Notice types in plain words
What each kind of notice on SAM.gov means, what it asks you to do, and which ones can lead to a contract.
3 min readLast verified October 2026
Learn
Plain-English lessons on government contracting, from registration to your first bid.
Our lessons are written from official sources. Each one shows the month we last checked it.
7 lessons
Finding and reading notices
Notice types, set-asides, market research and changes.
Set-asides in plain words
What each set-aside means, who can bid as the prime, and what to do when a bid is set aside for a status you do not hold.
3 min readLast verified October 2026Sources Sought: why to answer them
Market research notices need no registration and no past performance. Here is how to answer one well and what to do after you send it.
3 min readLast verified October 2026Sole-source notices and how to challenge one
When a buyer plans to award to one company without competition, a clear capability response can open the work up. Here is how.
3 min readLast verified October 2026How to read a solicitation
The order to read a bid package in, what to look for in each part, and why every attachment and amendment matters.
3 min readLast verified October 2026Amendments, questions and deadlines
How to ask questions before the cutoff, why answers are shared with every bidder, and how to keep up with amendments and cancellations.
3 min readLast verified October 2026RFP, RFQ, IFB and RFI: what each one asks you to do
Requests for Proposals, Requests for Quotations, Invitations for Bids and Requests for Information each ask for something different. What to send.
3 min readLast verified October 2026