How to Find Government Contracts to Bid On

Q: Do I need to register to find government contracts?

You can search SAM.gov without an account. To bid or be awarded a federal contract you need an active SAM.gov entity registration, which gives you a Unique Entity ID and, for U.S. entities, a CAGE code.

Q: How do I find government contracts in my area?

On SAM.gov, filter by place of performance (state or ZIP). State and local governments post their own bids on state and city procurement portals, which are separate from SAM.gov.

To find government contracts to bid on: register your business on SAM.gov, list your NAICS and PSC/FSC codes, search SAM.gov Contract Opportunities filtered by those codes, set-aside and place of.

For where those notices are posted, and which ones a small supplier can actually quote, see federal contracting opportunities.

Step 1: Register on SAM.gov

Create an entity registration on SAM.gov.

Step 2: Know your codes

Write down the NAICS codes for what you do, the PSC or FSC codes for what you sell, and, for parts, the NSNs you make, stock or can source.

Step 3: Search SAM.gov Contract Opportunities

Filter by NAICS, PSC, set-aside (small business, 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, SDVOSB), notice type and place of performance.

Step 4: If you sell parts, search DIBBS

DLA posts its spare-parts RFQs on DIBBS, and many never appear on SAM.gov.

Step 5: Look at subcontracts and forecasts

Prime contractors post subcontracting opportunities on SBA SubNet.

Step 6: Check who won before

Search USAspending for past awards in your codes to see which agencies buy what you sell, typical award sizes and who holds the work now.

Step 7: Save searches and set alerts

Save each search on SAM.gov and turn on email notifications so new notices come to you.

Step 8: Qualify, then bid on the official portal

Before you price, read the whole solicitation, including amendments.

How does FedOpp help?

FedOpp does steps 3 to 8 in one workspace: SAM.gov notices and DIBBS RFQs pulled every morning and checked against your Match Profile, Watchlist & Alerts, award history on the row, AI Contract Reader.

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Frequently asked questions

Where do I find government contracts to bid on?

Federal contract opportunities are posted on SAM.gov Contract Opportunities.

How do small businesses find government contracts?

Register on SAM.gov, list your NAICS and PSC/FSC codes, then search SAM.gov with the set-aside filter for your size and certifications.

Do I need to register to find government contracts?

You can search SAM.gov without an account.

How do I find government contracts in my area?

On SAM.gov, filter by place of performance (state or ZIP).

Is it free to find and bid on government contracts?

Yes. Registering on SAM.gov, searching opportunities and submitting bids on SAM.gov or DIBBS are free.

How does FedOpp help find government contracts?

FedOpp pulls SAM.gov notices and DIBBS RFQs every morning, checks each against your Match Profile, and emails you when your keywords, NSNs or CAGE codes appear.

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