This lesson puts the foundations in order: three 30-day blocks that take a company from not registered to its first submitted quotes.
Days 1 to 30: be eligible to bid
Register first. The standard provision says an offeror is required to be registered in SAM when submitting an offer or quotation 1.
Then choose your codes. Contracting officers assign one NAICS code and corresponding size standard to all solicitations, contracts, and task and delivery orders 2.
Get your money ready. One of the general standards of responsibility is having adequate financial resources to perform the contract, or the ability to obtain them 3.
Bids2Bank checks your SAM registration before it recommends a bid 4.
Days 31 to 60: be found
Agencies conduct market research appropriate to the circumstances 5, and they use the results to determine if sources capable of satisfying their requirements exist 6.
Small business officials have a defined part when an agency plans to bundle work. In that case FAR 10.001(c) tells the agency to notify any affected incumbent small business concerns of the Government's intention to bundle the requirement 7.
The same paragraph, in its first item, says that when performing market research the agency should consult with the agency small business specialist and the local SBA procurement center representative (PCR) 8.
Talking early is allowed. Exchanges of information among all interested parties, from the earliest identification of a requirement through receipt of proposals, are encouraged 9.
This matters most for small firms because a small business set-aside turns on whether the contracting officer expects offers from at least two responsible small business concerns 10 and expects award at fair market prices 11.
Days 61 to 90: bid small and learn
Start where the process is lighter. Agencies are told to use simplified acquisition procedures to the maximum extent practicable for all purchases of supplies or services not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold 12.
Watch the Governmentwide point of entry, which the FAR defines as the single point for government business opportunities greater than $25,000 13.
Watch notices as well as solicitations: for the actions they cover, the publicizing rules set a notice period of at least 15 days before issuance of a solicitation 14.
Worked example. Contractor H registers in SAM in week one and lists two NAICS codes. In month two it answers three sources-sought notices and sends its capability statement to two agency small business specialists. In month three it submits its first two small quotes, loses one, and asks what won so its next price is better informed.
Enter your UEI, CAGE and NAICS codes in company settings →
Search SAM.gov notices that match your codes →
Indented paragraphs are invented worked examples. Tool links open Bids2Bank and need a free account.