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Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

  1. How can I reach the FedBizOpps Help Desk?
  2. Why can't I open files? (Links to Document Viewers)
  3. Why can't I find a particular solicitation, if it was here before?
  4. Does FBO store a list of vendors who indicated interest in a solicitation? Is this available for buyers and/or vendors to review?
  5. What are Procurement Classification Codes?
  6. How do I find out about upcoming opportunities related to reconstruction efforts in Iraq?
  7. Do all Iraq reconstruction contract opportunities have to be competitive and/or posted to FedBizOpps?
  8. What is a 'sources sought" notice? And how can I find them?
  9. What is a "special notice"? And how can I find them?
  10. If I forget my password, how do I get a copy?
  11. How can I obtain a user's manual?

Buyer Questions

  1. What is a valid solicitation number? Can it include "spaces"?
  2. What does "save draft" mean?
  3. I posted a notice to FedBizOpps, and then realized that I created it with the wrong solicitation number. How can I correct this?
  4. Why was I prematurely timed out of the system?
  5. When I cut and paste text from my word processor into the description field of the synopsis, my formatting is corrupted (see odd characters or different format than intended). Why is this happening?
  6. How do I delete a Modification?
  7. How do I delete a solicitation?
  8. How do I archive a solicitation?
  9. How do I unarchive a solicitation?
  10. I just posted a solicitation and don't see it as opportunity for vendors?
  11. How do vendors become eligible to download documents marked Export-Controlled?
  12. How do I post Justification & Approvals (J&As) on the site?
  13. How can I obtain training for the new Bid Module functionality?
  14. I am a registered Buyer, why don't I have access to the Bid Module?
  15. I am an Agency Administrator, how do I disable the Bid Module for my users?
  16. I am an Office Location Administrator, how do I enable/disable the Bid Module for my users?

Recovery Related Buyer Questions

  1. If I submit notices electronically via ftp/email, how do I ensure that my notices are flagged as a Recovery and Reinvestment Act action in the system?
  2. I use FBO directly, how do I flag a notice as a Recovery and Reinvestment Act action?
  3. How do I provide the award notice concerning a delivery order or task order against an existing indefinite delivery contract (IDC)?
  4. What type of notice do I select when advertising a Request for Proposal (RFP) action against an existing indefinite delivery contract (IDC) or vehicle (IDV)?
  5. How do I advertise a proposed action funded in whole or part by the Recovery Act?

Vendor Questions

  1. How do I find a solicitation without the solicitation number?
  2. How do I get on the GSA Schedule?
  3. How can I find business opportunities for the NAICS code that represents my business product or service?
  4. How can I find business opportunities for a specific set-aside designation.
  5. Why am I unable to download information marked Export-Controlled?
  6. How do I know if can submit an electronic response to an opportunity?
  7. Why am I unable to submit an electronic response for an opportunity?
  8. Why am I only able to submit a Line Item Builder form response to a notice? Or, why am I only able to submit a document response to a notice?
  9. I submitted an electronic response for a notice, but I need to make changes. Or, I saved a draft response and am ready to submit it to the Buyer.
  10. How will I know if the Buyer modified the Line Item Builder form?
  11. How do I locate Justification & Approvals (J&As) on FBO?

Recovery Related Vendor Questions

  1. How do I locate notices related to the Recovery and Reinvestment Act?
  2. How do I know if a notice is a Recovery and Reinvestment Act action?
  3. Why are there presolicitation notices for orders funded by the Recovery Act that indicate "For Information Purposes Only" and for which only certain contractors are eligible to compete?

Answers to General Questions:

How can I reach the FedBizOpps Help Desk?

You can reach the FedBizOpps Help Desk by clicking on the Help desk link on the bottom left of every page help@fbo.gov. The Help Desk is open between 9am and 6pm Eastern Time (M-F).

