How to Register for Government Contracts as a Small Business: A Step-by-Step Guide

The U.S. federal government is the largest buyer of goods and services in the world. In fiscal year 2024, it awarded over $178 billion in prime contracts to small businesses — and it’s required by law to award at least 23% of all federal contracting dollars to small businesses every year.

Here’s the part most people don’t know: the government often struggles to find enough qualified small businesses to meet those goals. Contracting officers actively look for small businesses that can do the work, and they can’t award contracts to companies they can’t find. If you’re not registered, you’re invisible.

This guide walks you through every step to go from “I’ve never done government work” to “I’m registered and ready to bid” — including what it costs, how long it takes, and where to get free help.

Before you start: you’re probably more qualified than you think

The most common reason small businesses don’t pursue government contracts is they assume they don’t qualify. Let’s address that upfront.

“My business is too small.” The federal government defines a “small business” generously. Depending on your industry, you can have up to $47 million in annual revenue or up to 1,500 employees and still qualify as small. A one-person LLC qualifies. A five-person shop qualifies. “Too small” is almost never the issue.

“I’m not the right type of business.” When people think of government contracts, they think of defense contractors and IT firms. The reality is far broader. The federal government buys:

• Landscaping and groundskeeping — military bases, federal buildings, national parks
• Janitorial and cleaning services — every federal office building needs cleaning
• Plumbing, HVAC, and electrical work — maintenance contracts for government facilities across the country
• Painting and renovation — ongoing facility maintenance
• Pest control — required for government buildings and housing
• Catering and food services — events, cafeterias, military dining
• Office supplies and furniture — desks, chairs, paper, toner
• Printing and graphic design — agencies produce enormous amounts of printed material
• Translation and interpretation services — dozens of languages needed across agencies
• Training and professional development — the government trains hundreds of thousands of employees every year
• Accounting and bookkeeping — financial audits and support services
• Staffing and temporary labor — administrative support, warehouse workers, security guards

If your business provides a product or service that any organization would buy, there’s a good chance the federal government buys it too.

“The process is too complicated.” It does involve paperwork — we won’t sugarcoat that. But the steps are free, they’re well-documented, and there are people whose entire job is to help you through it at no cost (more on that below). If you’ve ever applied for a business loan or filed a business tax return, you can handle this.

“I’ll never win against the big companies.” This is where set-aside contracts come in. The government reserves a significant percentage of contracts exclusively for small businesses. Large companies literally cannot bid on these. Some contracts are further restricted to specific categories like women-owned, veteran-owned, or HUBZone businesses. The playing field isn’t just leveled — it’s tilted in your favor.

Step 1: Get a Unique Entity ID (UEI)

What it is: A unique identifier for your business entity in the federal system. The old DUNS number system was replaced by the Unique Entity ID (UEI), which is now assigned automatically when you register in SAM.gov.

What you need: Your legal business name, physical address, and EIN (Employer Identification Number) or SSN if you’re a sole proprietor.

Cost: Free.

Timeline: If you don’t already have an EIN, you can get one from the IRS in minutes online. The UEI itself is assigned during SAM.gov registration (Step 2).

Step 2: Register on SAM.gov

What it is: The System for Award Management (SAM.gov) is the federal government’s official database of businesses eligible to receive contracts. If you are not registered in SAM.gov, you cannot be awarded a federal contract. Period.

What you need:

• Legal business name, address, and EIN
• Bank account information (for payment via EFT/ACH)
• NAICS codes — these are industry classification codes that describe what your business does. You can look them up at naics.com. Most businesses use 2–5 codes. For example, a janitorial company might use 561720 (Janitorial Services) and 561210 (Facilities Support Services).
• Information about your business size, ownership, and structure

Cost: Free. SAM.gov registration is always free. If someone charges you to register, it’s a scam. The government will never charge you for SAM.gov registration.

Timeline: The registration process itself takes 1–2 hours to complete. Validation and activation take 7–10 business days on average, but can take up to 30 days in some cases. Your registration must be renewed annually.

Tips:

• Use your legal business name exactly as it appears on your IRS documents
• Have your bank’s routing and account numbers ready
• Don’t rush through the NAICS code selection — these codes determine which contract opportunities you’ll be matched with

Step 3: Determine your small business size standard

What it is: The SBA sets size standards for each industry (by NAICS code) that determine whether your business qualifies as “small.” Size standards are based on either annual revenue or number of employees, depending on the industry.

Examples:

• Janitorial services (561720): $22 million in average annual receipts
• Landscaping services (561730): $9.5 million
• Computer systems design (541512): $34 million
• Plumbing and HVAC (238220): $19 million
• Commercial construction (236220): $45 million

Cost: Free. You can look up your size standard on the SBA’s size standards table.

