How To Get U.S. Government Contracts

Each year, the U.S. government awards hundreds of billions of dollars in contracts to private businesses. For contractors that know how to compete, federal work can become a reliable source of long-term revenue.

But winning a federal government contract (GovCon) requires more than registering in SAM.gov and waiting for opportunities to appear. You need a structured process for finding the right bids, qualifying them against your strengths, and submitting compliant proposals on time.

This guide walks through how to register with the federal government, build an opportunity pipeline, decide which bids are worth pursuing, and create proposal packages that meet federal requirements.

Key Takeaways

• Registering in SAM.gov is the required first step before bidding on federal contracts, and approval typically takes 7–10 business days.
• Finding contract opportunities requires actively monitoring SAM.gov, agency forecast sites, and recompete schedules rather than waiting for solicitations to appear.
• Not every opportunity is worth pursuing. Contractors who use structured bid/no-bid criteria based on scope fit, past performance, and evaluation factors win at higher rates.
• Compliant proposals rely on a requirement-driven outline, a compliance matrix that maps every RFP instruction, and coordinated SME input through color team reviews.
• GovCon-specific AI tools like Awarded AI can accelerate proposal development by parsing requirements, generating first drafts, and maintaining content libraries without compliance drift.

Register Your Business in Federal Systems

All federal awards go to companies that are properly registered and verified with the government. If you plan to compete for federal contracts, this is your first step. Registration and certification can take time, with some approvals requiring up to 90 days, so it’s important to complete this process as early as possible.

Federal agencies identify eligible contractors primarily through classification codes:

• North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes define the industries your business operates in.
• Product and Service Codes (PSC) specify the exact goods or services you provide.

Selecting the right codes directly impacts how often your business appears in opportunity searches and set-aside filters. Use the U.S. Census Bureau’s NAICS Search, Acquisition.gov’s PSC Manual, and the Department of Defense’s PSC Selection Tool to identify relevant classifications. It’s also worth reviewing competitors’ past awards to see which codes they use.

Eligible small businesses can compete for prime government contract dollars set aside for this group. These set-aside opportunities limit competition to qualified businesses, improving win probability compared to full and open procurements.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) offers a Size Standards Tool to help determine eligibility. Keep in mind that size standards vary by NAICS code, so you’ll need to confirm your status for each classification you select.

Complete SAM.gov Entity Registration

Register your business in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov), the official database for all federal contractors. Without an active registration, you can’t receive federal awards.

SAM provides an entity registration checklist that outlines everything required to complete your profile, including:

• Legal business name
• Physical business address
• Date of incorporation
• Tax Identification Number (TIN) or National Provider Identifier (NPI)
• IRS consent form
• Banking information for electronic funds transfer
• Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) compliance details

Once submitted, your registration is reviewed and approved, and your business is issued a Unique Entity ID (UEI). Most registrations are processed within 7–10 business days, though delays can occur if information is incomplete or inconsistent.

Identify Contract Opportunities on Government Portals

All businesses with a UEI can bid on government contracts, but many struggle to find the right opportunities or rely on solicitations to come to them.

Avoid this by proactively searching for opportunities across government websites and building a pipeline before solicitations are released.

Use the SAM.gov Contract Opportunities Search

SAM.gov lists all open federal contracting opportunities. With thousands of RFPs available at any given time, using filters to narrow your search by:

• NAICS code

• Set-aside type
• Government agency
• Posted date

Save your searches and enable email notifications so you’re alerted as soon as new matches are posted.

You can also filter by Notice Type, including “Sources Sought” and “Presolicitation,” to identify opportunities earlier in the procurement cycle. Use the Response/Date Offers Due field to further refine results when needed.

Check GSA eBuy and Agency Forecast Sites

Government contractors that hold a General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule can search for business opportunities through GSA eBuy. This may not apply if you’re new to contracting, but it’s a worthwhile long-term goal.

Acquisition.gov also provides a Forecast Tool that surfaces upcoming government contract opportunities, including estimated values, timelines, and set-aside status. While forecasts can change or fail to materialize, they’re valuable for early-stage planning and capture strategy.

Many agencies also publish their own forecasts. The Agency Recurring Procurement Forecasts page on Acquisition.gov links to these resources in one place, though some agencies are consolidating into the government-wide tool.

