Registering in SAM.gov: what builders and engineers need to know
No active registration, no federal award. A plain-language walk-through of the process and the mistakes that slow it down.
Find builders, engineers and trade contractors for your next project
Resources for Contractors
Guides and advice from the directory for winning federal, state and local work
Getting Started
Getting on state bid lists in Virginia, Maryland and Florida
Each state runs its own marketplace with its own vendor registration and commodity codes. Register in the right places and pick your codes carefully.
What primes look for in a subcontractor
Large general contractors and engineering firms are judged on their subs' performance. Here is what they check before they put your name in a proposal.
Small business certifications explained
8(a), HUBZone, WOSB and veteran-owned programs open doors to set-aside contracts. Here is how they differ and who certifies each one.
How to use public award data to find teaming partners
The contracts a firm has already won say more about it than any capability statement. Here is how to read that record before you pick up the phone.
Every prime contract awarded by a federal agency is published, and a growing number of states publish their purchase orders and contracts too. For a builder or engineering firm looking for a partner, that record is the most honest résumé available: it shows who a firm has worked for, how large its jobs have been and how recently it won them.
In this guide
- Start with the work, not the website
- Read the pattern
- Check the registration
- Then make the call
Winning the Work
Bonding for public construction: a primer
Public owners require performance and payment bonds on most construction contracts. How bonding works, and how to grow your capacity.
Reading a public solicitation without missing what matters
Sources sought, RFPs and invitations for bid each ask for something different. How to read them and avoid the mistakes that get bids thrown out.
Building a past performance record that wins the next job
Owners score past performance on most public contracts. How federal evaluations work, and how to document state and local work so it counts.