How to Find Government Contracts for Your Business | Step-by-Step Guide

Summary

This video tutorial guides viewers on how to effectively search for government contract opportunities on sam.gov. It emphasizes the importance of setting up an account, using advanced search filters, and understanding different notice types like solicitations and sources sought. The presenter advises on narrowing down searches with specific codes and location filters, and demonstrates how to follow opportunities, add to interested vendors lists, and save searches for ongoing updates. The video concludes with a prompt to watch further videos on proposal writing and responding to notices.

Takeaways

• 🔍 Start by visiting the free tool at sam.gov to search for government contracts that suit your business.
• 📝 To access all features, set up a user account and sign in by clicking the 'Sign In' button at the top right of the website.
• 🔑 Use the 'Select Domain' feature to narrow down your search to 'Contract Opportunities' for more precise results.
• 🔎 Filter by 'Notice Type' and select 'Sources Sought', 'Pre-Solicitation', 'Solicitation', and 'Combined Synopsis Solicitation' to find open contracts and opportunities to influence the solicitation process.
• 🏢 Understand the difference between 'Award Notice', 'Solicitation', and 'Source Sought Notice' to know when to engage with the government agency for potential contracts.
• 🔍 Use 'Product or Service Information' to filter results by specific NATE codes relevant to your industry or business.
• 📍 Apply the 'Place of Performance' filter to find contracts within your geographical area of operation, starting with those within driving distance.
• 📝 Click on the opportunity title to access detailed information about the contract, including the response deadline and instructions on how to respond.
• 📧 Look for the contact information of the purchasing agent to establish communication and potentially influence the solicitation process.
• 🔗 Utilize the 'Follow' button to keep track of opportunities and the 'Interested Vendors List' to see other businesses interested in the same opportunity.
• ⏰ Remember to save your search and set up notifications to stay informed about new contract opportunities that match your criteria.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the video script?

The purpose of the video script is to guide viewers on how to find government contracts suitable for their business using the free tool on sam.gov.

Why is it necessary to create a user account on sam.gov?

Creating a user account on sam.gov is necessary to access all the features of the website, including the ability to search for and filter government contract opportunities.

What are the different types of notice types mentioned in the script?

The different notice types mentioned are sources sought, pre-solicitation, solicitation, combined synopsis solicitation, and award notice.

Why is it recommended to look at source sought notices along with solicitations?

It is recommended to look at source sought notices because during this phase, you can interact with the agency, learn more about their needs, and potentially influence the solicitation process before it is officially released.

What is the significance of the 'NATE' code in the context of the script?

The 'NATE' code is used to filter contract opportunities by industry or business type. It helps in narrowing down the search to contracts relevant to the specific industry of the business.

How can the place of performance filter be beneficial for businesses?

The place of performance filter is beneficial as it allows businesses to focus on contracts within their geographical area or within driving distance, making it more convenient and practical for them to bid on and fulfill.

What information can be found on the page of a selected contract opportunity?

On the page of a selected contract opportunity, one can find the title, notice ID, department and office issuing the contract, response date, detailed description of the work needed, instructions on how to respond, contact information for the purchasing person, and any attachments or additional documents.

What is the 'follow' button for on the contract opportunity page?

The 'follow' button allows users to keep track of any changes to the opportunity and easily find it in the future.

What is the purpose of the 'interested vendors list' feature?

The 'interested vendors list' feature allows businesses to add themselves to a list of interested vendors for a particular opportunity. If the list is public, it can also be used to see other interested businesses and their contact information for potential networking or subcontracting opportunities.

How can users stay informed about contract opportunities after setting up their search?

Users can save their search and set up notifications to receive email alerts about new or updated contract opportunities that match their search criteria.

What additional filters can users add to refine their search further?

Users can add filters such as publish date or due date to refine their search further and find the most relevant and recent contract opportunities.

