How to find government contracts as a US small business (federal, state and local)

In the UK? Read how to find and win council and public-sector contracts in the UK.

Government buyers need cleaners, landscapers, builders, IT support, printers, trainers, video producers and much more. The catch is that opportunities are spread across thousands of buyers. Federal agencies post on one site, but every state, county, city and school district has its own. This guide is the overview. If you only want federal work, our step-by-step guide to finding federal contracts on SAM.gov goes deeper on registration and notice types.

The short answer: where each level of government advertises

Where US government buyers post contract opportunities
Level	Where to look	Good to know
Federal	SAM.gov Contract Opportunities	Free to search with no account. A free account lets you save searches and get email alerts. You need a free SAM.gov entity registration before a federal award
State	Each state’s own procurement portal, for example Cal eProcure (California) or the Electronic State Business Daily (Texas)	Separate systems with their own vendor registration and sometimes their own commodity codes
Local	The purchasing or procurement page of each city, county, school district, transit agency or other public body	Usually the closest buyers to you. Many keep a vendor list and send bid notices to registered vendors
Subcontracts	SBA SubNet and prime contractors’ supplier pages	Large prime contractors post subcontracting opportunities. A way to build past performance

Free, one-to-one help is available at every level from APEX Accelerators (formerly Procurement Technical Assistance Centers, or PTACs). They help businesses work with federal, state and local governments. You don’t need to pay a consultant to register or to search.

Step 1: know your NAICS codes

Most government buyers describe what they are buying with a code. Federal notices use six-digit NAICS codes from the U.S. Census Bureau, for example 561720 for janitorial services or 541430 for graphic design services. Pick the codes that describe the work you actually do. Most businesses use several.

Size standards: each NAICS code has its own SBA size standard, usually based on average annual receipts or number of employees. Check you are small under each code with the SBA size standards tool. You can be small for one code and not for another.
State codes: some states use other code systems. Texas, for example, uses NIGP class and item codes on its ESBD. Map your work to each portal’s codes when you register.
Keywords too: buyers don’t always pick the code you’d expect, so search by keyword as well as by code.

Step 2: federal contracts on SAM.gov, with saved searches and alerts

SAM.gov Contract Opportunities is where federal agencies post notices: Sources Sought and RFIs, presolicitations, solicitations, combined synopsis/solicitations and award notices. Anyone can search without signing in.

Filters worth using:

Keywords, plus your NAICS codes (or Product Service Codes)
Set-aside type, if you qualify for one
Place of performance, to stay within reach
Notice type, for example only Sources Sought or only solicitations
Active notices only, so expired ones drop out

Save the search and turn on email alerts. Saving needs a free SAM.gov account, which you sign in to through Login.gov. Run your Contract Opportunities search, choose Actions then Save. Then open Saved Searches in your workspace and choose Actions then Notify to get emails when new matching notices appear. You can also Follow a single notice to be emailed when it is updated or amended. Agencies such as the NIH and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers describe the same steps.

Look further ahead. Many agencies publish procurement forecasts of planned buys, collected on the Acquisition Gateway forecast tool. To see which agencies already buy what you sell, and from whom, search past awards on USAspending.gov.

Before any federal award you need a SAM.gov entity registration, which is free (SAM.gov). Be wary of companies that charge for it. Our SAM.gov guide covers registration, notice types and what to read first in a notice.

Step 3: SBA set-asides in plain terms

A set-aside reserves a contract for a certain kind of business, so you compete only against similar firms. The federal government aims to award at least 23% of its contracting dollars to small businesses, with smaller goals for the programs below (SBA).

Small business set-asides are the most common. There is no separate certificate: you represent in SAM.gov that you meet the size standard for the NAICS code on the notice. Contracting officers set work aside when they expect enough capable small businesses to bid (FAR subpart 19.5).

