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What Is Government Contracting? A Beginner's Guide for Small Businesses
What government contracting is, how it works for small businesses, and how to register, find, and win your first federal contract, in plain English.
Government contracting, in plain English.
Step-by-step guides for small business owners who are new to federal work. No jargon, and no consultant required.
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The whole path, from first question to first contract.
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APEX Accelerators: Free Government Contracting Help Near You
An APEX Accelerator gives free, local help with government contracting: SAM.gov registration, finding bids and proposals. What they do and how to find one.
Is government contracting for me?
What it is, who can do it, and what it can do for your business.
What Is SAM.gov? A Plain-English Guide for Business Owners
SAM.gov is the federal government's free site for registering to do business with it and finding contract opportunities. What's on it and what you need.
Who Can Sell to the Federal Government? (Probably You)
The basic requirements to sell to the federal government, the kinds of businesses it buys from, and how to tell whether yours counts as small.
9 Benefits of Government Contracting (and the Cons to Weigh)
The pros and cons of government contracting for small businesses: 9 benefits backed by real numbers, and the downsides, from slow sales to shutdowns.
What Can a Government Contract Do for Your Business? 6 Real Examples
What the government buys from small businesses: six industries, real contract opportunities from September 25, 2026, and what a win could mean for revenue.
8 Government Contracting Myths That Keep Small Businesses Out
You don't need connections, a big company, or a consultant. Eight common myths about federal contracting, and what's actually true.
Where Small Businesses Win Federal Contracts: FY2025 by Industry
Every NAICS code ranked by small-business contract dollars in FY2025, from USAspending.gov. Small firms won $176.2 billion by USAspending's count; half came from 10 codes.
Get registered
SAM.gov registration, the IDs you need, and your NAICS codes.
SAM Registration: How to Register on SAM.gov Step by Step (2026)
SAM registration step by step: what to gather first, each part of the process, how long it takes, how to check your status and avoid common rejections.
Is SAM.gov Registration Free? How to Spot Registration Scams
Registering on SAM.gov costs nothing. How to spot official-looking emails and services that charge hundreds of dollars, and where to get free help instead.
Government Contracting Glossary: UEI, CAGE, NAICS and More
Government contracting acronyms and terms in plain English, from UEI and CAGE codes to IDIQ, set-asides, RFPs, and the rule of two.
How to Find and Choose the Right NAICS Codes for Your Business
How to find your NAICS code with the official lookup, choose primary and additional codes, and check the size standard that decides whether you're small.
What Is a UEI Number? How to Get One and Look One Up
Your Unique Entity ID is the 12-character code SAM.gov assigns your business. How it differs from an EIN, a CAGE code and DUNS, and how to find yours.
What Is a CAGE Code? How to Get One and Look One Up
A CAGE code is a five-character ID the Defense Logistics Agency assigns to contractors. How to get one, look one up, and how it differs from a UEI.
How to Renew Your SAM.gov Registration (Free, Step by Step)
SAM registration renewal is free and due every 365 days. Follow the steps in SAM.gov, see how long it takes, and how to reactivate an expired registration.
SAM.gov Registration Errors and How to Fix Them
Fix common SAM.gov registration errors: NAICS codes that won't save, bank info, failed entity validation, rejected addresses and stuck registrations.
Set-asides and certifications
The small business programs that reserve contracts for firms like yours, and how to qualify.
Set-Aside Contracts Explained: Small Business, 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB and SDVOSB
How small business set-asides work, who qualifies for each federal program, and how to get certified.
SDVOSB and Veteran-Owned Business Contracts: Certification and Set-Asides
How to get SDVOSB certified through SBA's free VetCert program, step by step, which contracts are set aside for veterans, and where to find them.
HUBZone Map: How to Check If Your Business Qualifies
How to use SBA's HUBZone map to check an address, read its designations and 2026 changes, and meet the principal office and 35% employee rules to qualify.
The 8(a) Program in 2026: What Changed and Should You Still Apply?
