□ Registered in home state
□ Registered in neighboring states
□ Vendor number received
□ Commodity codes selected
Understanding Where Contracts Come From
Contracts come from:
• Federal government
• State government
• County & city government
• Corporate vendor portals
• Hospitals & clinics (medical contracting)
• Nonprofits & universities
• International organizations
• Prime contractors seeking subcontractors
This section explains how each source publishes opportunities — and why timing matters.
Federal Contract Search (SAM.gov Mastery)
SAM.gov is the official federal contracting portal. You will learn:
• How to filter by NAICS
• How to filter by set-aside type
• How to search by agency
• How to read opportunity notices
• How to download solicitation packages
• How to track amendments
• How to add opportunities to “Interested Vendors List”
• How to submit questions to the contracting officer
Includes step-by-step guidance for every feature.
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State & Local Procurement Portals
Every state has its own contracting portal. Examples:
• Georgia (Team Georgia Marketplace)
• Alabama (STAARS)
• Florida (MyFloridaMarketPlace)
• Texas (TXSmartBuy)
• California (Cal eProcure)
You will learn:
• How to register
• How to search for bids
• How cities & counties post opportunities
• How to register as a supplier with each state
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Corporate Contracting Search
Corporations such as:
• Amazon
• JLL
• ABM
• CBRE
• Coca-Cola
• Delta
• Home Depot
• Microsoft
• Google
All have supplier portals.
You will learn:
• How to register
• How to find available bids
• How to submit supplier profiles
• Diversity certification benefits
• How corporate buyers evaluate vendors
Medical Contracting Portals
Hospitals, clinics, and healthcare systems purchase:
• Staffing
• Medical technology
• Cleaning & disinfection
• Transportation
• Facilities support
You will learn:
• How to register as a medical vendor
• How credentialing works
• How to find medical RFPs
• Which certifications help (HUBZone, MBE, SDVOSB)
Subcontracting & Teaming Opportunities
Not all contracts require you to be the prime.
You can win THROUGH:
• Primes
• Large integrators
• Joint ventures
• Mentor-protégé programs
• Teaming agreements
You will learn:
• How to approach primes
• What primes look for
• How to present your capability statement to a large vendor
• How to find subcontracting opportunities on SBA tools
Grant & Nonprofit Funding Opportunities
This section includes:
• Grants.gov
• Foundation Directory
• Local community foundations
• Church funding programs
• Nonprofit partnership contracts
Ideal for faith-based and service programs.
Go / No-Go Decision Template
Not every opportunity should be pursued.
Use this template:
□ Can we perform the work?
□ Do we have past performance?
□ Do we meet the set-aside?
□ Do we have the certifications?
□ Can we staff it?
□ Can we make a profit?
□ Is the timeline realistic?
□ Do we understand the requirements?
This prevents wasted time and failed proposals.
Opportunity Tracker & Pipeline System
Students will build a contracting pipeline that includes:
• Opportunity name
• Agency
• NAICS
• Set-aside
• Type (RFP, RFQ, Sources Sought)
• Proposal due date
• Required documents
• Status
• Next steps
A pipeline is REQUIRED for predictable revenue.
Module 4 Final Assignment
Submit:
□ 5 opportunities from SAM.gov
□ 3 opportunities from state/city portals
□ 3 corporate vendor registrations
□ 2 primes to contact for teaming
□ Completed Go/No-Go checklist
□ Updated pipeline spreadsheet