the certification. Any questions regarding a particular vendor’s certification should be addressed to the related Certification Source.

Agencies should send requests to add new certifications in the SFS, for which the agency itself is the source, to the VMU at [email protected]. This request should include the criteria (e.g., Law, Rules and Regulations, Guidelines) for the program related to the proposed vendor certification. Such requests will be granted only where certification maintenance is economically feasible.

Guide to Financial Operations

REV. 10/22/2018