Outlines

00:00

🔎 Finding Government Contracts on SAM.gov

This paragraph outlines the process of finding government contracts suitable for one's business using the free tool at sam.gov. It instructs users to set up an account and sign in to access all features. The tutorial proceeds with a step-by-step guide on how to use the search function, including selecting the domain for contract opportunities and filtering by notice types such as 'sources sought', 'pre-solicitation', 'solicitation', and 'combined synopsis solicitation'. The importance of engaging with 'sources sought' notices early in the process is emphasized to influence the solicitation and build relationships with agencies. The paragraph also covers how to filter search results by Federal organizations and product or service information using specific codes to narrow down the search to relevant contract opportunities.

05:01

📍 Filtering Contract Opportunities by Location

The second paragraph focuses on refining the search for government contracts by filtering them geographically. It suggests starting with contracts within driving distance of the business's location and demonstrates how to filter by ZIP code, state, or country. The example given narrows down the search to Alabama, showing how to view the details of each opportunity, including the title, notice ID, issuing department, and response deadline. The paragraph also explains how to access more information about an opportunity, such as the type of work needed and instructions on how to respond. Additionally, it covers how to follow opportunities for updates, view the interested vendors list, and use additional filters like due date and publish date to manage and organize the search results effectively.

10:03

🚀 Saving Searches and Receiving Notifications on SAM.gov

The final paragraph details the steps to save searches and set up notifications for contract opportunities on SAM.gov. It explains the importance of saving searches to avoid losing track of the results and how to download search results for further analysis. The paragraph also guides users on how to receive email notifications for saved searches and how to revisit and run saved searches at any time. Lastly, it encourages viewers to watch additional videos on how to write a proposal for a contract and respond to a source's sought notice, providing a pathway for further learning and preparation.

Keywords

💡Government Contracts

Government contracts refer to agreements between a business and the government to provide goods or services. In the video's context, the focus is on finding and securing these contracts, which is central to the theme of the video as it guides businesses on how to identify and pursue suitable contract opportunities.

💡SAM.gov

SAM.gov is the System for Award Management, a U.S. government website that consolidates the capabilities of various registries and systems. It is highlighted in the script as the primary tool for searching and accessing government contract opportunities, emphasizing its importance in the process of finding contracts that are right for a business.

💡User Account

A user account on SAM.gov is necessary to access all the features for searching government contracts. The script mentions setting up and signing into a user account as the first step in the search process, indicating its fundamental role in utilizing the platform's full capabilities.

💡Search Filters

Search filters are criteria used to narrow down search results on SAM.gov. The script discusses various filters such as Federal organizations, notice type, product or service information, and place of performance, which are essential for businesses to find contract opportunities that match their capabilities and preferences.

💡Notice Type

Notice types categorize different stages of contract announcements. The video explains the significance of different notice types like 'sources sought,' 'pre-solicitation,' 'solicitation,' and 'combined synopsis solicitation,' which are crucial for businesses to understand the contract lifecycle and the best time to engage with the government.

💡Source Sought Notice

A source sought notice is a pre-solicitation announcement that allows businesses to express interest and gather information before the formal solicitation process begins. The script emphasizes the importance of this notice type, as it provides an opportunity to influence the solicitation and build relationships with government agencies.

💡Product or Service Codes (NAICS Codes)

NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) codes classify business establishments for the purpose of collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical data related to the U.S. economy. In the script, these codes are used to filter contract opportunities by industry, helping businesses find relevant opportunities.

💡Place of Performance

The place of performance indicates the location where the work under a contract will be performed. The script suggests using this filter to find contracts that are geographically convenient, which is a practical consideration for businesses looking to minimize operational costs and logistical challenges.

💡Response Date

The response date is the deadline by which businesses must submit their proposals or responses to a government solicitation. The script mentions this as a critical piece of information that businesses need to be aware of to ensure timely participation in the contracting process.

💡Attachments

Attachments in the context of government contracts are additional documents that provide more details about the contract opportunity. The script notes that these documents may be available for download from the SAM.gov platform, offering businesses further insight into the requirements and specifications of a contract.

💡Interested Vendors List

The interested vendors list is a feature on SAM.gov that allows businesses to indicate their interest in a particular contract opportunity and view other interested parties. The script describes this as a networking tool that can help businesses connect with potential competitors or subcontractors.

