The U.S. government is the largest buyer in the world, and it sets aside a big share of its spending for small businesses: in fiscal year 2025, small businesses won about $179 billion in federal prime contracts. You don't need connections or a lobbyist to get some of it. You need to be registered, find the right opportunities and submit bids that follow the rules. Here's the whole path, step by step.
Free tool: Not sure a contract is worth bidding? Score it with the free bid/no-bid calculator.
Step 1: Decide what you'll sell, and find your NAICS codes
Every federal opportunity is tagged with a NAICS code, a six-digit industry code such as 561720 (janitorial), 238220 (HVAC and plumbing) or 541512 (IT services). Your codes decide which bids you see and whether you count as "small". Pick the 3 to 6 codes that match the work you actually do. Use our NAICS code lookup to find yours and see how many open contracts each one has today.
Step 2: Register in SAM.gov (free)
To win a federal contract you need an active registration in SAM.gov, the System for Award Management. Registration is free. You'll get a Unique Entity ID (UEI) and a CAGE code. Allow a few days to several weeks. Follow our SAM.gov registration guide.
Step 3: Check if you qualify for set-asides and certifications
Many contracts are set aside so only small businesses, or only certain groups, can bid. That shrinks the competition a lot. See small business set-asides explained, then check the certifications that might apply to you:
- Women-owned (WOSB / EDWOSB): see WOSB certification.
- Veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned (VOSB / SDVOSB): see SDVOSB certification.
- HUBZone: see the HUBZone program.
- 8(a): see the 8(a) program.
Step 4: Make a capability statement
A one-page capability statement is your federal business card: what you do, your codes, your past work and how to reach you. Contracting officers and prime contractors ask for it. Make yours in two minutes with our free capability statement generator, or read how to write one.
Step 5: Find contracts you can actually win
- Search SAM.gov Contract Opportunities, or browse our open government contracts, filtered by industry and state and updated every morning.
- Start small. Purchases under the micro-purchase threshold ($15,000) are often bought by credit card with little paperwork, and buys up to the simplified acquisition threshold ($350,000) use simpler procedures and are usually reserved for small businesses.
- Answer Sources Sought notices to get jobs set aside and get noticed early.
- Look at state and local bids too, and subcontracting for larger primes.
Step 6: Read the solicitation the right way
Every solicitation tells you what to submit, how it will be judged and when it's due. Find the form (SF-1449, SF-1442 or SF-18), the instructions, the evaluation method (lowest price or best value), the wage determination and every amendment.
Step 7: Price it right
Federal labor has minimum wages. Construction uses Davis-Bacon rates; most services use the Service Contract Act. Price from the wage determination attached to the bid, not from your commercial rates. Our pricing guides walk through real examples for janitorial, security guards, landscaping and HVAC maintenance.
Step 8: Submit a complete, compliant bid
- Fill in and sign the form.
- Acknowledge every amendment.
- Include everything the instructions ask for, in the order asked.
- Add bonds if required (construction over $150,000: see SF-24 and SF-25).
- Submit before the deadline, by the method the solicitation says.
Step 9: Win with no past performance
No federal experience yet? Private and state work counts, and many small jobs are decided on price. See how to win your first federal job without past performance.
Step 10: Learn from every result
Lost? Ask for a debriefing when the solicitation allows it, and look up the award on USAspending.gov to see who won and at what price. Then bid the next one. Most companies win after several tries, not the first.
Frequently asked questions
How do small businesses get government contracts?
Register in SAM.gov, choose your NAICS codes, check set-aside eligibility, then find and bid on contracts that fit, starting with small ones. Price from the wage determination and submit complete, compliant bids before the deadline.
Is it free to get a government contract?
Registering in SAM.gov and searching for opportunities is free. SBA certifications are free when you apply directly. You only pay if you hire help to prepare bids.
How long does it take to get a government contract?
SAM.gov registration takes days to weeks. Small purchases can be awarded within weeks of posting; larger ones take months. Most small businesses win their first contract after bidding several.
Do I need past performance to win?
No. Many contracts are decided on price, and agencies can't rate you down just for having no record. Private and state work counts as experience.
Want help with the bids?
Seal the Bid prepares complete bid packages for small businesses in any industry, from $495 a bid. You set the price, sign and submit, and you pay for your first bid only if you submit it. See the contracts that fit you.