Glossary

1099 (Form 1099): An IRS tax form used to report various types of income other than wages, salaries, and tips. Vendors receiving payments of $600 or more during the calendar year from the State of Colorado will receive a 1099, even if their ColoradoVSS account is discontinued. 

Access Levels: Permissions assigned to users within the ColoradoVSS system that define what actions they can perform and what information they can view. There are Primary Access Levels and Optional Access Levels. 

Account Lockouts: Situations where a vendor is unable to access their account due to incorrect login attempts or security restrictions. 

Account Maintenance:  Procedures for updating vendor information, including contact details and business classifications. 

Backup Withholding: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requires that payers withhold taxes if you have submitted an incorrect Taxpayer Identification Number, an Incorrect Name, or a combination of both.  This process is called Backup Withholding.   

Billing Address: The address used for Account Receivable (payments TO the state). 

Business Types:  Vendor classifications, including Minority Business Enterprise, Women-Owned Business, and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business. 

Certificate of Good Standing: A document issued by the Colorado Secretary of State that certifies a business entity is properly registered and authorized to conduct business in the state. 

Commodity Codes:   Classification codes used to categorize goods and services for procurement.  The State of Colorado uses NIGP codes. 

Department (State Department, agency, State entity): A specific branch, office, or agency of the State of Colorado government responsible for issuing payments, managing awards, or intercepting funds. 

Discontinued Account:  A ColoradoVSS account that has been closed. If an account is discontinued, the vendor will no longer receive payments from the State. 

Dual Factor Authentication: A security measure requiring an access code sent via email or the Google Authenticator App, a mobile application that generates time-based one-time passwords (TOTP) to verify login attempts.  For more information, please check out our Setting Up Google Authenticator (MFA) instructions. 

EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer):  A method of electronic payment where money is transferred directly from one bank account to another. In this context, it refers to direct deposit payments from the State of Colorado to a vendor's bank account. 

Homepage: the screen after registered vendors sign in.

Intercepted Payment: A payment from the State of Colorado that has been withheld or reduced to satisfy a debt owed by the vendor to the State, as per C.R.S. Section 24-30-202.4. 

Invoice: A bill or request for payment issued by a vendor for goods or services provided. The ColoradoVSS system does not allow vendors to create invoices directly. 

Memorandum Agreement (MOA): A document outlining the terms and conditions vendors must accept to register with Colorado VSS. 

Ordering Address: An address used for placing orders.  The Ordering address can be different from the Payment address, and is often the vendor’s Physical address.

Payment: Funds issued by the State of Colorado to a vendor for goods or services. 

Payment Address: Payment address is the address that is used for sending out warrants (checks).  

Pending Addition: A status indicating that changes made to an address or other account information are awaiting approval. 

Pending Registrations: Registrations that have been submitted but are awaiting approval or verification. 

Price Agreements: Contracts negotiated and maintained by the State Purchasing and Contracts Office for vendor services. 

Registration: The process of signing up for a Colorado VSS account, including activating an existing account, entering registration details, and verifying information.

Registration Process: Steps vendors must follow to create an account and become eligible for state contracts. 

Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System: A separate procurement platform not managed by Colorado VSS. 

Solicitations: Requests for goods, services, or construction projects posted by state agencies. 

State Price Agreement Vendor: A vendor who has secured a contract with the State of Colorado to provide specific goods or services at pre-negotiated prices for a defined period, making them a preferred supplier for state agencies. 

Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN): A unique identifier used for tax purposes when registering as a vendor. 

User ID: A unique identifier that allows individuals to log in and manage a vendor's account. 

Validation Email: An email sent to confirm that changes to a VSS account have been approved. 

Vendor License: A general term for a license required for a business to operate or conduct certain types of business within a state or locality. The text directs to the Colorado State Purchasing Department for information on vendor licenses for doing business with the State. 

VSS Support Center: A help desk available to assist vendors with technical issues, account activation, and general inquiries. 

Vendor Self Service (VSS): The online portal where vendors register, manage accounts, and respond to solicitations. 

Welcome Page: the screen before vendors sign in (initial landing page).

Warrant: A check or other financial instrument issued by the State of Colorado as a form of payment. 

W-9: "Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification" is a standard tax form used in the United States. A W-9 is for a person or entity (the "requester") to obtain the correct Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) and other certification from another person or entity (the "payee") who is receiving payments.