The council has launched the new online system to streamline the way local contractors, tradies, consultants and hire companies pick up work and contract jobs with the council.

During the last financial year, Orange City Council spent $18 million with companies and contractors from the local area, with 250 businesses now on a list after submitting quotes for various jobs.

Cr Kidd said the new online approach comes at just the right time for businesses doing it tough during the coronavirus crisis.

"During this time, many local businesses are short-staffed," Cr Kidd said.

"It can take a lot of time to prepare a competitive quote to bid for a council job, and then on top of that, the business' staff has to compile all the necessary paperwork.

"This easy online approach makes the task a lot simpler.

"This new system comes on top of a recent change by the Council to give a price discount when awarding contracts to locally-based business. The Council has got to get the best deal with rate-payers money but it makes sense for the money to stay here in Orange."

Orange City Council's Employment and Economic Development Committee chair Cr Tony Mileto said the new system strikes the right balance.

"The Council is spending ratepayers' money so it's fair enough that we have to be sure all the appropriate qualifications, work health and safety regulations and insurances are in place," Cr Mileto said.

"It's all important, but I'm sure some operators would agree the time it takes to compile all the paper-work to prove the required measures are in place can sometimes be onerous."

"The beauty of this one-stop-shop approach is that once a business has entered all those compliance details into the online system, they're there for good.

"Then, they can simply spend their time working out the most attractive price they can to quote for the job, and know that the compliance boxes have been ticked."

Contractors have until May 15 to get register.