The government contracting industry is big business and continues to grow. Federal contract spending reached $637 billion in FY2021, a nearly 16% increase over the last three years. Small businesses can capitalize on this market as there is a government-wide initiative to award about a quarter of government dollars to small businesses. The road to government contracting is competitive and can be overwhelming, so we’ve compiled resources to assist you as you pursue government contracts. Below are resources from federal agencies, state and local governments, and general contracting guides.
You can also receive free professional business advice and free or low-cost training from your local Small Business Development Center!
Federal Resources for Government Contracting
System for Award Management (SAM) – portal for businesses to identify opportunities and conduct business with the U.S. government
USAGov – official portal of the U.S. federal government providing information and directing visitors to every federal agency
Federal Contracting – contracting guides & assistance programs from the U.S. Small Business Administration
Grants.GOV – portal to identify federal grant funding opportunities
SBIR Program – the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program is a highly competitive program that encourages domestic small businesses to engage in Federal Research/Research and Development (R/R&D) and enables small businesses to explore their technological potential by providing the incentive to profit from its commercialization. View our guide on SBIR.
STTR Program – the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) is another program that expands funding opportunities in the federal innovation research and development (R&D) arena encouraging the collaboration of small businesses with research institutions. View our guide on STTR.
USASpending – yearly spending data from the U.S. Government
U.S. States Agency for International Development – independent federal government agency that extends assistance to countries recovering from disaster, trying to escape poverty and engaging in democratic reforms
General Services Administration
Office of Small Business Utilization – advocacy for small, minority, and women business owners
Information Technology Category – technology contracts from GSA
Products & Services – contracting opportunities involving offering equipment, supplies, telecommunications and integrated information technology
Schedules – long-term government wide contracts with commercial firms providing federal, state, and local government buyers
Department of Commerce
Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) – office promotes the use of small businesses in the acquisition process providing marketing and education information
Procurement Forecasts – the Department of Commerce’s tool assists with acquisition planning by helping vendors learn about potential contracting opportunities early in the procurement process
Acquisition Management Division – contract opportunities with the National Institute of Standards and Technology
Vendor Information – Office of Procurement from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Department of Defense
Office of Small Business Programs – assistance for small business opportunities to compete for Department of Defense prime contracts and subcontracts
Air Force Small Business – procurement forecasts, opportunities, business development, outreach and SBIR/STTR
Navy Office of Small Business Programs – information and knowledge to assist the acquisition workforce do business with the Navy
Defense Acquisition University – provides mandatory, assignment-specific, and continuing education courses for military and civilian acquisition personnel within the Department of Defense
Department of Energy Resources
Guidance for Acquisition & Financial Assistance – contracting, financial assistance and related activities from the Office of Acquisition Management
Department of Health and Human Services
Doing Business with HHS – information on preparing to do business with HHS
HHS Contracts – general resources for being an HHS contractor/partner to include guidelines and regulations
Small Business Contacts – contact information for staff supporting small business contracts
Department of Transportation
The Transit Award Management System – online tool for joint procurement to award and manage federal grants from the Federal Transit Administration
Department of Veterans Affairs
Doing Business with the VA – contracting and procurement activities within the nationwide network of business units of the VA
Environmental Protection Agency
Contracting with EPA – active contract listing, acquisition guide, vendor communication plan, service contract inventory and small business programs
Housing and Urban Development
Contracting Opportunities – resources to work with HUD
NASA
Office of Small Business Programs – development and management of NASA programs to assist small businesses
United States Postal Service
Doing business with Us – information you need to do business with the Postal Service
State Resources for Government Contracting
State and Province Procurement Websites – list of state procurement websites from NIGP: The Institute for Public Procurement
State Procurement Office Information – information on each state’s State Procurement Official, the procurement staff in their office, select procurement programs and a guide of how to do business with that state from the National Association of State Procurement Officials
State and Territory Business Resources – information about regulations, resources, and financing opportunities from USAGov
Local Governments – information for local governments by state from USAGov
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity for Small Business – our comprehensive collection of information, resources and tools for small business cybersecurity.
Cybersecurity – best practices and information on identifying and guarding against cyberattacks.
Cybersecurity Framework – Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Cybersecurity Self-Assessment Handbook – from NIST step-by-step guide to assessing a manufacturer’s information systems
Protecting Unclassified Information – NIST Special Publication providing requirements for protecting the confidentiality of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI)
Cybersecurity Considerations – top considerations impacting government contractors
Other Government Contracting Resources
Affirmative Action – affirmative action must be taken by covered employers to recruit and advance qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans from the U.S. Department of Labor
Wage Requirements – prevailing wage requirements of various laws applicable to government contracts enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor Wage & Hour Division
Contracting Guide – complete breakdown of government contracting including business assessment, basic requirements, types of contracts, how to win contracts and more from the U.S. Small Business Administration
Government Contracts for Small Businesses – breakdown of where to find, and how to get, government contracts
Government Procurement Contracts – procurement process and best practices
Contracting Professionals Smart Guide – guides to assist and promote the development of the federal acquisition workforce from the Federal Acquisition Institute
Tips for Government Contracting – tips to help small businesses be successful in government contracting from Inc.
APEX Accelerators
APEX Accelerators, formerly Procurement Technical Assistance Centers, offer help to small business government contractors via partnership between the U.S. Small Business Administration and Department of Defense. The partnership aims to strengthen and expand economic development by furthering support to small businesses. The SBA operates over 1,000 Small Business Development Centers nationally, and the DOD runs more than 90 APEX Accelerators. These accelerators offer a variety of free assistance to aid small businesses with pursuing government contracting opportunities and navigating the processes.
Additional Small Business Resources
Already in business or thinking about starting your own small business? Check out our various small business resources:
- View our small business help topics here: Small Business Information Center
- View our business reports here: Small Business Snapshots
- View our industry-specific research here: Market Research Links
- View our small business cybersecurity resources here: Cybersecurity
- View our pandemic business resources here: COVID-19 Publications
Remember, you can also receive free professional business advice and free or low-cost business training from your local Small Business Development Center!
