The cost of teaming with the wrong vendor on a federal proposal isn't theoretical — it's protest, contract termination, and a long phone call to your lawyer. Two free official-government data sources let you screen out the riskiest partners in under a minute. Here's how to use them.
Capture teams pay analysts six figures a year to piece together the same picture you can get from three public federal data sources in fifteen minutes. Here's how to read a contractor's SEC filings, an agency's Treasury budget pace, and a vendor's NIH research grants — and what each tells you about your competitive position.
Three weeks after we shipped the 64,849-vehicle catalog, we added what makes it actually useful for capture decisions: quarterly task-order velocity per vehicle, vendor win-share leaderboards, set-aside utilization breakdowns, per-SIN schedule pricing pages, federal agency market-trend panels, and direct GSA Advantage pricelist links. Four new AI tools wire it all to your chat.
We just shipped contract-vehicle intelligence: 64,849 active federal IDVs (Government-Wide Acquisition Contracts, GSA Schedules, BPAs, IDCs, BOAs) — sourced from USAspending, enriched with NAICS, set-aside, pricing type, and expiration windows. Browseable at /vehicles, queryable from the AI chat, exposed via MCP. Here's what it is, what it isn't, and how to use it.
Practical guide to Altus AFB (Oklahoma) construction contracting — base mission, the agencies that buy construction there, NAICS codes that apply, and how to surface opportunities before they close.
We just shipped Beacon: a buyer-side contact graph built from real solicitation history. Ask 'who's the contracting officer at NASA?' or 'what else has [email protected] posted?' and get a real answer. Here's what it is, what it isn't, and how to use it.
A practical guide to finding government RFPs as a small business. Set-aside programs, free search methods, certifications, and how to compete against larger firms.
An honest comparison of the top RFP search platforms — GovWin, BidNet, HigherGov, GovSignals, FindRFP, and BidSparq. Coverage, AI features, pricing, and which one fits your business.
Every state has its own procurement portal with different registration requirements. Here's a comprehensive guide to finding and navigating state bid boards across all 50 states.
A step-by-step guide to reading government RFPs efficiently. Learn how to extract key requirements, spot deal-breakers early, and avoid the compliance mistakes that get proposals disqualified.
Understand the major government contract types — Fixed-Price, Time & Materials, IDIQ, BPA, and GSA Schedule — and how each one affects your pricing, risk, and proposal strategy.
Your capability statement is your resume for government contracting. Learn how to write one that contracting officers actually read, with structure, examples, and the pre-RFP strategies that turn it into a competitive advantage.
USASpending.gov is a free goldmine of contract data most contractors ignore. Learn how to research incumbents, estimate pricing, identify recompetes, and find teaming partners.
20-30% of RFPs show signs of a predetermined winner. Learn the 6 red flags experienced contractors use to spot wired contracts before wasting weeks on a proposal you can't win.
The past performance catch-22 blocks most new contractors. Learn how subcontracting builds your credentials, relationships, and CPARS history to position you for prime contracts.
Most contractors never request debriefs after losing a bid. Learn how debriefs reveal your scoring gaps, competitor strengths, and the specific improvements that increase your win rate.
Cooperative purchasing lets you win one contract and sell to thousands of agencies. Learn how BuyBoard, SourceWell, TIPS-USA, and other cooperatives work — and whether they're right for your business.
E-Rate funds $4 billion annually in school technology. Learn how the program works, where E-Rate RFPs are posted, the funding timeline, and how to position your business to win E-Rate contracts.
How to wire up an LLM to a live RFP database so you can ask 'what's new in my space this week?' in plain English — and get actual answers, not hallucinations. Covers MCP servers, what's possible today, and the limits.
A clear guide to building a pipeline forecast for government contracting — the Shipley win-probability math, the stage-by-stage conversion model, and the spreadsheet patterns that fool you into trusting bad numbers.
A wired contract is one where the agency has already decided who wins — before the RFP goes public. Here are 6 signals you can check yourself, in under 5 minutes, to avoid spending 80 hours writing a proposal you were never going to win.
Every free method for finding government and commercial RFPs — from SAM.gov to Google Alerts to agency mailing lists. Plus when it makes sense to upgrade to a paid tool.
Learn the proven frameworks top contractors use to decide which RFPs to bid on. Includes a 10-factor scoring matrix, red flags for wired contracts, and the real math behind bid decisions.
Learn how construction RFPs work, what they include, how to find them, and how to write winning responses. Covers bonding, Davis-Bacon, prequalification, and more.
Learn how healthcare RFPs work, where to find them, what compliance requirements apply, and how to write winning proposals for hospitals, health systems, and government health agencies.
Learn how Marine Corps contracting works, where to find USMC RFPs, key procurement offices (MCSC, MCICOM, MCLC), NAICS codes, small business programs, and how to win contracts.
Learn how Coast Guard contracting works, where to find USCG RFPs, major programs (OPC, Polar Security Cutter, FRC), DHS vs DoD differences, and how to win contracts.
Learn how USPS contracting works — it's completely different from federal procurement. No SAM.gov, no FAR, own portal. Covers registration, major programs (NGDV), top suppliers, and how to win.
A practical comparison of every government contract search engine — free federal databases, paid aggregators, and AI-powered platforms — with pricing, coverage, and honest assessments.
An honest comparison of the best RFP software for government contractors. Covers discovery, proposal response, tracking, and AI tools — with pricing, pros/cons, and a decision framework.
A practical step-by-step guide to bidding on government contracts — from SAM.gov registration and UEI setup to finding opportunities, making go/no-go decisions, writing proposals, and what happens after award.
Compare the best government contracting software for finding RFPs, writing proposals, managing bids, and tracking contracts. Feature comparison and pricing.
How to get SDVOSB certification, find set-aside contracts, and leverage the Veterans First program to win government contracts as a service-disabled veteran.
Learn what NAICS codes are, how to find the right codes for your business, and why they're critical for winning government contracts and getting matched with the right RFPs.
A practical guide to writing government proposals that win — from compliance matrices to technical approaches, pricing strategies, and common mistakes to avoid.
How to find RFPs across federal, state, local, and education sources. Free methods, top search platforms compared, alerts setup, and how to automate it all.
Understand the key differences between Requests for Proposals (RFP), Requests for Quotations (RFQ), and Invitations for Bid (IFB) in government procurement.
Everything you need to know to land your first government contract — from registering in SAM.gov to finding the right RFPs, writing your first proposal, and building past performance.