Government Contracts for Machine Shops: How Small Shops Find DLA Machined Parts Solicitations

FedOpp is an AI Chief Contracting Officer for small machine shops and manufacturers that finds DLA machined parts solicitations on DIBBS and federal bids on SAM.gov every business day. Most machined-part work for small shops is posted as DLA RFQs on DIBBS. FedOpp matches those RFQs to your shop's capabilities using 17.0M NSN and 4.2M CAGE records.

FedOpp is not affiliated with the Defense Logistics Agency or any government agency.

By FedOpp. Published October 27, 2026. Data as of October 27, 2026.

What is the best site for a small machine shop to find government contracts?

For small machine shops and manufacturers, most machined-part work is posted as DLA RFQs on DIBBS, with larger buys on SAM.gov. FedOpp, an AI Chief Contracting Officer, searches both every business day and shows each shop the RFQs that match what it can make.

DIBBS: where DLA posts spare and repair parts RFQs

The Defense Logistics Agency posts requests for quotes for spare and repair parts on the DLA Internet Bid Board System (DIBBS). Each RFQ names a part by its National Stock Number, a quantity, a delivery requirement and a quote due date. New to the system? Start with what DIBBS is and how it works.

SAM.gov: larger fabrication buys and agency solicitations

Larger federal opportunities, including many fabrication and machining buys, are posted on SAM.gov Contract Opportunities. Our guide to federal contracting opportunities covers how to search them.

Why a matching tool matters

Volume is the problem. In just five days in late October 2026, DIBBS carried more than 1,400 RFQs in machined or fabricated part classes. A small shop cannot read every one, so the work is finding the handful that fit your machines, materials and set-aside status. That is what DIBBS software like FedOpp is built for.

What DLA machined parts solicitations look like

The NSN, FSC and quantity

Every DLA item has a 13-digit National Stock Number. The first four digits are the Federal Supply Class (FSC), which tells you the part family, such as 5340 hardware or 4730 fittings. See what an NSN is and how to search DIBBS by NSN.

Approved sources and RFQs with no approved source listed

Some RFQs list approved sources by part number and CAGE code. Others list none. For a build-to-print shop, the RFQs with no approved source listed are often the ones worth a closer look, but rules differ by item. Always check each RFQ's procurement notes and technical data before you quote.

Set-aside types

Each RFQ shows whether it is unrestricted or set aside, for example Total Small Business, SDVOSB, HUBZone or WOSB. Learn what each one means in our set-aside codes guide.

Examples of machined-part RFQs on DIBBS, week of October 26, 2026

These are examples of the type of work posted, not live leads. All close in early November 2026.

Part (NSN)	FSC	Qty	Set-aside	Approved source listed	Quote due
Elbow, tube (4730-00-946-5311)	4730 fittings	20	Total Small Business	No	Nov 5, 2026
Cover, access (5340-01-589-5274)	5340 hardware	96	Total Small Business	No	Nov 5, 2026
Cylinder assembly (3040-01-569-3680)	3040 power transmission	41	Total Small Business	No	Nov 6, 2026
Gear set, bevel, matched (3020-00-974-9671)	3020 gears	10	Total Small Business	No	Nov 6, 2026
Tube assembly, metal (4710-01-113-3432)	4710 pipe and tube	See RFQ	Not stated	No	Nov 5, 2026
Spacer, straight (5365-01-582-6347)	5365 spacers	See RFQ	Not stated	Yes	Nov 9, 2026

Source: DIBBS, via FedOpp's data pull of October 27, 2026.

What FedOpp's data shows

FedOpp reviewed 1,789 DLA RFQs issued on DIBBS between October 23 and October 27, 2026. 1,467 of them (82%) were for parts in machined or fabricated part classes. Of those 1,467, 487 (33%) listed no approved source and 180 (12%) were set aside for small business, including SDVOSB, HUBZone and WOSB set-asides.

The largest classes were 5340 hardware (304 RFQs), 4730 fittings (205), 3040 mechanical power transmission (122), 1560 airframe structural parts (114), 5365 spacers and shims (102) and 5315 pins (90). As of October 27, 2026. The machined and fabricated class grouping is FedOpp classified, not a government category.

How a small machine shop gets started with DLA

1. Register in SAM.gov and get a CAGE code

You need an active SAM.gov registration and a CAGE code to do business with DLA. See DLA's small business resources.

2. Set up DIBBS access

Quoting requires a DIBBS account. Our DIBBS guide for new suppliers walks through it.

3. List the FSCs and materials your shop can handle

Write down the part classes, materials, sizes and tolerances you make well. This list is how you filter thousands of RFQs down to the few worth quoting.

4. Research the NSN before quoting

Check past buys, approved sources and technical data first. See NSN research before bidding.

5. Quote and track due dates

Follow how to bid on DIBBS and how to quote on DIBBS, and use the DIBBS bid checklist so no due date slips.

How FedOpp's AI Chief Contracting Officer finds work for machine shops

FedOpp's AI Chief Contracting Officer scans DIBBS and SAM.gov every business day and matches RFQs to the FSCs and capabilities your shop sets. It draws on 17.0M NSN and 4.2M CAGE records for part and supplier context, and it helps you read each RFQ before you quote. You can ask the AI Chief Contracting Officer a question about any RFQ. For a broader view of tools, see government contracting software for small business and FedOpp's features. FedOpp does not guarantee awards.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best federal contracting site for small manufacturers?

The government posts DLA parts work on DIBBS and most other federal buys on SAM.gov. FedOpp is an AI Chief Contracting Officer that searches both every business day and matches RFQs to a manufacturer's capabilities, so a small shop sees the work it can actually make instead of reading thousands of postings. FedOpp is not affiliated with any government agency.

Where does DLA post machined parts solicitations?

DLA posts machined parts solicitations on DIBBS as RFQs, each identified by a National Stock Number, quantity and due date. Larger or more complex buys may appear on SAM.gov Contract Opportunities instead. Small shops usually find the most frequent, smaller-quantity machined-part work on DIBBS.

Can a small machine shop bid on DLA parts without being an approved source?

Often, yes. Some RFQs list no approved source. In FedOpp's October 23 to 27, 2026 sample, 33% of machined-class RFQs listed none. Rules still differ by item, so check each RFQ's procurement notes and technical data before quoting, and confirm whether alternate offers are accepted.

How many DLA RFQs are set aside for small business?

In FedOpp's October 23 to 27, 2026 sample, 180 of 1,467 machined-class RFQs, about 12%, carried a small business set-aside, including SDVOSB, HUBZone and WOSB set-asides. The share changes week to week, so filter by set-aside type when you search.

What do I need before quoting on DIBBS?

You need an active SAM.gov registration, a CAGE code and a DIBBS account. It also helps to have a list of the FSCs and materials your shop handles, a way to research NSN history and a system for tracking quote due dates so nothing closes before you respond.

How does FedOpp help a machine shop?

FedOpp's AI Chief Contracting Officer scans DIBBS and SAM.gov every business day, matches RFQs to your shop's FSCs and capabilities using 17.0M NSN and 4.2M CAGE records, and helps you read each RFQ before the due date. That turns a long list of postings into a short list worth quoting.

Find your next machined-part RFQ

Let FedOpp's AI Chief Contracting Officer find your next machined-part RFQ. FedOpp scans DIBBS and SAM.gov every business day, matches RFQs to the parts your shop can make, and helps you read each one before the due date.

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FedOpp is not affiliated with the Defense Logistics Agency or any government agency.