Track Recompetes and Expiring Incumbents

Stay on top of existing contracts, as agencies often re-solicit work or open the door for new contractors to replace incumbents. Building a pipeline of these opportunities 12–18 months in advance helps you position early and compete more effectively.

Start by searching Contract Awards at SAM.gov. Like the Contract Opportunities search, you can filter by contracting organization, awardee, NAICS and PSC code, and fiscal year. The Competition filter helps surface contracts that are likely to be re-competed.

This functionality was recently migrated from the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) to SAM.gov. If you’re unfamiliar with the updated interface, the federal government provides a walkthrough on how to search this contracting data.

Manually building and maintaining this pipeline takes time. Tools like Awarded AI from Procurement Sciences streamline this process by tracking procurement data and identifying relevant opportunities as they emerge.

Filter and Qualify Bids You Can Win

Federal contractors are more likely to succeed when they focus their resources on a smaller set of contracts they’re well-suited to win. That requires a clear process for qualifying opportunities, starting with how contracting officers evaluate proposals.

Score Fit Against Scope, Past Performance, and Set-Asides

Start with the scope. Can your business perform all required elements of the contract within the stated timeline? If not, it’s not a fit.

Next, evaluate set-asides. The federal government reserves a portion of opportunities for small businesses and specific categories such as minority-owned or women-owned firms. If you qualify, prioritize contracts that align with those designations and avoid pursuing ones where you don’t meet eligibility requirements.

Past performance is also a major evaluation factor. If your business lacks federal experience, consider forming contracting team arrangements (teaming) with established contractors. This allows you to contribute to a bid while building relevant past performance. The SAM.gov Contract Awards search can help identify potential partners.

As you assess these factors, keep pricing in mind. Agencies often expand their bidding pools when they see greater variation in contractor costs, so competitive pricing can improve your position as a qualified bidder.

Analyze Evaluation Criteria and Risk

Every solicitation includes evaluation criteria that determine how proposals are scored. Reviewing this section is essential to understanding how competitive your bid can be. Common evaluation approaches include:

• Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA): The lowest-priced bid that meets minimum technical requirements wins.
• Best Value Tradeoff: The agency may select a higher-priced bid if it offers stronger technical performance.
• Highest Technically Rated with Fair and Reasonable Price: Technical quality is the primary factor.

Evaluation criteria also provide insight into potential risks. Use this section to assess:

• Scope creep: Are requirements clearly defined, or is there risk of scope creep?
• Timeline feasibility: Can your team realistically meet the delivery schedule?
• Financial risk: Fixed price contracts tie payments to milestones, while cost-reimbursement contracts allow billing as costs are incurred. Fixed-price structures carry more risk if scope or cost assumptions change.

Document these risks during the evaluation phase, as they will influence your pricing strategy and overall bid approach.

Decide Bid or No-Bid With Data-Driven Triggers

Your business development (BD) process should include a formal bid/no-bid decision before committing significant resources to a proposal. Leadership should evaluate each opportunity against defined criteria to determine whether it’s worth pursuing.

In some cases, the decision comes down to resource allocation. You may choose to no-bid a likely win if your team is already focused on opportunities with higher potential.

In others, the evaluation process reveals clear reasons to walk away, including:

• Low win probability (for most businesses, below 30–40%)
• Insufficient past performance with no viable teaming partner
• Scope outside core competencies
• Conflicts with existing delivery timelines
• Excessive risk or unfavorable contract terms

When multiple factors are in play, machine learning can support more consistent decisions. Awarded AI provides a data-driven bid/no-bid analysis for each contract, helping teams focus resources on the most viable opportunities.

Document each decision and its rationale. Over time, this creates a record of which opportunities you pursue and win, allowing you to refine your process and improve win rates.

Build a Compliant Proposal Package

Compliance is non-negotiable in government contracting. Proposals that fail to meet requirements are removed from the evaluation process, regardless of technical quality.

The most reliable way to produce compliant, competitive proposals is through a structured process. Define ownership for each section, establish procedures for every phase of development, and build in review cycles to catch errors early.

Create a Requirement-Driven Outline and Compliance Matrix

A compliance matrix is the foundation of a compliant proposal. It maps each RFP requirement to a specific response, ensuring nothing is missed.

