Guides to government bids and contracts

How to find government bids
Where federal, state and local governments post bids and RFPs, how notices work on SAM.gov and state portals, and how to set up searches and alerts.
How to win government contracts: a practical checklist
A step-by-step checklist for small businesses bidding on government contracts: registration, set-asides, reading the solicitation, pricing, and debriefings.
RFP vs. RFQ vs. IFB: what's the difference?
The difference between an RFP, RFQ, IFB and RFI in government purchasing: how each is evaluated, what you submit, and how to respond to each one well.
How to register in SAM.gov
How to register in SAM.gov for free: what to gather, each step from Login.gov to an active Unique Entity ID, how long it takes and when to renew.
Small business set-asides explained
How federal small business set-asides work: the rule of two, total and partial set-asides, 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB and SDVOSB programs, and how to find them.
State government bid portals: where each state posts bids
Where each state posts government bids and how vendor registration works: portal names, registration fees, commodity codes and local buyers, state by state.
How to read a government solicitation
A section-by-section guide to reading a government solicitation: the uniform contract format, Sections L and M, amendments, deadlines and required forms.
What is a NAICS code?
What a NAICS code is, how the six digits work, how to choose your codes for SAM.gov and government bids, and how size standards depend on them.
How to find construction bids
Where to find public construction bids from federal, state and local agencies, and the rules that shape them: bonds, prevailing wages, notices and bid methods.
Sources sought notices explained
What a sources sought notice or RFI is, why agencies post them, how a response can lead to a small business set-aside, and how to write a short, useful reply.
E-Rate FCC Form 470 explained
What an E-Rate FCC Form 470 is, the 28-day waiting period, how schools and libraries pick a provider with price as the primary factor, and how vendors bid.
Grants vs. contracts: what is the difference?
How government grants differ from government contracts: purpose, who can apply, where each is posted, and how grant money turns into local bids for vendors.
How to get 8(a) certification
How the SBA 8(a) Business Development Program works: who qualifies, the net worth and income tests, how to apply on SBA Certifications, and how to keep it.
How to get HUBZone certification
How SBA HUBZone certification works: the principal office and 35% employee residency tests, using the HUBZone Map, applying, and recertifying.
How to get SDVOSB certification
How SBA VetCert works for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses: the 51% ownership and control tests, applying, recertifying every three years.
What is DBE certification?
How U.S. DOT Disadvantaged Business Enterprise certification works under 49 CFR Part 26: size caps, the personal narrative, net worth limit, and applying.
What is WBE certification?
How Women's Business Enterprise certification works with state and city agencies, what 51% owned and controlled means, and how it differs from SBA WOSB.
What is MBE certification?
How Minority Business Enterprise certification works: who certifies, what 51% owned and controlled means, the documents, and how programs differ.

How to become a vendor in your state

State-by-state registration guides built from each state's official purchasing pages, with the portal, the fee, the codes and the certification programs.