What changed in the 8(a) program in 2025 and 2026, the new social disadvantage test, current eligibility rules, and how to decide whether to apply now.
Limitations on Subcontracting: The 50% Rule and the Middleman Myth
The limitations on subcontracting rule in plain English: the 50%, 85% and 75% limits, when they apply, similarly situated subs, and why middlemen fail.
WOSB and EDWOSB Certification: How Women-Owned Small Businesses Win Federal Contracts
WOSB and EDWOSB certification in plain English: who qualifies, the EDWOSB limits, how to apply free through SBA, and which NAICS codes allow set-asides.
Find and win work
Find the right opportunities, read them, and put together a bid.
How to Find Government Contracts for Your Small Business
Where federal contract opportunities are posted, which notice types to watch, and how to find work that fits your business before your competitors do.
How to Read a Government Solicitation Without Getting Lost
RFP vs RFQ vs IFB explained, which sections of a government solicitation matter most, and how to track amendments and deadlines without getting lost.
What Is a Capability Statement? How to Write One (Examples and Free Template)
What a capability statement is, what to put on it, examples of strong sections, and a free one-page Word template for government contractors.
How to Get Government Contracts: A 90-Day Plan for Your First Win
How to get government contracts as a beginner: a 90-day plan to register, get noticed, and submit your first bids, plus the small contracts to start with.
Sources Sought Notices: What They Are and How to Respond (Free Template)
What a sources sought notice is, how it differs from an RFI, and how to respond, with a free Word response template, a sample outline and an example.
What Is a GSA Schedule? Is It Worth It for a Small Business?
What the GSA Multiple Award Schedule is, what it takes to get one in 2026, what it costs, the sales minimums, and whether your business is ready.
IDIQ Contracts Explained (and the Other Contract Types You'll See)
What an IDIQ contract is, what the FAR says, how task orders and fair opportunity work, single vs. multiple award, GWACs, and other contract types.
Micro-Purchases: How to Win Small Government Contracts Under $15,000
The micro-purchase threshold is $15,000 in 2026. How small government contracts under it work, when SAM.gov is required, and how small firms win them.
How to Use USAspending.gov to See Who Won a Government Contract
Use USAspending.gov's free Advanced Search to see who won a federal contract, what the agency paid, and when it ends. Step-by-step, with a worked example.
How to Price a Government Contract Bid (With a Worked Example)
Government contract pricing, step by step: contract types, wrap rates, SCA wage determinations, a worked janitorial bid, and how agencies judge your price.
Government Shutdowns and Continuing Resolutions: What Small Contractors Need to Know
What a government shutdown means for contractors: CRs vs. lapses, stop-work orders, back pay, SAM.gov and bidding, plus the Dec. 11, 2026 funding deadline.
How to Become a Government Subcontractor and Find Prime Contractors
How to become a government subcontractor: where to find prime contractors, why primes want small subs, what they check, and how subcontractors get paid.
How to Finance Your First Government Contract
Government contract financing for small businesses: how fast the government pays, progress payments, SBA loans and bonds, factoring and PO financing.
SBIR and STTR in 2026: a small business guide
SBIR and STTR after the April 2026 reauthorization: what changed, Phase I and II award sizes, eligibility, where to find topics and how to apply.
How Long Do Agencies Give You to Respond? Federal Solicitation Response Times, FY2026
How many days agencies gave vendors to respond in FY2026, from 191,950 SAM.gov notices, by notice type, agency, industry, set-aside and month.
How to Set Up SAM.gov Saved Searches and Email Alerts (and Fix Them When They Stop)
How to save a search on SAM.gov, turn on email alerts, follow notices, and fix alerts that stop arriving, using the Federal Service Desk's steps.
What Is a Recompete? How to Find Expiring Federal Contracts Before the RFP
What a recompete is, why contracts end, and how to find expiring federal contracts for free with USAspending.gov and agency forecasts before the RFP.
Quick answers
Need one term? The government contracting glossary defines 86 of them in plain English, 73 with a page of their own. Prefer to watch? The video walkthroughs run under 30 seconds each.
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