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Why can't I open files? (Links to Document Viewers)

When you are trying to open attachments, assuming you are authorized to view them, if you receive an "open" error or are asked to convert the attachment files it may mean the document type is one that you do not have the softward to view. For instance, you may also need to install a document viewer, such as, Acrobat (.pdf files) or WinZip (.zip files) on your system.

Links to Document Viewers:

If the file type is not on this list, please contact the solicitation Primary Point of Contact for assistance.

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Why can't I find a particular solicitation, if it was here before?

The posting may have been deleted, however it is more likely that it was archived. To find an archived posting:

  1. Go to www.fbo.gov
  2. Click on Opportunities main navigation (upper navigation bar).
  3. To see both archived and active solicitations, from the "advanced search" tab, use the filter "documents to search" filter to find both archived and active documents.
  4. Refine the search with other search criteria as appropriate to your search (e.g., solicitation number in the full text search field).
  5. Click "search" to proceed to search results.

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Does FBO store a list of vendors who indicated interest in a solicitation? Is this available for buyers and/or vendors to review?

The system allows the buyer to specify the following for each solicitation they enter:

  1. Will vendors be able to indicate interest in the particular notice (if yes, buyers will be able to review the list of interested vendor)
  2. Will vendors be able to review the listing of interested vendors for a notice (i.e., list of targets for potential collaboration).

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What are Procurement Classification Codes?

In this system, procurements are classified by Federal Supply Codes/Product Services Codes.The following is a listing of the classification codes:

Note: The contracting official has final authority on which procurement classification code the solicitation will use, Therefore you may want to search on several classification codes related to your area of interest.

  • 10 -- Weapons
  • 11 -- Nuclear ordnance
  • 12 -- Fire control equipment
  • 13 -- Ammunition & explosives
  • 14 -- Guided missiles
  • 15 -- Aircraft & airframe structural components
  • 16 -- Aircraft components & accessories
  • 17 -- Aircraft launching, landing & ground handling equipment
  • 18 -- Space vehicles
  • 19 -- Ships, small craft, pontoons & floating docks
  • 20 -- Ship and marine equipment
  • 22 -- Railway equipment
  • 23 -- Ground effects vehicles, motor vehicles, trailers & cycles
  • 24 -- Tractors
  • 25 -- Vehicular equipment components
  • 26 -- Tires and tubes
  • 28 -- Engines, turbines & components
  • 29 -- Engine accessories
  • 30 -- Mechanical power transmission equipment
  • 31 -- Bearings
  • 32 -- Woodworking machinery and equipment
  • 34 -- Metalworking machinery
  • 35 -- Service and trade equipment
  • 36 -- Special industry machinery
  • 37 -- Agricultural machinery & equipment
  • 38 -- Construction, mining, excavating & highway maintenance equipment
  • 39 -- Materials handling equipment
  • 40 -- Rope, cable, chain & fittings
  • 41 -- Refrigeration, air-conditioning & air circulating equipment
  • 42 -- Fire fighting, rescue & safety equipment
  • 43 -- Pumps & compressors
  • 44 -- Furnace, steam plant & drying equipment; & nuclear reactors
  • 45 -- Plumbing, heating, & sanitation equipment
  • 46 -- Water purification & sewage treatment equipment
  • 47 -- Pipe, tubing, hose & fittings
  • 48 -- Valves
  • 49 -- Maintenance & repair shop equipment
  • 51 -- Hand tools
  • 52 -- Measuring tools
  • 53 -- Hardware & abrasives
  • 54 -- Prefabricated structures and scaffolding
  • 55 -- Lumber, millwork, plywood & veneer
  • 56 -- Construction & building materials
  • 58 -- Communication, detection, & coherent radiation equipment
  • 59 -- Electrical and electronic equipment components
  • 60 -- Fiber optics materials, components, assemblies & accessories
  • 61 -- Electric wire & power & distribution equipment
  • 62 -- Lighting fixtures & lamps
  • 63 -- Alarm, signal & security detection equipment
  • 65 -- Medical, dental & veterinary equipment & supplies
  • 66 -- Instruments & laboratory equipment
  • 67 -- Photographic equipment
  • 68 -- Chemicals & chemical products
  • 69 -- Training aids & devices
  • 70 -- General purpose information technology equipment
  • 71 -- Furniture
  • 72 -- Household & commercial furnishings & appliances
  • 73 -- Food preparation and serving equipment
  • 74 -- Office machines, text processing systems & visible record equipment
  • 75 -- Office supplies and devices
  • 76 -- Books, maps & other publications
  • 77 -- Musical instruments, phonographs & home-type radios
  • 78 -- Recreational & athletic equipment
  • 79 -- Cleaning equipment and supplies
  • 80 -- Brushes, paints, sealers & adhesives
  • 81 -- Containers, packaging, & packing supplies
  • 83 -- Textiles, leather, furs, apparel & shoe findings, tents & flags
  • 84 -- Clothing, individual equipment & insignia
  • 85 -- Toiletries
  • 87 -- Agricultural supplies
  • 88 -- Live animals
  • 89 -- Subsistence
  • 91 -- Fuels, lubricants, oils & waxes
  • 93 -- Nonmetallic fabricated materials
  • 94 -- Nonmetallic crude materials
  • 95 -- Metal bars, sheets & shapes
  • 96 -- Ores, minerals & their primary products
  • 99 -- Miscellaneous

