Articles
How to Use SAM.Gov to Find and Win Government Contracts 2026 (Step-by-Step Guide)
In the world of government contracting, there’s a wealth of opportunity available for businesses looking to expand their reach. Whether you are a small business or an established enterprise, securing government contracts can be a major revenue driver. However, navigating the complex landscape of government procurement can be intimidating for newcomers and even experienced contractors. Fortunately, the U.S. government offers a centralized platform, SAM.gov, designed to help businesses find and bid on federal contracts.
In this post, we’ll walk you through the steps to find and bid on government contracts using SAM.gov. We will also introduce GovDash, a platform that automates the government contracting process and gives you the competitive edge to win more contracts.
TL;DR
Register on SAM.gov first (takes 10-15 days) and renew annually or you can't receive contract awards.
Use advanced filters like NAICS codes and set-asides to find relevant opportunities faster than basic keyword searches.
Track amendments twice weekly per active solicitation to avoid disqualification from missed requirement changes.
Respond to Sources Sought notices before full RFPs drop to shape requirements and build agency familiarity.
GovDash automates SAM.gov monitoring with Bid Match, surfacing 150% more qualified opportunities than manual searches.
What is SAM.gov?
SAM.gov (System for Award Management) is the official U.S. government website where businesses can register to do business with federal agencies, search for government contracts, and submit bids. SAM.gov is a free service, and using it is a mandatory first step if your business intends to work with the U.S. federal government.
The website consolidates multiple procurement and awards systems into one, including:
FedBizOpps (Federal Business Opportunities)
CCR (Central Contractor Registration)
ORCA (Online Representations and Certifications Application)
eSRS (Electronic Subcontracting Reporting System)
By using SAM.gov, you can access a wide range of contracting opportunities, track compliance and reporting requirements, and even manage your business’s status with various government agencies.
How to Register on SAM.gov
Before you can start searching for contracts or submitting bids, your business must first register on SAM.gov. Here’s how:
Create an Account: Start by creating a user account on the SAM.gov portal. You will need to provide basic information such as your name, email address, and phone number.
Complete the Business Registration:
DUNS Number: You’ll need a DUNS (Data Universal Numbering System) number, which can be obtained for free from Dun & Bradstreet. This unique identifier helps the government track your business’s activities.
NAICS Code: Determine your North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code, which identifies your industry sector. You can find the appropriate code for your business on the U.S. Census Bureau’s website.
TIN or EIN: You’ll also need your Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) or Employer Identification Number (EIN), which is used by the IRS.
Register for Government Contracting: Once you’ve completed your SAM.gov registration, you’ll be able to update your profile with information relevant to government contracting, such as your business’s capabilities and past performance.
Certifications and Representations: You will need to complete your business's representations and certifications, which outline important information about your business structure and legal obligations.
How to Find Government Contracts on SAM.gov
Once your business is registered, you can begin searching for government contracts. Here are the steps to help you find opportunities that align with your business:
Navigate to the Contract Opportunities Section: After logging in, go to the “Contract Opportunities” tab. This section allows you to search for active federal contract opportunities across various agencies.
Use Filters to Narrow Down Opportunities: SAM.gov offers several search filters to help you find relevant contracts. You can filter by:
Keywords: Use specific terms relevant to your business or industry.
NAICS Code: Filter contracts by your industry sector.
Set-Aside Categories: The federal government sets aside certain contracts for small businesses, women-owned businesses, veteran-owned businesses, and others.
Location: Narrow your search by geographic location if you prefer to work with local agencies or in specific regions.
Agency: Filter by a specific federal agency, such as the Department of Defense or Department of Energy.
Review Opportunities: Once you’ve narrowed down your search, review the contract opportunities carefully. Pay attention to important details like:
Solicitation Number: This is the unique identifier for the contract.
Contract Type: Different types of contracts are issued, such as fixed-price, cost-reimbursement, and time-and-materials.
Set-Aside Information: Some contracts are reserved for small businesses or specific groups.
Proposal Deadlines: Ensure you can meet the required deadlines before considering a bid.
How to Submit a Bid on SAM.gov
After identifying a contract that fits your business, it’s time to prepare and submit your bid. Here’s how the process works:
Download the Solicitation Documents: Each contract opportunity will come with a solicitation document that outlines the scope of work, requirements, and terms and conditions. Review these documents carefully.
Prepare Your Proposal: A typical proposal will include:
Technical Proposal: This is where you show your understanding of the project’s needs and how your company can fulfill those requirements. It should include specific details on your approach, experience, and methodology.
Cost Proposal: Provide a detailed breakdown of the costs involved in fulfilling the contract. Make sure that your pricing is competitive and realistic.
Past Performance: Highlight previous contracts or similar work you’ve completed to show your ability to deliver quality work on time and within budget.
Submit Your Bid Electronically: SAM.gov allows you to submit your bids electronically through the portal. Be sure to meet all submission requirements and include any requested certifications or supporting documentation.
Follow Up: After submitting your bid, stay engaged with the contracting officer. Clarify any questions that may arise and provide additional information if requested.
Common SAM.gov Mistakes That Cost Contractors Opportunities
Expired SAM.gov registrations disqualify more contractors than weak proposals. Your registration expires annually, and you cannot receive awards while inactive. Agencies don't wait for you to renew.
Incomplete NAICS code listings limit which opportunities SAM.gov shows in your saved searches. Add every code your business can perform under, besides your primary classification. Missing codes mean missing relevant contracts.
Wrong set-aside selections waste pursuit time. Verify your certifications match the set-aside type before investing in proposal development. Agencies validate eligibility before award, and mismatches result in automatic disqualification regardless of technical merit.
