How to Get Federal Government Contracts

Secure a government contract and sign on the dotted line.

The United States federal government has more than 25,000 opportunities in more than 120 agencies for contractors nationwide and in its territories outside the North American continent to bid on. Contracts are available in more than 1,200 industries, including farming, mining, oil and gas drilling, construction and food manufacturing. There are several steps you need to take to become a federal government vendor, but you can complete the entire process of registering, searching and bidding online.

Instructions

1. Get a D-U-N-S number. You can apply for a free Dun & Bradstreet D-U-N-S number for each physical location of your business. This 9-digit code was created in 1962 to identify businesses by their place of operation. The U. S. government requires every contractor to have a D-U-N-S number.

2. Register your business with Central Contractor Registration (CCR). Visit the CCR website, and click on "Start New Registration" to begin the process. CCR is the primary database of contractors that the United States government uses.

3. Fill out the Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA) online. In ORCA, you'll provide the government with additional information about your company and its activities. Before you can complete your application, you'll need a D-U-N-S number and to be registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database.

4. Get a login username and password on the Federal Business Opportunities website at the FBO website, and click on "Register Now."

5. Go back to the FBO website after registering, and search for contracting opportunities using the pull-down menus to create a search criteria. Once you find a job that interests you, follow the prompts to bid on it.

References

• Dun & Bradstreet D-U-N-S Request Service
• Central Contractor Registration
• Online Representations and Certifications Application

Resources

• Federal Business Opportunities