🇺🇸 United States · Government procurement
How to find and win US federal government contracts.
All US federal procurement notices, contract awards, and vendor registrations flow through SAM.gov (System for Award Management), the government's official single entry point for doing business with federal agencies. This guide covers entity registration, finding opportunities, bidding requirements, and award monitoring.
Four steps to your first US federal government contract.
1
Register your entity in SAM.gov
Create and activate an entity registration in SAM.gov — this is a mandatory prerequisite for receiving any federal contract or grant award. You will need a DUNS/UEI number, NAICS codes, and bank account details for electronic funds transfer.
2
Search for active solicitations
Use SAM.gov's Contract Opportunities search to find RFPs, RFQs, sources sought, and set-aside opportunities filtered by NAICS code, agency, place of performance, or dollar value.
3
Submit a compliant proposal
Read the solicitation's Statement of Work, evaluation criteria, and Section L/M instructions carefully. Submit your technical and price volumes by the stated deadline via the method specified — SAM.gov, agency portals, or email depending on the acquisition.
4
Track awards and debriefs
Award notices are published on SAM.gov. If you are unsuccessful, you may request a debrief to understand how your proposal was scored and improve future submissions.
🇺🇸 Live data
Search United States government tenders
SAM.gov is the US federal government's authoritative system for vendor registration and contract opportunities. It consolidates what was previously split across FedBizOpps, ORCA, and other systems. All federal agencies above the micro-purchase threshold must post competitive solicitations here, and all awards above the simplified acquisition threshold must be disclosed.
US federal contracts are open to both domestic and foreign-owned businesses, though set-aside programs — small business, 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, SDVOSB — reserve portions of spending for qualifying firms. International suppliers may face restrictions on defense and security-sensitive categories under the Buy American Act and Trade Agreements Act.
SAM.gov lists hundreds of thousands of active opportunities, making keyword-only searches noisy. Sell to State indexes US federal procurement data, with plain-English search and saved tender searches with a daily email alert.
Frequently asked questions
What is SAM.gov?
SAM.gov (System for Award Management) is the US federal government's official platform for vendor registration, contract opportunities, and award disclosures. All entities wishing to receive a federal contract must maintain an active SAM.gov registration.
Can international companies bid on US federal contracts?
Yes, foreign-owned businesses can bid on most US federal contracts. Certain categories — particularly defense, intelligence, and law enforcement — restrict foreign participation under the Buy American Act, Trade Agreements Act, or agency-specific regulations. Each solicitation specifies applicable restrictions.
Is SAM.gov free to use?
SAM.gov is free for vendors and contracting officers alike. Entity registration and opportunity searching are provided at no cost by the federal government.
How do I get alerts for US federal tenders through Sell to State?
On Sell to State, search US federal opportunities by keyword, NAICS code, or agency, then save the search. Turn on the alert for the saved tender search: once a day, we email you the number of new open and awarded tenders that match it.
What US procurement data does Sell to State cover?
Sell to State indexes federal solicitations and award disclosures from SAM.gov, making them searchable in plain English alongside government procurement data from over 190 other countries.
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