There are many websites that a firm needs to make itself familiar with if they want to be successful in federal contracting. This is especially true in the early phases before the firm reduced their marketing efforts down to just three agencies or less.
Governmentwide: https://sam.gov/content/home
There are many ways to find government contracting opportunities. In rare cases the government buyers can find you through the System for Award Management (SAM). SAM is the official government system that consolidated the capabilities of several government databases those being (CCR/FedReg, ORCA, and EPLS) in an effort to eliminate redundancy and wasted effort by both suppliers and agency users. You can use sam.gov to identify current contracting opportunities and even bid on those procurement through the process that use to be fbo.gov.
There are many ways to find government contracting opportunities. In rare cases the government buyers can find you through the System for Award Management (SAM). SAM is the official government system that consolidated the capabilities of several government databases those being (CCR/FedReg, ORCA, and EPLS) in an effort to eliminate redundancy and wasted effort by both suppliers and agency users. You can use sam.gov to identify current contracting opportunities and even bid on those procurement through the process that use to be fbo.gov.
All the agencies put together forecasts to aid small businesses in working with them. This is done for several reasons. First it helps small businesses plan what contracts they would like to bid on for the upcoming year. Otherwise, it is possible that a small business could win a contract that was not as good a fit for their firm as another had they known about the other opportunity. Additionally, small businesses when reviewing the procurements can get in touch with the contracting officer in the RFI stage or even earlier and request that the contact be either sole sourced directly to them business, provided they have some form of SBA special designation, or set-aside for the group in which they identify. Finally it helps new firms to gauge the procurement opportunities that might fit their firm so they can make an informed decision as to whether or not they would like to purse a particular agency or federal contracting in general.
The Major Agency Forecasting Sites are Listed Below:
DoD – Forecast Opportunities
https://business.defense.gov/Archived-Pages/Acquisition-Forecasts/
Military Health - Forecast
https://health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Doing-Business-with-the-DHA/Procurement-and-Contracting/Opportunities-Gateway/Forecast
Military Commissaries
https://corp.commissaries.com/our-agency/business-with-deca/small-business
US Army Corps of Engineers
https://www.usace.army.mil/Business-With-Us/Small-Business/Upcoming-Contract-Opportunities/
US Department of Commerce
https://www.commerce.gov/oam/vendors/procurement-forecasts
Department of Education
https://www2.ed.gov/fund/contract/find/forecast.html
Department of Energy
https://www.energy.gov/osdbu/acquisition-forecast
USDA – Forecast Opportunities
https://www.dibbs.bsm.dla.mil/dodwarning.aspx?goto=/
Department of the Interior
https://www.doi.gov/pmb/osdbu/forecast
Department of Transportation
https://www.transportation.gov/osdbu/procurement-assistance/summary-forecast/2023
Department of Justice
https://www.justice.gov/osdbu/doing-business-department-justice#contracting-opportunities
Department of Labor
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/oasam/centers-offices/office-of-the-senior-procurement-executive/office-of-small-and-disadvantaged-business-utilization/procurement-forecast
Department of State – Forecast Opportunities
https://www.state.gov/procurement-forecast
Federal Communications Commission
https://www.fcc.gov/general/contracting-opportunities
GSA – Forecast Opportunities
https://www.acquisitiongateway.gov/forecast
Homeland Security
https://apfs-cloud.dhs.gov/
HUD - Forecast
https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/sdb/4cast
VA – Forecast Opportunities
https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/eVP/fco/EntireVA.aspx?Type=Complete
Dibbs – Forecast / Bidding https://www.dibbs.bsm.dla.mil/dodwarning.aspx?goto=/
The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Internet Bid Board System (DIBBS) (dibbs.bsm.dla.mil/) is a website that provides the ability to search for, view, and submit secure quotes on RFQs for various DLA items of supply. DIBBS lets users search and view RFPs, Invitations for Bid, Awards and other procurement information related to the Defense Logistics Agency. DLA is the DoD's largest logistics combat support agency, and providing worldwide logistics support to the military.
Federal Procurement Data System
Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) is the repository of all federal contracting data and reports for contracts in excess of $3,000. FPDS offers public users access to reports showing the spending patterns of the federal government. Once you have registered at www.fpds.gov, you will gain access to information submitted to FPDS from across the federal government. With this system, you can learn about federal contracting opportunities and increase your firms market capability:
FPDS provides over 50 different reports you can run, as well as specialized reports that allow you to request information using over 160 customized fields.
There are multiple online companies that provide consolidated and centralized electronic bid notification and eProcurement services. Here are a list of a few of the more prominent players in the industry.
Fee Based Sites