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How do I find out about upcoming opportunities related to reconstruction efforts in Iraq?

The Department of Defense (DoD) is responsible for the repair and continuity of operations of the Iraqi oil infrastructure. The Army is the Executive Agent for this mission and the Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is responsible for awarding and managing contracts required to carry out this mission. The DoD Contractor Hot Line for expressing interest in procurements involving the repair and continuity of operations of Iraqi oil infrastructure is 1-866-461-5171. There will be a competitive procurement. The solicitation will be posted at the FBO website, http://www.fedbizopps.gov/. Information can also be obtained from the USACE website, http://www.hq.usace.army.mil/cepa/iraq/iraq.htm

DoD has available an online publication, "Doing Business with the DoD, " offering a step-by-step guide to marketing your business within the DoD arena. The site is located at: http://www.acq.osd.mil/sadbu/doing_business/index.htm.

A DoD small business guide that may be helpful is at http://www.acq.osd.mil/osbp/doing_business/index.htm.The reconstruction effort may encompass everything from power grids, ports, roads, bridges, and telecommunications, to schools and health care facilities. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is involved, and has a number of procurement actions planned and in process. Details can be found at http://www.usaid.gov/iraq/.

The US Department of Commerce provides prime contractor POC information for those seeking subcontracting opportunities at http://www.export.gov/iraq. Commerce also has a hotline (1-866-352-IRAQ).

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Do all Iraq reconstruction contract opportunities have to be competitive and/or posted to FedBizOpps?

Contract opportunities in Iraq will be posted at the Government point of entry (GPE), Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) at http://www.fedbizopps.gov// unless a statutory exception to synopsis requirements as described in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) applies. Specific exceptions to the posting of proposed contract actions at FBO include, but are not limited to, requirements where...

  • Disclosure would compromise the national security.
  • There is unusual and compelling urgency.
  • An order is placed under an existing indefinite delivery (e.g., Multiple Agency Contract, Government wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC), Federal Supply Schedule contract).
  • Perishable subsistence supplies are needed and advance notice is not appropriate or reasonable.
  • The proposed contract action is made under the terms of an existing contract that was previously synopsized in sufficient detail.
  • The proposed contract action is authorized or required by a statute to be made through another Government agency. This would include acquisitions from the Small Business Administration (SBA) using the authority of section 8(a) -- except for competitive 8(a)s as described in FAR 19.805.
  • The proposed contract action
    • is for an amount NOT expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold;
    • will be made through a means that provides access to the notice of proposed contract action through the GPE; and
    • permits the public to respond to the solicitation electronically.

