In practice
Requirements usually go to the prime vendor first. The prime may fill them itself or distribute them to a network of sub-vendors. Being on a prime vendor’s list is how smaller firms get access to many requirements.
How it shows up in a posting
“Submissions through [Prime Vendor] portal only.” You must be an approved sub-vendor of that prime to submit.
Common mistakes
- Submitting directly to an end client when a prime vendor controls the requirement.
- Ignoring the prime’s rate cap or markup rules.
- Not tracking which requirements came through which prime.
Where this fits in a staffing workflow
Most of the day-to-day work around this term is finding the right requirements and getting a clean submission out quickly. MatchWire automates the sourcing, matching and resume tailoring steps and leaves the judgment calls to your recruiters.
Frequently asked questions
What is a sub-vendor?
A staffing firm that supplies candidates through a prime vendor instead of directly to the end client.