Most supplier relationships are established within the departments on the four CU campuses. To be an established supplier, you must be invited by a CU department.

CU Supplier Portal

The CU Supplier Portal is available through the University's eProcurement system, CU Marketplace. As an external supplier, register in the CU Supplier Portal to do the following:

• Register online to become a supplier with CU (this is done by invite only). 
• Manage supplier information, such as addresses, contacts, and diversity classification
• View and respond to University solicitations on CU's BidNet Website [2].
• Submit invoices and view invoice status online (this access replaces the need to submit to apinvoice@cu.edu [3] or to contact the University for invoice status information). Available Mid-2025

Individual Payees

If a department wishes to issue you an Honorarium [4], you will receive an invitation to register as an Individual supplier in the CU Marketplace. Individual suppliers are a condensed registration that is not required to provide as much information as a Company or an Independent Contractor that receives a Purchase Order. Follow the registration steps noted here (Individual Registration Knowledge Article) and in the video below:

Companies/Organizations and Independent Contractors

If your company/organization is working with a CU department, or you are working under a Scope of Work [5], you will need to complete a Company/Independent Contractor registration. This registration collects more information, such as what types of goods/services you will be providing the University, Small Business designations, and more.  Follow the registration steps noted here (Company/Independent Contractor Knowledge Article) and in the video below:

Documents Necessary for Supplier Registration

United States Individuals and Organizations

Please note that individuals doing business as an Individual/Sole Proprietor or Single-Member LLC are required to do business under their Social Security Number and will register using their legal name 

W-9 [6] (US entity)

Non-US Individuals and Organizations

External suppliers, including foreign nationals or entities, must register through the CU Supplier Portal—accessible via the CU Marketplace—in order to receive payment for goods or services. During registration, suppliers are required to upload a W-9 or appropriate IRS W-8 form, with foreign suppliers completing one of the W-8 versions. The portal offers a pre-populated W-8 form based on the information entered during registration, though current versions can also be accessed directly at www.irs.gov [7]. Please note that the Procurement Service Center and International Tax Office cannot advise on which W-8 form to use; for questions, contact intltax@cu.edu [8].

For additional guidance on international tax, contact the International Tax team [9]

W-8BEN [10] (Foreign Individual)

W-8BEN-E [11](Foreign Entity)

Small and Diverse Business Certifications

Certifications [12] (Information from the Office of Economic Development and International Trade)

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