Small business contracting
Small business government contracts, bids & RFPs
The federal government is required to steer a share of its spending to small businesses. Here’s how big that share is, the programs that reserve contracts for small firms, and how to qualify.
About 44% of open federal opportunities are set aside for small businesses under an SBA program.
Federal set-asides by program
| Set-aside program | Open opportunities |
|---|---|
| Total small business | 9,328 |
| Service-disabled veteran-owned | 1,395 |
| Women-owned small business | 716 |
| HUBZone | 211 |
| 8(a) program | 64 |
| Economically disadvantaged women-owned | 28 |
| SDVOSBS | 21 |
| Indian small business (ISBEE) | 12 |
The main small-business set-aside programs
- Total small business set-aside— open to any business that meets the SBA size standard for the contract’s NAICS code.
- 8(a) Business Development— for socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses.
- HUBZone— for small businesses in Historically Underutilized Business Zones.
- WOSB / EDWOSB— women-owned and economically disadvantaged women-owned small businesses.
- SDVOSB— service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses.
For the full breakdown of each program and how they affect your bidding strategy, see federal set-asides explained.
How to qualify
- Register in SAM.gov with a UEI and CAGE code — see how to register on SAM.gov.
- Confirm you meet the SBA size standard for your NAICS code.
- Pursue any set-aside certifications you qualify for through the SBA.
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