Last update: 02/27/2012
WEBS Vendors - Solving password problems and frequently asked questions
Password Problems
There are two types of errors that are displayed after a failed login:
Invalid Account/Login Failed
This error message means that the email address entered is not the one assigned to the account or that the password is incorrect.
In nearly all cases, the password is the problem. Usually, this is because a vendor has forgotten their password and clicked on the “Forgot My Password?” link on the vendor login screen.
Clicking on this link creates a temporary password that is sent to the email address of the vendor.
The temporary password is exactly 8 characters long. Copy and paste the 8 digit temporary password into the password field -- again, copy and paste, do not manually type the password.
Once you are logged in you will get the following message: "your password has expired and must be changed before proceeding." This is normal. The temporary password is only meant to get you into WEBS once.
After that, you must create your own password. Your password must be at least 8 characters long and consist of a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters. An example of a valid password is: Yellow#5.
Sometimes, a “spam” software filter on the vendor’s computer or server will block the delivery of the temporary password email. This issue is covered in the spam filter section of this document.
If you are still unable to login, do not use the “Forgot My Password?” link again. Instead, contact us for help at (360) 902-7400 or WEBSCustomerService@ga.wa.gov.
Specified User Account Invalid
This error message means that you are attempting to login on the government site instead of the vendor site.
The proper login sites are:
- Vendors - https://fortress.wa.gov/ga/webs/
- Government- https://fortress.wa.gov/ga/webscust/
Spam Filters
Sometimes, WEBS users are unaware that a spam software filter is loaded on their computer or computer network, and that it is blocking important messages sent by our system (a temporary password, bidding opportunity or award notification).
To ensure that you receive all WEBS messages, we encourage you to contact your Internet service provider (ISP), or on-site IT group if applicable, asking them to setup the filter so that all emails from WEBSCustomerService@ga.wa.gov are unblocked.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find the bidding opportunity I am looking for?
When you receive an automatic bid notification email from WEBS you can read the solicitation by taking the following steps:
- Login to WEBS at: https://fortress.wa.gov/ga/webs/.
- Click Search Opportunities.
- Click the radio buttons next to My Commodity Codes and My Counties
- Click SEARCH.
- The bidding opportunity should be listed in the next screen.
Sometimes, a government user doesn’t correctly list their bidding opportunity. When this happens, vendors get a notification but the solicitation isn’t there when the search method described above is used. When this happens, you can search for the solicitation by taking the following steps:
- Login to WEBS at: https://fortress.wa.gov/ga/webs/.
- Click Search Opportunities.
- Click the radio buttons next to All Commodity Codes and All Counties.
- Below the radio buttons, you will see a drop-down menu called Filter by Government Organization. Select the name of the organization that posted the bidding opportunity. You can find the name of the posting organization in the bid notification email.
- Click SEARCH.
- The bidding opportunity should be listed in the next screen.
If you still cannot locate the bidding opportunity, please contact us at 360-902-7400 or WEBSCustomerService@ga.wa.gov.
How do I change my account administrator information?
You may need to change the contact information for your WEBS account administrator. This is a simple change that we can do for you. Send an email to WEBSCustomerService@ga.wa.gov with the following information:
- Company name
- Previous administrator name if known
- New administrator name
- New administrator email address
- Reason for the change
Once we have updated your account, we will send you a confirmation, along with login credentials. Due to record keeping policy, we will not make this change over the phone. If you have any questions about this process, please contact us at 360-902-7400 or WEBSCustomerService@ga.wa.gov.
Will government organizations be required to use this system for all their notification purposes?
Effective July 26, 2009, all state agencies are required to use WEBS for any solicitation that is above the informal bid limit. Many other public agencies, including city and county governments, higher education institutions, school districts and others, are also using the system voluntarily.
How often do I have to update my account?
Vendors should update their account any time essential company information, such as contact names, changes. Updating your data regularly will help guarantee that you receive bid notifications without any problems. We may require that you update your company information on an annual basis – including checks of your spam filter settings.
Commodity Codes | How do I find the category of goods and/or services that I provide?
You will do this in step 3 of the registration process:
- Using the search box provided, describe as best you can the type(s) of products or services you offer using single word searches.
- When you find codes that may contain language applicable to your industry, you will check the box next to them and hit the add button. All codes are four or five digits and are essentially broken up in to three main categories: Goods, Services, Construction.
If you have already registered and need to add codes to your profile, follow the steps above after navigating to the “manage commodity code” screen by:
- Logging into WEBS
- Clicking on Manage Commodity Codes
What if I don't see the category of goods or services my company provides?
Rather than sifting through thousands of detailed codes, WEBS was designed using general codes to save you time. Vendors who do not find a WEBS category that is an exact match for the type of goods or services they provide should register in the code(s) that seem to be the best match.
How will I know if I am getting notification for all possible opportunities?
Vendors have the ability to view all bid postings at any time on the bid calendar. The calendar allows vendors to view all bid opportunities without having to be registered for all goods and services. Vendors may update their list of goods and services at any time to ensure they receive prompt notification of bid opportunities.
If you are not receiving bid notifications, please see the information on commodity codes and spam filters or call WEBS Customer Service at 360-902-7400.
Do I still have to register with other public entities to do business?
Not all public agencies in the state are required to post bid notifications in WEBS, so you may want to register with other government entities to receive notice of their bid opportunities.
