If you are new to the world of government contracting, then you probably have many questions about how to find and bid on government contractor jobs. The process definitely takes some getting used to, but the following tips can make it easier to bid and win contracts.
1. Think About Your NAICS Codes
When you complete your SAM registration, part of the process is determining your North American Industry Classification System codes. This can be a time-consuming process, and if you choose to use our SAM registration service, we can determine which codes are the best matches for your business.
There are thousands of NAICS codes, and each describes a specific type of good or service that you might provide. When representatives for government agencies search for contractors, they search using these codes, so it’s crucial that your codes truly reflect what your business can provide.
For instance, perhaps your company provides construction services. There are many codes that might apply to you. As an example, your service might fall under the section of Building Finishing Contractors, which is section 2383. Under this section, there are many types of contracting services, including Drywall & Insulation Contractors, Painting and Wall-Covering Contractors, Flooring Contractors, Tile & Terrazzo Contractors, Finish Carpentry Contractors and Other Building Finishing Contractors.
You might provide several of these services, so you will want your System for Award Management (SAM) entry to include all of the codes that showcase services you can provide. It’s wise to add more than one code, but not too many, simply stick with the services that best describe your areas of expertise.
2. Determine Your Small Business Status
At Federal Contractor Registry, we help businesses of all sizes with their SAM registration, and while some businesses can skip over this tip, many businesses do qualify as a small business and this designation can make it easier to find government contractor jobs.
Your first step will be to go to the Small Business Administration at SBA.gov and determine whether or not you qualify as a small business. Again, this is something we can do for you if you use Federal Contractor Registry for your SAM registration.
In order to see if you qualify as a small business, you will need to know your NAICS codes, as the SBA uses these codes to determine what size of business qualifies as small. You also need to know the amount of full-time and part-time employees at your company, not counting independent contractors.
As an example, perhaps you are a cement manufacturer, which has an NAICS code of 32731, and you have 25 employees. The SBA has determined that a cement manufacturing company with 1,000 employees or less qualifies as a small business. Therefore, you may be eligible for government contractor jobs that are “set-aside” specifically for qualifying small businesses.
3. Learn More About Set-Asides
As part of the SAM registration process, we can identify your NAICS codes, determine whether or not you qualify as a small business and help you discover if you also qualify for other Set-Asides.
A portion of all federal government contractor jobs are set aside for unique types of small business. For instance, if the majority of your small business is women-owned, this is a set aside. If the majority of your business is veteran-owned, this is a set aside. If your business qualifies as an Indian Economic Enterprise, this is yet another set aside. We strongly encourage you use the set-asides to your advantage whenever possible.
4. Head to USA.gov
This website includes a Contracting Opportunity Finder, at https://www.usa.gov/find-government-contracts, which allows you to search for contracting jobs in several ways. You can search by keyword (and this includes searching using your NAICS codes), search by location, by the posted date of contracting jobs or search by Set-Aside Type.
We recommend searching using your NAICS codes, as this is the best way to find contracting jobs that are truly a match for your skills and services. You also can search using multiple filters, so you could do a search using your NAICS code, your state and by set-aside type to truly find opportunities in your area.
5. Check Out FedBizOpps.gov
This is yet another website operated by the federal government where you can find government contractor jobs. Here you can search by government agency, by set-aside type, by state or search using a classification, such as your NAICS code. You can find some additional information regarding government contracting and governments on this website, as well.
6. Research The Bidding Process
If you do qualify as any type of small business, the SBA has quite a bit of helpful information on their website. Head to SBA.gov/federal-contracting and you’ll find links to the SBA’s Contracting guide, Contracting assistance programs and Counseling services.
For larger firms, it can make sense to outsource the bidding process, at least at first. There are quite a few private companies that can help you find government contractor jobs and prepare your bid or proposal. Alternatively, whether you are a small or large firm, you could simply designate one employee as your bid writing expert, and send them to a contractor training course or perhaps enroll in online training. Keep in mind, that many opportunities at SBA.gov are free for qualifying small businesses.
7. Consider Starting Out As A Subcontractor
When you work as a subcontractor, you have the peace of mind that comes with working alongside an experienced government contractor. They can help guide you through the process, and this can be the best way to handle your first few contracting jobs. Once you get the hang of the government contracting process, you can head out on your own, and subcontracting can be quite lucrative.
Of course, in order to truly bid on government contractor jobs, you have to complete your SAM registration, and that’s where we can help. While the government does not charge for SAM registration, it is a complicated and lengthy process, and rather than devote many hours of your precious time, you could hire us to handle this arduous (and often frustrating) task for you.
At Federal Contractor Registry, we’ve helped thousands of companies, of all sizes, complete their SAM registration and renewals. We liken our services to that of an accountant. The federal tax code is complicated, and using an accountant saves you a ton of hassle. It’s the same with us, as we can spare you the trouble and time associated with SAM registration. To get started, simply click on the green New Registration tab on our homepage, fill out our quick contact form and a representative will be in contact with you shortly.