USER QUESTION	ANSWER
What is eMMA?	eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA) is Maryland’s official procurement management tool for public buyers to solicit bids/proposals, house and manage contracts, and for vendors to seek and respond to public contracting opportunities. eMMA replaced a legacy tool and went live in July 2019 with Release 1.0 which enabled the publication of solicitations and allowed electronic receipt of bids and proposals. We are now in Release 1.1 which adds on additional functionality for contract award and management. Future releases (R1.2 and R2.0) will occur in 2021-2022 and will enhance vendor management, integrate with State financial systems, and enable invoicing and payment processes.
What are the benefits of using eMMA?	eMMA is designed to benefit all users, including State and local officials, procurement professionals, suppliers, government leaders, and citizens through increased transparency, enhanced eCommerce functionality,streamlined business processes and advanced analytical reporting tools.
What are the password requirements for eMMA?	NOTE: This only applies to users who do not access eMMA through connect.MD.gov. Your password must be a minimum of 12 characters in length and must contain at least one (1): • Uppercase letter • Lowercase letter •    Special character
Will my eMMA session “timeout” after a period of time?	Remember to click “SAVE” frequently as you work in eMMA. Your eMMA session will timeout after 20 minutes of inactivity. • If you logged in via emma.maryland.gov, return to that site and log-in with your username and password. • If you logged in via SSO, return to that site and click the eMMA logo.
Who can I contact with questions?	You can reach us at emma.helpdesk@maryland.gov or submit a ticket through this portal.
What commodity codes are used in eMMA?	The eMMA system uses the United Nations Standard Products and Services Codes (UNSPSC) structure which is a more universally accepted commodity code structure. The NIGP codes used in eMM have been mapped to the UNSPSC codes; if your commodity code is not found in eMMA, please contact us at emma.helpdesk@maryland.gov. You can learn more about UNSPSC codes by visiting www.unspsc.org.
My user account has been disabled and I'm locked out of my account. How do I get back into eMMA?	Contact emma.helpdesk@maryland.gov to reinstate your access.
What is SBR?	Small Business Reserve. In 2004, the state created the Small Business Reserve (SBR) Program, providing small businesses with the opportunity to participate as prime contractors on state contracts by establishing a unique marketplace where small businesses compete against other small businesses instead of larger, more established companies. Once a solicitation has been designated as “SBR,” an award can only be made to a certified SBR vendor. Certification is an online process through the vendor registration process on the state's eProcurement platform - eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA) Vendors attest to meeting the eligibility standards and must re-certify annually. There is no cost to participate in the SBR Program. See more information here:  https://gomdsmallbiz.maryland.gov/Pages/sbr-Program.aspx
What are the eligibility requirements for SBR?	Please see link here:  https://gomdsmallbiz.maryland.gov/Pages/sbr-Program.aspx
I don’t know what some of the certifications are, or what the difference is between them.	Explanations of the certification types can be found here: https://gomdsmallbiz.maryland.gov/Pages/default.aspx
What is the renewal period for SBR certification?	Each SBR certification is valid for one year.  Vendors must renew/recertify in the 30 days prior to their certification expiration or have to re-apply.
How long do certifications take? Are all certifications immediate if the vendor qualifies?	All certifications vary. In eMMA, SBR certification is automatically processed for qualified vendors. VSBE application requires the verification and approval of the State's VSBE reviewer. MBE is managed through the office of Minority Business Enterprise and housed with MDOT and has its own submission and qualification requirements and timelines. Applications are all available online.
What if we have a certification that is not listed, such as SDVOSB?	In Maryland, VSBE program encompasses all veterans, regardless of disability status. There is no separate entry field to identify SDVOSB.
If the SBR Application was submitted and approved, why would the additional documents still show Approval in progress? What additional information is needed to complete the process?	The SBR approval in eMMA is an automatic function.  Any additional documentation uploaded will appear as 'Approval in Progress' until the State's SBR Manager reviews the document.  This action is not required to apply, attain, and keep your SBR status.
Is there a tutorial online on how to use eMMA?	Yes.  Please see link here:  https://procurement.maryland.gov/vendor-training-and-resources/
What services can the help desk provide?	The eMMA Helpdesk can assist with any and all system issues or questions, including login/password, account management, and how-to perform tasks guidance.  You can also browse the Quick Reference Guides for help on many topics related to eMMA.
Will assistance be available if I have some questions later?	The fastest way to get assistance is through the eMMA Helpdesk at emma.helpdesk@maryland.gov. We are pleased to offer our eMMA Vendor user community dedicated support through our software partner, the Ivalua Supplier Helpdesk. Vendor users may email support-maryland@ivalua.com or call 281-800-9783 for specific assistance.
Where do I find assistance with navigating the eMMA portal and submitting bids?	Yes.  Please see link here:  https://procurement.maryland.gov/vendor-training-and-resources/
How to get to the eMMA site?	Navigate to emma.maryland.gov in your internet browser (Chrome works best).