💡Notifications

Notifications are alerts sent to users when there are updates or changes to the contract opportunities they are following. The script explains how to set up notifications for saved searches on SAM.gov, which is a way for businesses to stay informed and responsive to new developments in government contracting.

Highlights

Introduction to finding government contracts suitable for your business using sam.gov.

The necessity of creating a user account and signing in to access all features on sam.gov.

Starting a search by clicking on 'Search' in the top menu bar and selecting 'Domain'.

Choosing 'Contract Opportunities' from the domain selection for finding relevant contracts.

Advantages of using advanced search filters over simple search bots for more precise results.

Filtering by Federal organizations to narrow down contract opportunities by specific agencies.

Understanding different notice types: sources sought, pre-solicitation, solicitation, and combined synopsis solicitation.

The importance of source sought notices for early engagement with government agencies.

Using product or service information filters such as Nates codes to refine search results.

Explanation of Nates codes and their role in identifying the industry of a business.

Filtering by place of performance to find contracts within a specific geographic area.

Reviewing search results to identify contract opportunities with details like title, notice ID, department, and response date.

How to access more information about an opportunity by clicking on its title.

The significance of response dates and how to prepare submissions before the deadline.

Instructions on how to respond to a contract opportunity, including the required information and submission method.

The availability of attachments in the opportunity details for downloading relevant documents.

The benefit of having contact information for the purchasing agent to facilitate communication.

Using the 'Follow' button to track opportunities and receive updates on changes.

Adding your business to the interested vendors list for potential visibility to the government and other businesses.

Utilizing additional search filters such as due date or publish date to manage and refine search criteria.

Saving search criteria for future use and setting up notifications for updates on contract opportunities.

Downloading search results for offline analysis and record-keeping.

The next steps after finding solicitations and sources sought notices, including preparing a response and watching instructional videos.