For comprehensive coverage of statutory exceptions to posting proposed contract actions, please refer to FAR 5.202 and FAR 5.205. For exceptions to posting contract award information, refer to FAR 5.301. You may access the FAR online at Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Index

For contractors interested in Iraq reconstruction contracts, the following information may also be of interest: The Department of Defense (DoD) is responsible for the repair and continuity of operations of the Iraqi oil infrastructure. The Army is the Executive Agent for this mission and the Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is responsible for awarding and managing contracts required to carry out this mission. The DoD Contractor Hot Line for expressing interest in procurements involving the repair and continuity of operations of Iraqi oil infrastructure is 1-866-461-5171. The Corps will be conducting a competitive procurement. The solicitation will be posted at the FBO website http://www.fedbizopps.gov/. Information can also be obtained from the Corps' website, http://www.hq.usace.army.mil/cepa/iraq/iraq.htm.

DoD has available an online publication, "Selling to the Military," that identifies the research, development, and procurement responsibilities of each DoD organizational activity. The publication provides helpful advice for marketing ideas and other relevant information. The site is located at http://permanent.access.gpo.gov/lps57820/www.acq.osd.mil/sadbu/publications/selling/.

A DoD small business guide that may be helpful is at http://www.acq.osd.mil/sadbu/publications/sbs/sbs.html

The reconstruction effort may encompass everything from power grids, ports, roads, bridges, and telecommunications, to schools and health care facilities.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is involved, and has a number of procurement actions planned and in process. Details can be found at http://www.usaid.gov/iraq/.

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What is a 'sources sought" notice? And how can I find them?

The Sources Sought notice is a synopsis posted by a government agency that states they are seeking possible sources for a project. It is not a solicitation for work, nor is it a request for proposal. Reference the FAR, Subpart 7.3 and OMB Circular A-76. You can use the following search technique to find Sources Sought notices. Advanced Search:

  1. Go to www.fbo.gov
  2. Click on "opportunities" main navigation (upper navigation bar).
  3. On the "opportunities list" tab, use the "more" field to see additional search filters.
  4. Select "Sources sought" type.
  5. Refine the search with other search criteria as appropriate to your search (e.g., agency, keyword, posting date).
  6. Click "go" to proceed to filter the lists of opportunities.

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What is a "special notice"? And how can I find them?

The Special Notice is used for the announcement of procurement matters such as business fairs, long-range procurement estimates, pre-bid/pre-proposal conferences, meetings, and the availability of draft solicitations or draft specifications for review. You can use the following search technique to find Special Notices. Advanced Search:

  1. Go to www.fbo.gov
    3. Click on "opportunities" main navigation (upper navigation bar).
    4. On the "opportunities list" tab, use the "more" field to see additional search filters.
    5. Select "special notice" type.
    6. Refine the search with other search criteria as appropriate to your search (e.g., agency, keyword, posting date).
    7. Click "go" to proceed to filter the lists of opportunities.

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If I forget my password, how do I get a copy?

You can obtain your username and/or password by performing the following:

  1. Go to www.fbo.gov
    3. Click on Buyers | log-in
    4. Click on the "forgot my password" tab.
    5. Enter your username and select "go". Doing so will reset your password on your account. The new password will be emailed to you.
    6. Click "go" to proceed to filter the lists of opportunities.

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How can I obtain a user's manual?

User manuals are available on the home page (www.fbo.gov)

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Answers to Buyer Questions

What is a valid solicitation number? Can it include "spaces"?

Solicitation number can only contain alphanumeric characters. Spaces are not allowed. As you create a solicitation, the system will prompt you to correct an incorrectly structured solicitation number.

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What does "save draft" mean?

The "Save Draft" button saves the data entered on a form as a draft version. Note, for save as draft, the user is not required to complete all required fields on the form. Required fields are indicated by a red asterisk. Materials saved in draft format will remain on a buyers list of available items, but will not be viewable on the vendor interface until saved and posted/released to vendor review (or deleted).

