Small business government contracts
Federal agencies are required by law to direct 23% of prime contract dollars to small businesses — over $178B last year. SLED.AI helps SMBs qualify for set-asides, register, write winning proposals, and land their first contracts.
The federal government has to buy from small business. Most of them just don't know how.
23%
Statutory federal small-business prime-contract goal
Small Business Act §15(g)
$178.6B
Federal prime dollars to small business, FY23
SBA Small Business Procurement Scorecard
27.5%
Actual share of FY23 federal prime dollars to small business
SBA
5%
Goals for WOSB and SDB; 3% each for HUBZone & SDVOSB
SBA
Built for SMBs serious about their first (or next) government win.
First-time federal contractors
SMBs with a real product or service who haven't yet won a government contract — and don't have a dedicated capture team.
Certified small businesses
8(a), WOSB, HUBZone, and SDVOSB firms who want help finding the right set-aside opportunities and writing winning proposals.
SMBs eligible to certify but haven't yet
Owners who likely qualify for a socio-economic certification but don't know which one to pursue or how it changes their pipeline.
Subcontractor-to-prime transitions
Small businesses currently subbing under a large prime who want to win their own prime contracts.
Every certification, what it does, and who it's for.
The right certification removes 95% of your competition. Most small businesses qualify for at least one set-aside category — many qualify for two or three.
| Set-aside | What it does |
|---|---|
Small Business set-aside Any small business under your NAICS size standard | The default set-aside. Required when there's a reasonable expectation of two or more small business offers (Rule of Two). |
8(a) Business Development Socially & economically disadvantaged owners; 9-year program | Sole-source awards up to $4.5M services / $7M manufacturing. The most powerful federal certification. |
HUBZone Principal office in a HUBZone; 35%+ employees live in one | 10% price evaluation preference in unrestricted bids. Sole-source up to $4.5M / $7M. |
Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) 51%+ owned and controlled by U.S. women | Set-asides in industries where women are underrepresented. EDWOSB tier adds economic disadvantage. |
Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned (SDVOSB) 51%+ owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans | Federal sole-source authority and broad set-aside use, especially across DoD and VA. |
VA Veteran-Owned (VOSB) 51%+ owned and controlled by veterans | VA-specific 'Vets First' authority gives VOSBs strong priority on VA contracts. |
The foundation: what every small business needs in place.
The good news: every requirement here is free or low-cost. The bad news: getting all of them right is where most first-time bidders fail.
SAM.gov registration & UEI
Mandatory before you can be awarded any federal prime contract. Free; allow 2–4 weeks for first-time validation.
NAICS codes & size standards
Your size status is determined per-NAICS. Get this wrong and you're either ineligible or leaving easier set-asides on the table.
SBA certification (certify.SBA.gov)
8(a), WOSB/EDWOSB, HUBZone, and VOSB/SDVOSB certifications are all centralized at certify.SBA.gov. Plan 90+ days for 8(a).
DSBS / Capability statement
Your Dynamic Small Business Search profile and capability statement are how contracting officers find and qualify you.
FAR clauses and reps & certs
Small business reps and certifications in SAM must be accurate and current — misrepresentation can void contracts and trigger penalties.
Past performance & CPARS
From your first contract on, performance is recorded in CPARS and follows you. The first win is the hardest; the second is much easier.
Deeper guides for small business owners.
Government contracting for small businesses
The full playbook from registration to first award.
8(a) certification: complete guide
Eligibility, application, and what 8(a) actually does for your pipeline.
Every small business certification, compared
WOSB vs. HUBZone vs. SDVOSB vs. 8(a) — pick the right one for your business.
Easiest government contracts to win
Where new small businesses consistently land their first wins.
SAM.gov registration guide
Step-by-step walkthrough of the federal vendor registration process.
Land your first government contract.
Tell us about your business. We'll tell you which certifications fit, which agencies buy what you sell, and which solicitations to chase first.