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How to bid on federal contracts
A plain-English path from zero to your first government contract.
Step by step
Register in SAM.gov (free)
Create a Login.gov account, then register your business at SAM.gov to get a UEI and CAGE code. Registration is free and takes a few days to a few weeks. Be wary of companies charging to register you, and renew every year.
Know your NAICS codes
List every NAICS code that matches your work in your SAM profile. Agencies search by these codes, and each opportunity's code decides who can bid. Our NAICS guide lists the codes we track.
Check your size standard
Look up the SBA size standard for each of your codes. If you are under it, you qualify for small-business set-asides, which is where most new contractors win.
Get certifications that fit
8(a), HUBZone, WOSB and SDVOSB certifications open set-aside contracts with less competition. Apply through certify.sba.gov (VetCert for veteran-owned).
Respond to Sources Sought notices
These cost nothing to answer and show the agency there are capable small businesses, which can convince them to set the contract aside.
Read the whole solicitation
Read the scope (SOW/PWS), instructions (Section L), evaluation criteria (Section M), wage determinations, bonding and insurance requirements, and every amendment. Note the questions deadline and any site visit.
Price it carefully
Include required wages and benefits, travel, bonds, insurance and overhead. Award notices on SAM.gov and USAspending.gov show what similar contracts went for.
Submit early
Submit exactly as instructed (email, PIEE or another portal) before the response date and time zone. Acknowledge every amendment. Late submissions are almost always rejected.
Win, perform, build a record
Do the work well. Your CPARS ratings and past performance make the next award easier. If you lose, ask for a debriefing to learn what scored low.
Set-asides explained
The right certification can cut your competition to a handful of bidders.
| Set-aside | Who can bid | Open now |
|---|---|---|
| Total Small Business | Only small businesses (under the SBA size standard for the NAICS code) may bid. | 66 |
| 8(a) | Reserved for firms in the SBA 8(a) Business Development program, for socially and economically disadvantaged owners. | 7 |
| HUBZone | For firms certified in the SBA HUBZone program: principal office in a Historically Underutilized Business Zone and at least 35% of staff living in one. | 2 |
| SDVOSB | Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business. Certification is through SBA VetCert. | 78 |
| VOSB | Veteran-Owned Small Business. Most common on Department of Veterans Affairs contracts. | 0 |
| WOSB / EDWOSB | Women-Owned Small Business, and Economically Disadvantaged WOSB, for NAICS codes where women-owned firms are underrepresented. | 5 |
| No set-aside (full and open) | Any responsible firm can compete, large or small. | 104 |
Notice types explained
| Type | What to do | Open now |
|---|---|---|
| Sources Sought | Market research. The agency asks who can do the work. Responding is free and can persuade the agency to set the contract aside for small businesses like yours. | 79 |
| Presolicitation | Advance notice that a solicitation is coming. Get your registration, team and pricing ready. | 62 |
| Solicitation | The actual request for bids or proposals (RFP, RFQ, IFB). Read it fully, note the questions deadline, and submit before the response date. | 115 |
| Combined Synopsis/Solicitation | A short-form solicitation, common for smaller purchases. The notice itself is the request for quotes, so turnaround is often quick. | 41 |
| Special Notice | Industry days, site visits, draft documents and other announcements. | - |
| Award Notice | Who won and, often, for how much. Useful for pricing research and finding teaming partners. | - |
General information, not legal advice. Always follow the instructions in the solicitation.