How do I find federal contract opportunities for my trade?
As of 12 November 2026: Search Contract Opportunities on SAM.gov, the official site for federal procurement notices, and filter by NAICS code, set-aside, location and other criteria. Anyone can search without an account; with a free SAM.gov (Login.gov) account you can save searches, follow changes to opportunities, join interested vendor lists, and get email notifications of saved search results.
Updated , checked against the official sources below.
Steps
- Go to SAM.gov Contract Opportunities search.
- Filter by your NAICS code (for example 561720 for janitorial services), set-aside type, place of performance and notice type.
- Sign in with Login.gov to save the search.
- Turn on email notifications for the saved search, and follow individual notices to get updates and amendments.
What do the official sources say?
| Source | What it says | Read |
|---|---|---|
| SAM.gov, Contract Opportunities | "Anyone may search contract opportunities without an account. A user account lets you save searches, follow changes to opportunities, and join interested vendor lists." | |
| SAM.gov, Contracting | "Explore opportunities based on NAICS code, set-aside status, location, small business events, and vendor collaboration." | |
| SAM.gov, Contract Opportunities | "Contract opportunities are procurement notices from federal contracting offices." |
Questions people also ask
- What is a presolicitation notice?
- A presolicitation notice is a notice on SAM.gov (the Governmentwide point of entry) that tells industry the Government intends to issue a solicitation. Under FAR 5.204 the contracting officer must synopsize a proposed contract action before issuing the solicitation, and FAR 5.203(a) requires the notice at least 15 days before the solicitation is issued, with shorter periods allowed for commercial products or services.
- What is a combined synopsis/solicitation?
- It is a single notice, used for commercial products or commercial services, that combines the synopsis and the solicitation in one document. The notice states that it is the only solicitation and that a separate written solicitation will not be issued, and no separate 15-day synopsis is needed.
- How long do I have to respond to a federal solicitation?
- The due date is set in each solicitation. The FAR sets minimums: a notice at least 15 days before a solicitation is issued, at least 30 days to respond to solicitations expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (except commercial products or services), and at least 45 days for research and development above that threshold. For commercial products or services, and for actions over $25,000 up to the threshold, the contracting officer sets a response time that gives a reasonable opportunity to respond.
Find open contracts for your trade
Search the open federal contract opportunities on Bid Watch US, read every day from SAM.gov public data. Free, no account; a Monday email for your trade and state if you want one.
More help
All questions in the help center · How to find government contracts to bid on
This page restates official sources; it is not legal advice. Bid Watch US is run by Bikoosh, an independent tracker, not affiliated with SAM.gov or the US government.