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I posted a notice to FedBizOpps, and then realized that I created it with the wrong solicitation number. How can I correct this?

When you have posted a solicitation with the wrong solicitation number, we caution users from deleting the incorrect synopsis as vendor potentially have already added the solicitation to their watchlist or received communication about the solication through a search agent. To resolve, create a posting with the correct solicitation number. Then post an amendment modification to the errant notice. In the amendment, detail the error and direct the reader to the proper solicitation number. This will allow people who have received email notifications of your opportunity to find the proper synopsis.

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Why was I prematurely timed out of the system?

Once a user is logged onto the system, the system will check to make sure the user is actively using the site. If a user is inactive for 60 minutes, the user will be automatically logged off the system. Activity in this sense is defined as data that has been submitted by the user. Some examples are the request for a navigational (e.g., selection of a quicklink) or if a user submits a form (e.g., selection of "save draft" during notice creation). To ensure the user is aware of this pending circumstance, after 55 minutes of inactivity, a warning message appears that indicates the pending action. When the warning message appears, to remain logged onto the system, select "click keep me logged in". If the user does not make this selection, the session will be closed and any unsaved data will be lost. The system returns the user to the system logon screen (fbo.gov).

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When I cut and paste text from my word processor into the description field of the synopsis, my formatting is corrupted (see odd characters or different format than intended). Why is this happening?

Formatting problems can be caused when word processor (including notepad) formatted text is put into a browser format. The formats are not always compatible. Because the form is WYSIWIG, you should review your inserted text to ensure the material correctly reflects your intention.

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How do I delete a Modification?

Please note that FedBizOpps will not allow a buyer to delete a modification without deleting the associated notice. If an error is made on a modification, you can either post another modification or delete the entire notice. We caution users from deleting a notice as vendor potentially have already added the solicitation to their watchlist or received communication about the solicitation through a search agent.

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How do I delete a solicitation?

We caution users from deleting the incorrect synopsis as vendor potentially have already added the solicitation to their watchlist, or received communication about the solicitation through a search agent. .If the solicitation is then deleted, the vendors will be frustrated as they use these features. Instead, we recommend that amendments be posted to the solicitation, explaining the error that was made, and where to find the correct solicitations, if any. This can be done by anyone who has access to those solicitations.

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How do I archive a solicitation?

As each notice is created, archival information is established for the notice. Buyers are allowed to specify that the notice archive on a specified date, X days after a response deadline or via "manual archive". Manual archive means the notice remains as posted until a user manually archives the notice. Using modify or amend users can archive any solicitation, regardless of the notices specified archived settings, with the following procedure:

  1. Go to www.fbo.gov and login as buyer.
    3. Click on "notices" upper navigation.
    4. Click on the modify/amend icon for the posted notice that needs to be archived.
    5. This takes the user to the "modification type" screen. If only the archival date is to be set/changed, select "add/edit description" and then "proceed."
    6. Users will be asked to then indicate whether they wish to "edit existing description" or "add to description" (creates a new text box that is distinct from previously entered materials). Select "edit existing description" (because that is where the archive date is established).
    7. This opens "notice details". Scroll down to the "archiving policy" section and use "automatic, on specified date" to enter a specific date for archive. This opens a "archive date" field. Note, because the archiving process occurs at the start of the day on the date specified, users are not allowed to enter any dates less than or equal to today's date. Note, the system also checks to ensure that the response date vis-a-vis archive date and may require adjust to that field as well.
    8. Click on "proceed" to progress through the modification process. The next step is "attachments". Unless new attachments are required, hit "proceed".
    9. The final step allows the buyer to review the updates being made. If updates are correct, then hit "post" to update the archive date for the notice.

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How do I unarchive a solicitation?

