Welcome to the Department of Developmental Services’ Vendorization and Rates Home Page. The information on these pages is intended for those who provide, or want to provide, services to persons with developmental disabilities through California’s statewide system of 21 locally-based regional centers.
Service providers must be vendored by a regional center before they can provide and be reimbursed for services. “Vendorization” is the term used to describe the entire approval process involved in preparing to provide services to regional center consumers. While this process often involves obtaining licenses or approvals from other State and local agencies prior to becoming a vendor, the main point of contact is the local regional center. The application process starts there, and they will be your guide throughout the entire process.
Vendorization Process Overview
Vendorization is the process for identification, selection, and utilization of service providers based on the qualifications and other requirements necessary in order to provide the services. The vendorization process allows regional centers to verify, prior to the provision of services to consumers, that an applicant meets all of the requirements and standards specified in regulations. Applicants who meet the specified requirements and standards are assigned a service code and an unique vendor identification number.
Service providers are vendored by the regional center in whose catchment area the service is located, known as the vendoring regional center. The vendoring regional center is responsible for ensuring that the applicant meets licensing and Title 17 requirements for vendorization, determining the appropriate vendor category for the service to be provided, and approving or disapproving vendorization based upon their review of the documentation submitted by the applicant.
To become a vendor:
- Complete:
- Enclose the documentation specified in Title 17, Section 54310
- Once a potential service provider has obtained all necessary licenses, submitted the completed DS 1890 application and DS 1891 forms and all necessary documentation to the vendoring regional center (The regional center has 45 days to approve or disapprove vendorization.)
- Once vendored, the service provider may be utilized by other regional centers, known as “user” or “utilizing” regional centers, as well as the vendoring regional center. NOTE: The vendor identification number assigned by the vendoring regional center must be used by all regional centers purchasing the vendored service.
Although a regional center must vendor an applicant who meets all the requirements for the service to be provided, vendorization in no way obligates that regional center to purchase service from that vendor.
Title 17: Subchapter 2: Vendorization
Sections of Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR) governing the vendorization process and services purchased by regional centers.
Program Design Checklist
An aid to ensure that mandatory elements have not been overlooked, thereby speeding up the approval process by reducing the chances that further documentation will be required.
Last modified: April 29, 2023
