Your first steps before your first bid
The order to set up a business for government work, with what each step costs and how long it takes. Most steps are free.
4 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.
6 lessons
Getting registered
SAM.gov, your IDs, your codes and your size.
Register in SAM.gov. It is free.
What SAM.gov registration is, what you need before you start, how long it takes, your UEI and CAGE code, and the scams to avoid.
4 min readLast verified October 2026NAICS codes and size standards
How to pick your NAICS codes, how the code on each notice sets the small business size limit, and why affiliates count.
3 min readLast verified October 2026SAM.gov registration is free: how to spot paid look-alikes
The government never charges to register or renew in SAM.gov. How to recognize paid look-alike sites and emails, and where to get free help instead.
3 min readLast verified October 2026UEI and CAGE codes: what they are and how to get them
The Unique Entity ID and the CAGE code identify your business to federal buyers. What each one is, how you get it for free, and what neither one does.
3 min readLast verified October 2026Am I a small business? SBA size standards in plain words
Whether you count as small depends on your NAICS code and your average yearly receipts or employees. How to check it, and what changes it.
3 min readLast verified October 2026