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Getting Started in Government Contracting
Be your Own Boss
Getting started in government contracting can be a great way to grow your business, but it requires careful preparation and adherence to specific rules. The U.S. government is the world's largest customer, and it's legally required to provide opportunities for small businesses.
Here is a step-by-step guide to help you get started:
Understand the Basics
Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR): The FAR is the primary regulation governing the procurement process for all federal agencies. You'll need to be familiar with its rules and agency-specific supplements.
Prime vs. Subcontracting: You can work directly with a government agency as a "prime contractor" or work under a larger company as a "subcontractor." Subcontracting is often a great way for small businesses to gain experience and credibility in the federal market.
Set-Asides: The government reserves a percentage of contracts for small businesses and specific categories like Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), HUBZone businesses, and those in the 8(a) Business Development Program.
Prepare Your Business for Contracting
Obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): As of April 2022, the federal government replaced the DUNS number with the UEI, which you obtain directly through SAM.gov This unique identifier is required for all businesses seeking federal contracts.
Register in the System for Award Management (SAM): This is the mandatory, central registration platform for all businesses seeking federal contracts. During this process, you will:
Submit basic company information.
Select your NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) codes, which categorize your business's industry. These codes are used to determine if your business qualifies as "small" under SBA size standards.
Receive a CAGE (Commercial and Government Entity) Code. This is a five-character ID assigned by the Department of Defense's Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) that identifies a specific physical location for your business. It is automatically assigned during SAM registration.
Search for Opportunities: The central location for federal procurement opportunities over $25,000 is SAM.gov, under the "Contract Opportunities" section.
You can also explore other databases and resources:
Small Business Search (SBS): This database is used by government agencies to find small business contractors. There is a fee for using these services.
