What are the best ways to find county and city bids without using SAM.gov?

The best ways to find county and city bids without using SAM.gov are through state procurement portals, cooperative purchasing organizations, and direct outreach to local government purchasing departments. While SAM.gov is the system for federal opportunities, state and local governments maintain their own systems. Many states, like Ohio, have a central state procurement portal where agencies post solicitations, and counties and cities often use these as well. For example, Virginia's eVA eProcurement Marketplace and Texas's Centralized Master Bidders List are places where local opportunities are aggregated. You will need to register as a vendor on each state portal that covers your target area. Cooperative purchasing organizations also aggregate opportunities, allowing multiple government entities to use a single contract. Researching which cooperatives are active in Ohio and used by cities and counties for janitorial services can streamline your search. Finally, don't overlook attending local government vendor outreach events or subscribing to specific city or county purchasing newsletters, if they offer them. Direct relationships and consistent monitoring of relevant portals are key.