How to bid on a government contract, step by step

To bid on a government contract, you find a notice that fits, confirm you can legally bid, follow the solicitation's instructions exactly, and submit your offer yourself on the buyer's channel before the deadline. For most federal offers you also need an active SAM.gov registration when you submit, and SAM.gov registration is free.

The steps

1. Find a notice that fits. Search SAM.gov or your state's bid site for your NAICS codes and plain words. See How to find government contracts.
2. Confirm you are eligible. Check the set-aside, the size standard for the NAICS code, any license, clearance or location rule, and your SAM.gov status. If the bid is set aside for a group you are not in, you can still team as a subcontractor.
3. Decide to bid or not. Ask whether you can do the work, price it with a profit, and meet the deadline. See Decide to bid: the questions to ask first.
4. Download and read everything. The notice, every attachment and every amendment. The instructions and the evaluation criteria usually sit in separate sections. See How to read a solicitation.
5. Ask questions by the deadline. Send them only to the contact the solicitation names, in the format it asks for. Answers usually come back as an amendment everyone can read.
6. Build a compliance matrix. List every requirement and where your response answers it, so nothing is missed. See Build a compliance matrix.
7. Write answers that show how. Explain how you will do the work, not only that you can. Use the buyer's words and keep to the page limits.
8. Price the work. Count every cost, including the ones that are easy to forget, and add a profit you can live with.
9. Complete the forms and reps. Sign what must be signed and fill every required field. Missing forms can make an offer unacceptable.
10. Submit early, on the buyer's channel. Use the exact method the solicitation names, keep proof of what you sent and when, and do not wait for the last hour. See You click Submit.

How offers are judged

Each solicitation says how it will choose. Some award to the lowest priced offer that meets the requirements. Others weigh technical approach, past performance and price together. Read the evaluation section first and write to it.

Common mistakes

• Skipping an amendment that changed the due date or the requirements.
• Answering a question the buyer did not ask while missing one it did.
• Submitting the night before through a portal you never tested.
• Claiming a status or certification you do not hold.

After you submit

Note the date the offer stays valid, watch for questions from the buyer, and ask for a debrief if you do not win. Each loss teaches you how that buyer decides. See Debriefs: ask every time.

Can I bid without past government work?

Yes. Many solicitations accept past work for any customer, and some evaluate a business with no record as neutral. See Past performance when you have none.

Does Victavio submit bids for me?

No. You click Submit on the buyer's own site, from your own account. Victavio helps you find, judge and organize bids.