Understanding Government Contracts Websites
Numerous government contracts websites can help you identify both available and awarded government contracts. In fact, you are required to register in some government contracts websites to get government contracts! If you know where to look, some government contracts websites will save you money…
Dun & Bradstreet
One of the very first things you must do to bid on government contracts is to obtain a unique identifier from Dun & Bradstreet for every office that you have. And, YES…That will most likely be your home!
This government contracts website is where you register for a “Duns Number” and is the first step to enable you to get government contracts. Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) is a company that has been contracted by the Federal Government to provide a unique nine-digit identification number, commonly called a “Duns Number,” to all businesses required to register with the US Federal Government. Again, a Duns Number is required for EACH corporate office location. Assignment of a “Duns Number” is quick and free by simply going to this government contracts website (http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/index.jsp)
The SAM Website
The SAM Website is the “granddaddy” of all government contracts website! You’ll understand why when you see what S. A. M. stands for…
The government contracts website that puts you on your buying customer’s radar is the System for Award Management (SAM) database (www.sam.gov). This government contracts website tracks your eligibility to get government contracts and also identifies your awarded government contracts. Registration is straight forward with the exception of two additional pieces of information that you must obtain from other government contracts websites. These include a CAGE Code if you intend to do business with the Department of Defense and NAICS codes.
A CAGE Code
A CAGE Code is primarily used by the Department of Defense, the largest consumer within the Federal Government.
The Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code is a five-character ID number used extensively within the Federal Government and is required to get contracts with the Department of Defense. The SAM government contracts website will also verify existing CAGE Codes for all applicants, so you can’t skip this requirement. The DLIS CAGE government contracts website, website at https://cage.dla.mil, will walk you through the creation of your CAGE Code and help with any CAGE Code questions that you may have.
NAICS Codes
NAICS Codes define your products and services to the Federal Government. These codes are also used to “define” the services needed on government contracts!
North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes, pronounced “Nay-ics,” are the standard nomenclature used by Federal statistical agencies in classifying government contracts needs on various government contracts websites. The NAICS codes follow their own bizarre Dewey Decimal system. The first digit of a NAICS code provides a broad functional area with each subsequent digit providing more detailed focus. For example, the NAICS code 541511 is for Custom Computer Programming Services. This NAICS code falls under the 5415 section for Computer Systems Design and Related Services. If we go up one level higher to the 541 section, we are in the Professional, Scientific and Technical Services. Another couple of levels up to the 5 section is the broader Information category. The government contracts website to find the current list of NAICS is https://www.census.gov/eos/www/naics/. The provided list of NAICS definitions are easily “searchable” to the find the best NAICS codes that defines your offering. And, yes! You can have many NAICS codes!
FBO.Gov (or Beta.SAM.Gov)
FBO.Gov (moving to Beta.SAM.Gov) government contracts website is where you’re going to be speculating for gold! !
The FBO.gov (or beta.sam.gov) government contracts website is where you’ll likely “live” for the next several months! This is the website that can make you wealthy. This website lists tens of thousands of government contracts bid opportunities! At the time this website was created, this government contracts website listed over 36,000 government contracts in various stages of procurement during the previous 90 days! Trying to find to the perfect government contract RFP to bid on is nontrivial. However, the website makes it easy for you to perform advanced searches. The trick to finding the government contracts that best align with your offerings is to perform a filtered search on this government contracts website for your NAICS codes! You can further filter government contracts opportunities by set aside type, awarding organization, contract type, location, etc. Every minute that you spend becoming familiar with this website will significantly improve your probability of success!
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About Randy Wimmer
Randy’s first Federal Government contracting company was launched from his home after his kids went to bed. He later sold it for 8-figures. With nearly thirty years either in or supporting the Federal Government, Randy is the ultimate “industry insider,” having owned multiple successful contracting companies.