How do I filter solicitations specific to my certification?	On the 'Public Solicitations' page, click Advanced Search and you can filter on various certification types. If you are logged into your eMMA account, go to ”Sourcing” in the top ribbon, click “View Public Solicitations”, and use the Advanced Search.
When acknowledging a bid you have two options 1) WILL RESPOND and 2) NOT RESPOND. If you select WILL RESPOND what does this do? Is this the option you have to select if you would like to receive updated correspondence regarding the bid (e.g. amendments)?	Acknowledgment functionality informs the PO of the amount of interest in the Solicitation.  It also initiates a placeholder in your account to begin a Response Bid or Proposal to the Solicitation (draft response).  Adding the project to your 'My Solicitations' keeps you on the notification receipts list of any changes.   Adding the Solicitation to "My Solicitations" is what enables automatic update notifications.  PO may still elect to notify all of the Commodity's vendors and that may generate an additional notification to you as well.
If you select NOT RESPOND do you have the ability to go back and change it to WILL RESPOND if you change your mind?	Yes.  If responded Yes and want to change to No, you would go in to your My Solicitations, select the solicitation in question, and  Cancel your Response draft, click Save, and the option to re-elect to No will be available to you.
How do I edit or update my Company Profile?	The creator or assigned admin of a Supplier record can log in, go to the General Info on the top ribbon, and select Company Profile.  This will take you to your supplier record page to make edits or add information.
Do I need to reed to register for eMMA if I am already registered on the old eMM?	Yes.
Is the registration process different if you are adding an out of state company?	No. There is no difference to the registration process whether you are an in-state or out-of-state company.
What if one person has multiple roles?	Vendor contacts can be assigned multiple roles when you add each user.
Is there limit to the number of contacts/users we can add?	No.
Can I register multiple companies?	Yes; however, each company registration MUST have a unique FEIN and vendor admin email address during registration.
Is there a maximum number of users that you can register?	No.
How do you update your Company Profile if someone else created the record?	The Vendor Admin user on the supplier record can update the Company Profile.  If the admin is not assigned or unable, you may contact the eMMA Helpdesk to set an admin.
Is there a maximum number of Product Codes that you can add to your Company Profile?	No.
Does UNSPSC now replace the NAICS codes that we used to use?	Yes.
Do procurement agencies use the UNSPSC codes as well?	Yes.
Can we submit our NAICS codes in eMMA?	No - eMMA only utilizes UNSPSC.
Can we see the commodity codes that were used for each project solicitation or procurement?	Yes. Each solicitation/sourcing project identifies its applicable UNSPSC codes.
Can you edit the UNSPSC codes that were chosen in the beginning when the profile was created?	Yes!  Please see this QRG:  https://procurement.maryland.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2021/01/2d-eMMA-QRG-Adding-Product-and-Service-Categories.pdf
What types of certifications can be added in eMMA?	Certifications presently identifiable in eMMA include: SBR, VSBE, MBE and federal programs of DBE, SBE, ACDBE.
Can you qualify/apply for multiple certifications?	Yes. For SBR and VSBE, the new qualification/application tool is eMMA. For all certifications, information on how to apply, can be found here: https://gomdsmallbiz.maryland.gov/Pages/default.aspx
How do I renew my SBR certification?	Please see QRG here:  https://procurement.maryland.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2021/01/2c-eMMA-QRG-Adding-Credentials.pdf
How do I apply for online certifications?	Please see QRG here:  https://procurement.maryland.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2021/01/2c-eMMA-QRG-Adding-Credentials.pdf
Do I have to upload any documents to become certified? If so, how?	Each certification is different. All required fields for SBR and VSBE will be marked with an asterisk (*) in eMMA. For all certifications, information can be found here: https://gomdsmallbiz.maryland.gov/Pages/default.aspx
Will I receive notification prior to my certificate expiring?	Yes. eMMA will send a notification to the Supplier Admin and Primary Contacts 30 days prior to expiration of your SBR certification to remind you to renew.  There will also be an alert on your eMMA home page prompting you to update your certification.
Can you apply for more than one certification?	Yes. For SBR and VSBE, the new qualification/application tool is eMMA. For all certifications, information on how to apply, can be found here: https://gomdsmallbiz.maryland.gov/Pages/default.aspx
Are certifications automatic?	All certifications vary. In eMMA, SBR certification is automatically processed for qualified vendors. VSBE application requires the verification and approval of the State's VSBE reviewer. MBE is managed through the office of Minority Business Enterprise and housed with MDOT and has its own submission and qualification requirements and timelines. Applications are all available online.
Where do you find your SBR number if you are already certified?	If you are certified in eMMA, you will see your SBR number and effective/expiration dates under “Company Info”. If you do not see that, you should reapply in eMMA.
What do I do after obtaining the veteran verification from the veteran administration?	Add your VSBE number in eMMA to your Company Profile under credentials.
Will we be able to submit RFPs electronically via eMMA?	Yes. There is a Quick Reference Guide on how to submit proposals here:  https://procurement.maryland.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2021/01/5-eMMA-QRG-Responding-to-Solicitations-Double-EnvelopeRFP.pdf