Four SBA programs have their own set-asides and need certification, applied for through SBA Certifications:

SBA certification programs at a glance (check SBA for full eligibility rules)
Program	Broadly, who it’s for	What it can open up
8(a) Business Development	Small businesses at least 51% owned and controlled by US citizens who are socially and economically disadvantaged, within SBA’s personal net worth, income and asset limits. Usually at least 2 years in business. A one-time program lasting up to 9 years	8(a) set-asides and sole-source awards, plus business development support
Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB and EDWOSB)	Small businesses at least 51% owned and controlled by women who are US citizens, with women managing day-to-day operations. EDWOSB adds economic disadvantage limits	Set-asides in industries where women-owned businesses are underrepresented
HUBZone	Small businesses with their principal office in a HUBZone and at least 35% of employees living in one. Check addresses on the HUBZone map	HUBZone set-asides and a 10% price evaluation preference in full and open competitions. Recertify every 3 years
Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned (SDVOSB)	Small businesses at least 51% owned and controlled by veterans with a service-connected disability. Certified through SBA’s VetCert program	SDVOSB set-asides across federal agencies. Veteran-owned (VOSB) certification mainly matters for Department of Veterans Affairs set-asides

8(a) rules changed in 2026. SBA suspended more than 1,000 8(a) firms in January 2026 after a document request (SBA), and a final rule effective September 10, 2026 changed how individual applicants show social disadvantage (Federal Register). If 8(a) is on your list, check SBA’s current guidance before applying.

Certification is free through SBA. It lets you compete for set-aside work, but it doesn’t guarantee contracts, so pair it with a steady search routine.

Step 4: state procurement portals

Every state buys through its own system, with its own rules, registration and thresholds. Some examples (all checked November 3, 2026):

Examples of state procurement portals
State	Portal	Notes
California	Cal eProcure	Search open state solicitations (the California State Contracts Register) and register as a supplier
Texas	Electronic State Business Daily (ESBD)	No sign-in needed to view. State agencies generally post procurements expected to exceed $25,000 there (TxDOT). Uses NIGP class and item codes
Florida	MyFloridaMarketPlace vendor bid search	Search state agency bids. Vendors register with MyFloridaMarketPlace to do business with state agencies
New York	New York State Contract Reporter	Free, but you must register. State entities must advertise procurements of $150,000 or more there, and some local governments post too. Set up a profile for e-Alerts (NY OGS)
Pennsylvania	PA eMarketplace	Search Commonwealth solicitations and awards

For any other state, search for “[state name] procurement” or “[state name] bid opportunities” and use the portal on the state’s official .gov site. Your local APEX Accelerator can point you to the right one.

Step 5: local government bids

Cities, counties, school districts, public universities, transit agencies, ports and housing authorities all buy their own goods and services. Smaller jobs, such as grounds maintenance, cleaning, printing, minor repairs or training, are often bought locally.

Find the purchasing page. Search the buyer’s website for “bids”, “procurement” or “purchasing”. Larger buyers list open bids there. Some post on a third-party bid platform instead, so check what the buyer itself requires before paying for any bid subscription.
Register as a vendor. Many local buyers send bid notices and requests for quotes to vendors on their list, especially for smaller purchases that may never be advertised widely.
Read the bid calendar and past awards. Recurring contracts (for example, annual janitorial or landscaping) come round on a cycle, so you can prepare before the next one.
Introduce yourself. Purchasing offices often run vendor outreach events, and pre-bid meetings are a good way to understand a job.

State and local certifications are separate from SBA’s. Many states and cities run their own small, minority-owned, women-owned or veteran-owned business programs, and transportation projects funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation use Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) certification handled by state certification programs. The DBE rules were revised in October 2025 (Federal Register), so check current eligibility with your state before relying on an older certificate.

Step 6: Sources Sought and RFIs, the early way in

A Sources Sought notice or Request for Information (RFI) is market research. The buyer wants to know who could do the work before deciding how to buy it. Under the Federal Acquisition Regulation, responses are not offers and can’t be accepted to form a contract (FAR 15.201).

Why respond anyway:

You get on the buyer’s radar before the solicitation, when there is still time to prepare.
Responses help the buyer judge whether enough capable small businesses exist, which can inform whether the work is set aside.
You learn what the buyer cares about, which makes a later bid stronger.