Transcripts

today let's cover how to find government

contracts that are right for your

business and we're going to use a free

tool for this at the government website

sam.gov you can go to Sam right now and

search for contracts but to access all

the features I'm going to show you

you'll need to set up a user account and

then sign in you do this by clicking the

signin button at the top right to start

our search let's click on search in the

top menu bar and that TRS us to this

screen now click where it says select

domain and it opens this drop-down menu

and we see a bunch of things we can

search for but today we're looking for

contract opportunities so click on that

now some people just use the simple

search Bots at the top but really that

doesn't work so well so follow along

with me and use the method I'm going to

show you to get much more precise search

results here on the left we we see a

variety of things we can filter by for

example Federal organizations that means

the government agency that's issuing the

contract I can click to expand it and

then in the Box I could use that to

search for a particular Agency for

example you might want to do that if you

just wanted to search for contracts from

the VA but I'm not going to do that

right now because I want to search for

contracts from any organization now

let's click on this box labeled notice

type and there's a drop-down list of

notice types the most important ones

here are sources sought pre-solicitation

solicitation and combined synopsis

solicitation and let's go through and

select those four things and I got a lot

of questions about this so let me

explain what the different notice types

are an award notice is a notice that the

contract has been awarded to a company

since we're looking for open contracts

we don't want that right now

solicitation and combined synopsis

solicitation are actual solicitations

issued by the government the government

is asking for a proposal and the

solicitation will include specifications

for the product or service they want to

buy and they'll also specify a due date

for the proposal a source of sought

notice is something the government sends

out in advance of the solicitation and

this is your chance to get in early most

people just go straight to looking at

the solicitations but I strongly urge

you to also look at the sources sought

notices and here's why once a

solicitation is released There are rules

that limit communications with the

agency and also there are probably a and

other companies who have been following

that opportunity and building

relationships with that Agency for

months finally it's unlikely that you

can influence the solicitation once it

has been released but during the sources

sought phase you can interact with the

agency you can meet with them to learn

more about their needs and you also have

the opportunity to actually

influence the solicitation process so

please look at source Sal notices not

just

solicitations now here on the right we

see all the results it found we see it

found over

28,000 results we need to filter these

down because say you're an IT firm you

don't want to waste your time reviewing

construction contracts you could do a

keyword search but in my experience that

doesn't work so well so I'm going to go

into the filter list on the left and

click on this box where it says product

or service information and it allows us

to filter our results by Nate's code or

by product and service code the Nate's

code just describes what business what

industry you're in if you're not sure of

your NES code watch my video on how to

find your Nate's codes for this demo I'm

going to search for Nate's code

56121 Z that's the Nate's code for

facility Support Services now most of

you will have more than one nates code

because what you do could be put out for

bid under different nates codes so you

can enter and do a search for multiple

NES codes here I'm going to add a second

code

541611 which is the code for

administrative management and general

management consulting services and now

we see on the right there are

221 results next I like to filter by

place of performance place of

performance means where the work is done

I like this filter because I always

recommend that you start by looking for

contracts within driving distance of

where you're located when we click on

place of performance we can filter by

ZIP code by state or by country maybe

you're located in Alabama and you only

do work in Alabama so let's search for

those contracts and this filter does

allow you to enter multiple States here

if you do work in more than one state

now when we look at the results on the

right we see we've narrowed it down to

six contract opportunities for each one

we see the title the notice ID the

department and office issuing the

contract and the response date that's

the date our response is due to the

government to learn more about an

opportunity we click on the title and it

takes us to this page where we can find

the information we care about this one

is an opportunity to provide facility

support services for the co- guard

Aviation training center in Mobile

Alabama in this section titled general

information we see that this is a source

of s and that the response date is

December 15th at 1 p.m. PST so if we're

interested in this particular

opportunity we need to submit our

response to the agency before then and

then if we scroll down further we see

the description here they describe what

work they need and then they give us

precise instructions on how to respond

it tells us responses are requested by

15 December 2023 at 1 p.m. PST and may

be submitted via email and then they

tell us the email address to send our

response to and then they tell us the

information they want us to include in

our response if we scroll down further

we see a section labeled attachments

this one doesn't have any attachments

but often there will be documents here

for you to download and a pro tip here

anyone can search for opportunities in

Sam but you may need to be signed into

Sam in order to download the attachments

and below that it gives us the points of

contact for this opportunity in this

case it's giving us the name telephone

number and email address of the person

to contact about this opportunity and

that's great because now you have the

contact information for a person who

purchases what you sell now let me show

you two more things at the top of this

page when you find an opportunity that

you're interested in you can click the

follow button to help keep track of any

changes and easily find the opportunity

in the future and in the left hand panel

click where it says interested vendors

list now not every opportunity has an

interested vendors list so you may not

see this button but if you do see it

this will allow us to add our business

to the interested vendors list and if

the government has made the list public

you will be able to see all the

businesses that have added themselves to

the list along with their contact

information so that you can reach out to

them this list includes vendors that are

interested in competing for the

opportunity and also vendors interested

in subcontracting opportunities let me

show you some other search filters I

like to use the first thing I always

want to know is when my response is due

and we could have added a filter to

search by due date or if you just want

to check what's new you can search by

publish date that isn't one of the

standard filters so let me show you how

to add additional filters I scroll down

to the bottom and click where it says

more filters and I'm going to add

publish date and hit update and now if I

go up and click on dates we see that I

can filter by publish date now once

we've gone through all the work of

setting up our search we can keep track

of it and stay informed about contract

opportunities by saving our search and

setting up

notifications to save the search we go

to the top of the search results page

and hit actions and then save give the

search a descriptive name because you

can set up lots of different save

searches and then hit save now hit the

save searches button to see a list of

all your save searches now you can come

back at any time and click on the search

to run it and view the search results if

you want to receive email notifications

for your save search click actions and

then select notify now I'm on the save

searches page and I want to go back to

my search results I click on the search

results button and they're gone they

disappear pretty easily which is another

good reason to save the search so I

click on the save searches button and

then I click the name of the save search

and it takes me to our search results

and we can also download our search

results we go to the top of our search

results page and click where it says

actions and then click download now that

you found solicitations and sources

sought notices the next step is to

prepare your response to learn how watch

these videos on how to write a proposal

for a contract and how to respond to a

source's sought notice thanks for

watching and I'll see you in the next

video