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Government Contracting FAQ
Answers to the most common questions small businesses have about federal contracting, SAM.gov, set-aside programs, and getting started.
SAM.gov & Getting Started
What is SAM.gov and do I need to register?
SAM.gov (System for Award Management) is the official U.S. federal government database where agencies post contract opportunities. If your business wants to bid on any federal contract or receive government payments, you must be registered in SAM.gov. Registration is free and must be renewed annually. You'll need your UEI (Unique Entity Identifier) number, which replaced DUNS numbers in 2022.
What is the difference between an RFQ, RFP, and RFI?
An RFQ (Request for Quotation) is used for simpler purchases — the government knows exactly what it wants and is asking for a price. An RFP (Request for Proposal) is used for complex or high-value procurements where the government evaluates both technical approach and price. An RFI (Request for Information) is a market research tool — the government is gathering information before deciding whether and how to issue a contract. RFQs and RFPs are competitive opportunities you can bid on; RFIs are not solicitations.
How do I find government contracts for my small business?
The primary source is SAM.gov. Most federal contract opportunities expected to exceed $25,000 are publicized through SAM.gov. Micro-purchases and many smaller buys may not appear there. You can search by keyword, NAICS code, set-aside type, and agency. EasyGov pulls from SAM.gov daily and shows the same opportunities with AI-generated plain-English summaries so you can quickly decide whether to bid.
What NAICS code do I need for government contracting?
You'll need the NAICS code that best describes the products or services you plan to sell to the government. You can have multiple NAICS codes on your SAM.gov registration. Your primary NAICS code determines your small business size standard — the revenue or employee thresholds you must fall below to qualify as a small business for a given solicitation. You can look up NAICS codes at census.gov or within SAM.gov.
What is the simplified acquisition threshold?
The simplified acquisition threshold (SAT) is currently $350,000. Contracts at or below this amount use simplified acquisition procedures, which generally means less paperwork, faster awards, and more opportunities for small businesses. Contracts below $15,000 (the micro-purchase threshold) can be awarded without competition at all.
Set-Aside Programs & Certifications
What is an 8(a) certification and who qualifies?
The 8(a) Business Development program is run by the SBA for businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. Qualifying businesses can receive sole-source contracts up to $5.5 million for services and other acquisitions, or $8.5 million for manufacturing NAICS codes, without competition (per FAR 19.805-1), and can compete in 8(a)-restricted competitions. To qualify, the owner must be a U.S. citizen who is socially disadvantaged (typically a racial or ethnic minority) and economically disadvantaged (net worth under $850,000 excluding home and business equity, and adjusted gross income under $400,000 on a three-year average).
How do I get HUBZone certified?
HUBZone (Historically Underutilized Business Zone) certification is for businesses located in designated economically distressed areas. To qualify: your principal office must be in a HUBZone, at least 35% of your employees must live in a HUBZone, and the business must be at least 51% owned by U.S. citizens, a community development corporation, an agricultural cooperative, or an Indian tribe. Apply through the SBA's HUBZone program portal. Certification typically takes 60–90 days.
What is SDVOSB and how is it different from VOSB?
SDVOSB (Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business) is for businesses at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more service-disabled veterans. VOSB (Veteran-Owned Small Business) is the broader category covering any veteran-owned business. SDVOSBs have access to exclusive set-asides that VOSBs do not. The VA has particularly strong SDVOSB preferences — they're required to give priority to SDVOSB firms before opening competition more broadly.
What does WOSB vs EDWOSB mean?
WOSB (Women-Owned Small Business) is for businesses at least 51% owned by women who are U.S. citizens and who control and manage the business. EDWOSB (Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business) is a subset for businesses where the owner also meets economic disadvantage criteria (adjusted gross income under $400,000 on a three-year average, personal net worth under $850,000 excluding home and business equity, and total assets under $6.5 million). EDWOSBs can compete in all WOSB set-asides plus additional restricted NAICS codes.
Can I bid on government contracts without any certifications?
Yes. Many solicitations are open to all small businesses or even all businesses, regardless of certification. However, certifications give you access to set-aside contracts where competition is restricted to a smaller pool of qualified firms — this significantly improves your odds. Even without certifications, you can bid on full-and-open competition solicitations. Start there if you're new, and pursue certifications that apply to your business in parallel.
The Contracting Process
How long does it take to get my first government contract?
This varies widely. Small purchases (below the SAT) can award in days or weeks. Larger competitive procurements can take months from solicitation to award. Plan for 3–6 months for a typical competitive RFP. The timeline from your first bid to winning a contract depends on many factors — many businesses bid 5–10 times before winning their first award. Starting with smaller, simpler solicitations (micro-purchases, simplified acquisitions, GSA schedule orders) can speed up your first win.
What is a capability statement and do I need one?
A capability statement is a one- or two-page document that summarizes your company's core competencies, differentiators, past performance, and company data (NAICS codes, CAGE code, certifications). It's the government contracting equivalent of a business card and resume combined. You'll need one to attend vendor outreach events, respond to Sources Sought notices, and generally market to contracting officers. It's not required in all solicitation responses, but having a polished one is essential.
What is a sole source contract?
A sole source contract is awarded to one specific vendor without competition. Sole source justifications are limited and must meet specific legal criteria — for example, only one vendor can supply the product, urgency, or the vendor is an 8(a) firm within program dollar thresholds. Sole source contracts are valuable because there's no competition, but you typically can't pursue them reactively — they come from relationship-building and being already known to the contracting office.
How do I track federal contract deadlines?
SAM.gov lists response deadlines for each solicitation. Amendments can change these dates, sometimes with short notice. The best approach is to save opportunities you're interested in and check SAM.gov regularly for amendments. EasyGov's bookmark feature lets you save opportunities directly in the app, and each opportunity page shows the current response deadline prominently.
About EasyGov
How does EasyGov summarize government contracts?
EasyGov uses Claude AI (built by Anthropic) to read the full solicitation text and produce a plain-English summary. The summary covers: what the agency is looking for, key requirements, eligibility (set-aside type, NAICS code), and the response deadline. Summaries are generated on-demand when you view an opportunity and cached for speed.
Is EasyGov data from SAM.gov?
Yes. EasyGov syncs daily from SAM.gov's public API. The opportunities shown are the same ones posted on beta.SAM.gov — we just make them significantly easier to read and filter.
How often are opportunities updated?
EasyGov syncs from SAM.gov once per day, at 6:00 AM UTC. This means opportunities posted today may appear in EasyGov within 24 hours. For the very latest listings, you can always check SAM.gov directly. Most solicitations have response windows of at least 14 days, so daily sync is sufficient for the vast majority of opportunities.
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