Keep it short and specific: answer the questions asked, show similar work, give your NAICS codes, size status and any certifications, and include your Unique Entity ID if you have one. Don’t send a sales brochure. Our plain-English guide to Sources Sought notices has a full structure. States and cities also issue RFIs, and many hold pre-bid conferences, which serve the same purpose.

Step 7: decide bid or no-bid

Bids take real time. Saying no to poor fits leaves time for the ones you can win. Before you start writing, check:

Simple bid/no-bid checklist

We can do this exact work, and we have done similar work before
We qualify: right NAICS code and size, any required set-aside certification, licences and insurance
We are registered where needed (SAM.gov, or the state or local vendor system)
We can meet the deadline for the response and the delivery dates in the contract
We can work at the place of performance, or the work is remote
We can price it profitably and handle the payment terms
We understand what the buyer wants and how the bid will be scored
We have read every attachment and amendment

For a scored answer with reasons, use our free bid or no-bid tender scorecard. It asks 10 questions and explains its verdict.

Where Tender Radar US fits (and where it doesn’t)

Tender Radar US is our own service, so weigh this section accordingly. It filters federal notices from SAM.gov to match your services and NAICS codes. It does not cover state or local bids, so for those, use the portals above. See this week’s free list of federal notices first.

Tender Radar US Report, $69 one-off: live SAM.gov notices matched to your services and NAICS codes, with a focus on Sources Sought, RFIs, presolicitations and small-business set-asides. Delivered within 2 working days. Full refund if we find fewer than 3 relevant notices.
Tender Radar US Monthly, $39 a month: new matching notices every week by email. Cancel any time before the next billing date.
Sources Sought Response Pack, $329 one-off: we draft your response to one Sources Sought notice or RFI. You submit it yourself. Delivered within 3 working days. Order at least 4 working days before the deadline.

You can do all of this yourself for free with SAM.gov saved searches. Tender Radar saves you the filtering and writes up what each buyer wants. No one can guarantee a set-aside, an invitation to bid or a contract award, and we don’t. We don’t lobby or contact agencies for you.

FAQ

Where are US government contracts advertised?

Federal opportunities are posted on SAM.gov Contract Opportunities. Each state runs its own procurement portal, such as Cal eProcure in California or the Electronic State Business Daily in Texas. Cities, counties, school districts and transit agencies usually post bids on their own purchasing pages. No single site lists all three levels.

Do I need to register to find government contracts?

Not to look. Anyone can search SAM.gov Contract Opportunities without an account, and many state portals can be browsed without signing in. A free SAM.gov account lets you save searches and get email alerts. To be awarded a federal contract you need a SAM.gov entity registration, which is free. States and local buyers have their own vendor registration.

Do I need an SBA certification to bid on government contracts?

No. Many federal contracts are open to any business, and for small business set-asides you represent that you meet the size standard for the NAICS code on the notice. You need an SBA certification only to compete for set-asides reserved for 8(a), women-owned (WOSB/EDWOSB), HUBZone or service-disabled veteran-owned (SDVOSB) businesses. State and local certifications are separate.

Which NAICS codes should I use?

Use the codes from the U.S. Census Bureau NAICS list that best describe the work you actually do. Most businesses list several. Each code has its own SBA size standard, so check that you are small under each one. Some state portals use other code systems, so map your work to those too.

Should I respond to a Sources Sought notice or RFI?

If the work fits you, it is often worth it. These notices are market research, and responses are not offers. A clear reply tells the buyer that capable small businesses exist, which can inform how the work is bought, but it does not guarantee a set-aside or an invitation to bid.

Does Tender Radar US include state and local bids?

No. Tender Radar US covers federal notices from SAM.gov only. For state and local work, use the state and local portals in this guide.

Can anyone guarantee I will win a government contract?

No. Nobody can honestly promise a contract award. The buyer decides. What you can control is finding the right notices early, checking you qualify and sending a clear, compliant response.

Sources (checked November 3, 2026)

Rules, thresholds and portals change. Check the sources above for the latest position. Rhinehart Studio is not affiliated with or endorsed by SAM.gov, GSA, SBA or any state or local government. General information, not legal advice. For advice on your own situation, talk to a US-licensed attorney.