General FAQs

What is NJSTART?

NJSTART is the State of New Jersey’s eProcurement system, used to manage sourcing and purchasing for state agencies.

What is the website URL of the system?

The website is https://njstart.gov, the same URL you use to do business with the State currently through NJSTART.

Who is Periscope Holdings, Inc. (Periscope)?

Periscope is the developer and implementer of the ePro eProcurement system (branded as NJSTART in New Jersey). Periscope also provides other products and services for government procurement and purchasing including its suite of Periscope S2G products including the operation of a national public sector procurement supplier network. Periscope is managing the NJSTART Cooperative Program on behalf of the State.

What is new with NJSTART?

The State of New Jersey (State) and Periscope Holdings, Inc. (Periscope) have partnered to extend the use of selected procurement services and functionalities, including the Marketplace, available to certain New Jersey’s Cooperative Purchasing Program Participants, specifically New Jersey Counties, Municipalities and Public School Districts (hereinafter “Participants”). By using the Marketplace, Participants will be able to easily search and purchase from catalogs which have been loaded into Marketplace by the State’s suppliers such as your company.

NOTE: “Cooperative Purchasing Program Participants” refers to political subdivisions, volunteer fire departments and first aid squads, and independent institutions of higher education and school districts pursuant to N.J.S.A. 52:25-16.1 et seq., State and county colleges pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:64-60 and 18A:64A-25.9, quasi-State agencies and independent authorities pursuant to N.J.S.A. 52:27B-56.1, and other New Jersey public entities having statutory authority to utilize select State contracts issued by the Division.

The State is significantly expanding how NJSTART is used by local governments:

• The system will include a new feature called the NJSTART Marketplace (Marketplace).  Marketplace will allow Cooperative Purchasing Program Participants to shop directly from vendor catalogs awarded on New Jersey contracts which are currently open for use by Cooperative Purchasing Program Participants.
• Vendors will be able to load and manage searchable catalogs, including images, details, and pricing, consistent with the awarded State Contract.
• The State has contracted with Periscope to manage the rollout of the Marketplace to local governments across New Jersey to drive more business to state contracts. Periscope will be training Cooperative Purchasing Program Participants on how to use the system, and will be marketing the statewide cooperative contracts.
• In addition, certain Cooperative Purchasing Program Participants will be able to use NJSTART to manage bid notifications and online responses from vendors.

What is ePro?

ePro is the general brand name of Periscope’s eProcurement software. The New Jersey-specific software is NJSTART. The same software is in use in other states including Massachusetts, Arkansas, Illinois, Nevada, and Oregon.

How will things change for New Jersey vendors?

In the next few months:

• Vendors’ whose contracts are open for use by Cooperative Purchasing Program Participants (“statewide contract”) will receive contract amendments related to the addition of the supplier convenience fee (1% of total net purchases made under their statewide contracts): April-May 2021.
• After a Vendor signs the amendment, a change order will be added to the Vendor’s contract in NJSTART attaching the signed amendment and enabling the contract for Marketplace and reporting/fee payment.
• Periscope’s supplier enablement team will contact them and assist with loading catalogs in NJSTART Marketplace.
• Following the end of the second quarter of 2021 (ending 6/30/21), statewide contract Vendors will be using NJSTART to report their net purchases and pay their quarterly supplier convenience fee. 
• Beginning July 2021, NJSTART Marketplace will be rolled out to local governments. Vendors will start receiving orders from those local governments via the NJSTART Marketplace. Periscope will continue to add new local governments, with a big push over the rest of 2021.

How will this benefit my business?

A natural question is “How will this benefit my business?” Based on independent research and similar eProcurement initiatives across the nation, the following benefits to suppliers have been demonstrated:

• Online Shopping of Your Catalogs – A key feature of this program is adding a new Marketplace to NJSTART which provides the ability for buyers to shop catalogs in an online shopping cart setting making it easier to purchase from your established state contracts.
• Expanding to New Jersey Local Governments – If you participate in this program, you will be included in the rollout of Marketplace to over 500 municipalities, 21 counties, 555 school districts, and other eligible government entities. These agencies will be able to shop your catalog of goods and/or services awarded and place orders in the NJSTART Marketplace.
• Marketing – Our NJSTART Cooperative team, managed by Periscope, will be able to actively market your catalog of goods and/or services awarded at conferences, online, and with strategic marketing campaigns across the state.

Your email states that this initiative is beneficial by “providing additional marketing resources directly for your company.” What are the additional marketing resources vendors will receive?

Statewide contracts will be marketed to local governments across the State by Periscope. For example, Periscope will advertise online and in print publications about what goods and services are available to local governments. We will manage ongoing outreach throughout the year to local buyers, feature participating supplier logos at tradeshows, conduct webinars with Vendors, etc. This program will increase the visibility of statewide contracts and result in larger sales volumes for those vendors.

What do I need to do?

• Step 1: Sign the contract amendment and return it to suppliers-NJBUYS@periscopeholdings.com.
• Step 2: Look out for an email from Periscope with links to a quick training video on how to setup your catalog in Marketplace.
• Step 3: Work with Periscope to load your catalog.
• Step 4: Start receiving orders.
• Step 5: Report quarterly on all purchases made through your contract and pay your convenience fee (watch for emails about how to do that in late June).

Who do I reach out to if I have concerns about NJSTART and this new process?

Vendors should email suppliers-NJBUYS@periscopeholdings.com. Provide as much information as possible regarding the issue in the email.