Use Sections L (Instructions) and M (Evaluation Criteria) of the RFP to extract requirements and organize them into a matrix like the sample below:

*Note: The abbreviated table above shows one sample row. The number and specifics of requirements in your matrix should align with your RFP’s complexity.

The matrix should help build your proposal outline. This approach ensures full coverage and aligns your structure with how contracting officers evaluate submissions.

Where possible, restate requirements using the RFP’s language. This improves clarity, reduces the risk of misinterpretation, and demonstrates that your team has fully addressed the solicitation.

Finalize Pricing, Representations, and Certifications

Your pricing strategy will vary based on the evaluation criteria, but the required components are generally consistent. Most RFPs ask for:

• Labor rate schedules and basis of estimates
• Bill of materials (for physical goods)
• Subcontractor pricing
• Cost realism documentation (for cost-reimbursement contracts)

Keep in mind that pricing is often negotiated after award. Your proposal should demonstrate value beyond offering the lowest price.

Representations and certifications aren’t administrative formalities. They’re official attestations covering your business status, compliance, and eligibility, as well as those of your subcontractors.

Missing or incorrect documentation can disqualify your proposal or create post-award compliance issues. Build a checklist of all required materials and verify each item before submission.

Accelerate Drafting With GovCon-Specific AI

Proposal development is time-intensive and doesn’t allow for shortcuts. Generic AI tools lack the specialized knowledge and language required to produce compliant proposals. Tools built specifically for contractors can improve efficiency without sacrificing quality.

AI is most effective in early-stage work, where it can reduce time spent on initial drafting and allow teams to focus on strategy, win themes, and SME refinement. Here’s how to incorporate AI in proposal workflows.

Requirement Parsing for Rapid First Drafts

GovCon-specific AI tools shorten the path from requirement analysis to first draft, which is critical in short proposal cycles.

Government RFPs are dense, so tools that can interpret what government buyers are asking for and convert requirements into structured task lists save significant time. Once tasks are assigned, teams can use AI to produce first drafts instead of starting from scratch. While all AI-generated content requires human review, SMEs can focus more on refining and strengthening their sections.

Awarded AI is a GovCon-specific generative AI tool trained on government contracting terminology and successful proposals. It generates drafts aligned with FAR requirements and standard proposal structures.

Content Library Reuse Without Compliance Drift

As your company builds a library of completed proposals, reusing past content can speed up new submissions. However, previously approved language may require updates to align with current requirements.

AI can help maintain accuracy during reuse. AI-powered content libraries store approved responses, past performance narratives, and boilerplate language, then match them to new requirements based on context.

Awarded AI includes version control and compliance tracking, helping teams use relevant, up-to-date content in each proposal.

Improve Your Government Contract Win Rate From Day One

Winning government contracts requires a repeatable process. Register your business correctly, build a pipeline of the right opportunities, qualify bids with discipline, and submit compliant proposals. Many new contractors start with smaller RFPs or subcontracting opportunities to build past performance before pursuing larger awards.

Procurement Sciences’ Awarded AI supports this workflow end to end. It helps teams identify and track opportunities, run data-driven bid/no-bid analysis, parse requirements, generate structured first drafts, and manage reusable content without losing compliance. The result is a more consistent process and faster turnaround across proposals.

Ready to improve your win rate? Try Awarded AI and see how it fits into your proposal workflow.

FAQs

What is the easiest government contract to get?

Micro-purchases under $10,000 and simplified acquisitions under $250,000 typically have fewer requirements and faster award timelines, making them common entry points for new contractors.

What are the requirements to get government contracts?

You must register in SAM.gov with a Unique Entity ID, select appropriate NAICS codes, and meet the eligibility, certification, and past performance requirements outlined in each solicitation.

How hard is it to get government contracts?

Difficulty varies by contract size, complexity, and competition level. Many opportunities are less competitive than expected, especially when contractors engage early and submit compliant proposals.

What is the difference between federal and state contract portals?

Federal opportunities are centralized on SAM.gov, while state and local opportunities are posted on individual procurement portals with separate registration processes and varying requirements.

How long does SAM.gov registration approval usually take?

Initial SAM.gov entity registration typically takes 7–10 business days, though delays can occur if additional verification is required.

Do small businesses need past performance to win their first contract?

Not always. Some solicitations accept relevant commercial experience, and teaming, subcontracting, or targeting set-aside opportunities can help build federal past performance.