Timeline: Immediate — it’s just a lookup.

Step 4: Identify any certifications you qualify for

This is where things get powerful. Certifications don’t just label your business — they unlock contracts that are set aside exclusively for businesses with that certification. The major ones:

8(a) Business Development Program

• For businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals
• Sole-source contracts up to $4.5 million (services) or $7 million (manufacturing)
• Nine-year program with mentoring, training, and networking
• Cost: Free to apply
• Timeline: 90 days for SBA review (improved from the historical 6–12 months)

HUBZone Certification

• For businesses located in Historically Underutilized Business Zones
• 10% price evaluation preference on full and open contracts
• Cost: Free to apply
• Timeline: 60–90 days for SBA review
• Check if your address qualifies on the SBA HUBZone map

Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) / Economically Disadvantaged WOSB (EDWOSB)

• For businesses at least 51% owned and controlled by women
• Access to contracts in industries where women-owned businesses are underrepresented
• Cost: Free to self-certify through the SBA’s certification portal
• Timeline: Immediate for self-certification; SBA review if selected for examination

Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)

• For businesses at least 51% owned by service-disabled veterans
• Access to sole-source and set-aside contracts
• Cost: Free to certify through the SBA’s Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert) program
• Timeline: 60–90 days for SBA review

You don’t need any certifications to bid on government contracts. Many contracts are open to all small businesses or even all businesses regardless of size. Certifications give you additional advantages, but they’re not a prerequisite.

Step 5: Create a capability statement

What it is: A one- or two-page document that summarizes what your business does, your qualifications, past performance, and contact information. Think of it as a resume for your company. Contracting officers use these to quickly assess whether your business might be a good fit.

What to include:

• Company name, UEI, CAGE code (assigned during SAM.gov registration), and NAICS codes
• Core competencies — 3–5 bullet points on what you do best
• Past performance — relevant projects, even if they were for commercial (non-government) clients
• Differentiators — certifications, clearances, specialized equipment, geographic coverage
• Contact information

Cost: Free. There are plenty of free capability statement templates available online, and your local Apex Accelerator (see below) will help you write one for free — it’s one of the most common things they help with. A clean, well-organized one-page PDF is all you need.

Timeline: A few hours to write.

Step 6: Start finding opportunities

Once you’re registered in SAM.gov, you can start searching for contracts. There are two main ways:

SAM.gov Contract Opportunities (formerly FBO)

• The official government posting site for contracts over $25,000
• Free to search and use
• Updated daily
• The interface is functional but not user-friendly — you’ll need to set up saved searches and check regularly

ContractRadar

• Set up a profile describing your business in five minutes
• Get an email every day with federal contracts and subcontracting opportunities that match your business
• No complicated search filters to configure — the system matches opportunities to your profile automatically
• $30/month, first month free, cancel anytime
• Start your free trial

Total cost to get registered

You read that right. It costs nothing to register and nothing to get certified. The entire infrastructure exists to help small businesses access government contracts, and the government pays for it.

Total timeline

You don’t have to wait for certifications to start bidding. As soon as your SAM.gov registration is active, you can respond to any open solicitation you’re qualified for.

Free help: Apex Accelerators (formerly PTACs)

Here’s the resource most small businesses don’t know about: Apex Accelerators (formerly called Procurement Technical Assistance Centers, or PTACs). These are federally funded organizations with offices in nearly every state and territory, and their entire purpose is to help small businesses get government contracts.

What they do — for free:

• Walk you through SAM.gov registration step by step
• Help you identify the right NAICS codes
• Review and help you write your capability statement
• Help you find relevant contract opportunities
• Assist with proposal writing and bid preparation
• Advise on certifications you may qualify for
• Provide training workshops and networking events
• Connect you with contracting officers and prime contractors

How to find your local Apex Accelerator: Visit the Apex Accelerator (PTAC) directory to find the office nearest you. There are over 300 locations nationwide.

This is not a sales pitch — there’s no catch. These programs are funded by the Department of Defense and state/local governments specifically to increase small business participation in government contracting. The counselors are experienced, the help is real, and it’s free.

If you do nothing else after reading this guide, find your local Apex Accelerator and schedule an appointment. They will walk you through everything in this article, answer your specific questions, and help you put together a plan.

The bottom line

The federal government spends hundreds of billions of dollars every year and is legally required to direct a significant share of that to small businesses. The registration process costs nothing. Free expert help is available in every state. And the types of contracts available go far beyond what most people expect — if you provide a product or service that organizations buy, the government probably buys it too.

The only thing that keeps most small businesses from government contracting is that they never start the process. Now you know the steps.

Ready to find contracts that match your business? Start your free trial with ContractRadar — set up your profile in five minutes and get matching opportunities emailed to you daily. $30/month, first month free, cancel anytime.