Overlooking amendment notifications costs winnable bids. Solicitations change throughout the response period. Failure to acknowledge amendments or incorporate revised requirements into your proposal triggers immediate rejection at submission.
How GovDash Accelerates Your SAM.gov Opportunity Capture Process
Manual SAM.gov monitoring consumes hours each week and still misses relevant opportunities buried in search results. GovDash's Bid Match feature automates this entire process by continuously scanning SAM.gov and surfacing contracts that align with your capabilities and past performance.
Bid Match analyzes your company profile, contract history, and certifications to recommend opportunities you're qualified to win. Instead of building saved searches and checking email alerts daily, you log into GovDash and see a curated pipeline of relevant solicitations waiting for review.
AI matching increases opportunity volume. GovDash users report discovering approximately 150% more qualified weekly opportunities compared to manual SAM.gov searches, simply because automated scanning catches contracts that keyword searches miss.
Once Bid Match surfaces an opportunity, GovDash's capture tools take over. The Capability Matrix automatically compares solicitation requirements against your documented past performance, showing fit scores before you invest pursuit resources. This eliminates the hours spent manually reading RFPs to determine if you should bid.
We built GovDash to solve the SAM.gov burden. While SAM.gov registration and final submission still happen in the government system, GovDash handles everything in between: discovery, analysis, compliance matrix generation, proposal drafting, and team collaboration. You spend less time searching and more time winning.
How GovDash Enhances the Proposal Process
Here’s how GovDash can give you an edge when bidding on government contracts:
Opportunity Matching: GovDash’s AI can analyze your business profile, industry focus, and capabilities to automatically identify the most relevant government contracts for your business. This saves you time spent searching through hundreds of opportunities on SAM.gov and other sources like GSA eBuy.
Proposal Assistance: The proposal process is one of the most daunting aspects of government contracting. GovDash’s AI tools can assist with proposal writing by analyzing the solicitation requirements and helping you structure your bid in a way that meets government standards. The AI also helps generate proposal templates tailored to each opportunity, reducing the time spent on manual proposal drafting.
Contract Compliance Management: GovDash helps you stay compliant with government regulations and reporting requirements. It can track contract performance metrics and remind you of important deadlines, such as contract renewals or compliance submissions.
Competitive Analysis: GovDash’s AI can help you analyze past contract awards, providing insights into the winning bids of competitors. This enables you to adjust your pricing, technical proposal, and overall approach to align with what has proven successful in the past.
Automated Reporting: For businesses managing multiple contracts, keeping track of progress, deadlines, and compliance can be difficult. GovDash automates these tasks, providing you with real-time reports and performance insights.
Win More Government Contracts with GovDash
The combination of SAM.gov and GovDash provides businesses with a complete toolkit for success in the government contracting arena. SAM.gov offers access to thousands of contract opportunities, while GovDash enhances your ability to find, bid, and win contracts by streamlining and optimizing the entire process.
As federal agencies scale AI implementations with spending reaching $82 billion in Q2 2025 (a 166% year-over-year increase), contractors with AI capabilities are positioned to capture procurement augmentation and customer experience contracts. By incorporating the power of automation, GovDash allows you to:
Reduce the time spent searching for contracts.
Craft more competitive proposals.
Stay compliant with government regulations.
Analyze your competitors and adjust your strategies accordingly.
Reduce the time spent searching for contracts.
Craft more competitive proposals.
Stay compliant with government regulations.
Analyze your competitors and adjust your strategies accordingly.
Final Thoughts
Using SAM.gov to find and bid on government contracts is a required skill for any business looking to grow its presence in the public sector. But with the complexity of the process, success often requires more than just access to opportunities; it requires strategic insights and efficiency. That’s where GovDash comes in. By using their AI Business Developer for GovCon, you can simplify your proposal efforts, stay ahead of the competition, and win more government contracts. With the right approach, your business can thrive in the government contracting space.
FAQ
How long does SAM.gov registration take before I can bid on contracts?
SAM.gov registration typically takes 10 to 15 business days to complete, so start the process well before you plan to submit your first proposal. Your registration must be active before you can receive a contract award, and it expires annually, requiring renewal 60 days before expiration to avoid losing bidding eligibility.
What's the difference between a Sources Sought notice and a full solicitation?
A Sources Sought notice is a market research tool where agencies gauge interest and gather information before releasing a formal RFP, while a full solicitation (RFP, RFQ, or IFB) is the actual bidding opportunity with defined requirements and submission deadlines. You should respond to Sources Sought notices to position your company and influence requirements, but you submit binding proposals only to full solicitations.
How can I avoid missing important amendments to active solicitations?
Check each active opportunity in SAM.gov at least twice weekly until submission, as agencies post clarifications, Q&A responses, and requirement changes as amendments throughout the solicitation period. Missing an amendment that changes the submission deadline or adds requirements will disqualify your proposal, regardless of its technical quality.
When should I use set-aside filters in my SAM.gov searches?
Use set-aside filters immediately if you hold small business certifications (8(a), SDVOSB, HUBZone, or WOSB) to display only opportunities where you're eligible to compete without facing large prime contractors. This targeted approach helps you focus pursuit resources on contracts where your certification provides a competitive advantage and eliminates full-and-open competitions you're unlikely to win.
Why should I research past contract awards before bidding?
Past contract awards in the Federal Procurement Data System reveal what agencies actually pay, who wins their contracts, and whether small businesses or large primes dominate specific buying offices. This intelligence helps you assess whether your pricing is competitive, identify incumbent advantages, and decide which opportunities offer realistic win probability before investing proposal resources.