You can unarchive a solicitation with the following procedure:

  1. Go to www.fbo.gov and login as buyer.
    3. Click on "notices" upper navigation.
    4. Click on "archived" sub-tab.
    5. Click on the "review" icon for the notice that needs to be unarchived.
    6. Click on the "unarchive" button. The system will prompts a user to confirm this request. Unarchiving a notice also unarchives all related modification/amendment notices, documents, links and sensitive documents. Click "ok" to confirm. How do I unarchive a solicitation?

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I just posted a solicitation and don't see it as opportunity for vendors?

The system periodically sweeps through the database of notices and releases new notices for vendors to see in batches. Therefore you may notice a brief lag between hitting "post" on the buyer side and seeing it on the opportunities list.

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How do vendors become eligible to download documents marked Export-Controlled?

A company must be certified by the Joint Certification Program (JCP) administered by the Defense Logistic Information Service (DLIS) to be eligible to download documents marked Export Controlled. This certification establishes that a company is a U.S. or Canadian contractor eligible to receive unclassified technical data that is under the control of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) or the Canadian Department of National Defense (DND).

Vendors outside the U.S. or Canada must be granted authorization by your agency to access the documents. Upon authorization, you must either distribute the documents directly to the vendor or utilize the Explicit Access feature within the FBO system and manually vet each request.

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How do I post Justification & Approvals (J&As) on the site?

On April 13, 2009, FBO.gov established a new notice type called "Justification & Approval (J&A)" within the Opportunities section. Buyers are now able to post standalone J&A Notices, as well as associate a J&A Notice to existing notices, such as an Award, if applicable. (Electronic users should reference the new J&A interface template located under General Info.) Note: Buyers are not able to delete/modify a posted J&A Notice type. Please contact your Agency Administrator for assistance.

In addition, Vendors are able to search for and retrieve posted J&A Notices according to specific criteria, such as J&A Statutory Authority, Posted Date Range, and Contract Award Date (via Advanced Search).

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How can I obtain training for the new Bid Module functionality?

Coming soon, Buyers will be able to download a recorded webinar that will walk through the features and functionality of the new Bid Module. In addition, the User Guides are updated and available on the home page (www.fbo.gov).

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I am a registered Buyer, why don't I have access to the Bid Module?

Agency and Office Location Administrators manage user access to the Bid Module. If you do not have access, it is because this feature is not enabled for your Location. Contact your FBO Administrator for more information.

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I am an Agency Administrator, how do I disable the Bid Module for my users?

Login to the Administrator interface and go to "Agencies" found in the left-hand navigation menu which will display all of the organizations in your hierarchy. Click on the "Edit" icon next to the desired organization. At the bottom of the "Core" tab for the Agency Information page, there are two fields used to set the permission level for the Bid Module: Allow CLIN Template and Allow Doc Package. Set both of these fields to "Not Allow." Note: If set to "Ignore," lower level administrators can enable/disable this feature independently. If set to "Allow," lower level administrators will still need to enable the Bid Module for their users to be able to access it.

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I am an Office Location Administrator, how do I enable/disable the Bid Module for my users?

Login to the Administrator interface and go to "Manage Location" found in the left-hand navigation menu. Click on the "Edit" button. At the bottom of the "Edit Location" tab, there are two fields used to set the permission level of the Bid Module for your users: Allow CLIN Template and Allow Doc Package. To enable either option, set the field(s) to "Allow." To disable either option, set the field(s) to "Not Allow" or "Ignore." Note, if the Agency Administrator disabled this feature for the entire agency, you will not be able to enable it for your Location. Contact your Agency Administrator for more information.

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Answers to Recovery Related Buyer Questions

If I submit notices electronically via ftp/email, how do I ensure that my notices are flagged as a Recovery and Reinvestment Act action in the system?

The electronic interface will recognize if user submissions have "Recovery" as the first word in the title (<SUBJECT> tag within the template) for a notice. If so, the notice will automatically be flagged as a "Recovery and Reinvestment Act" action. Note: "Recovery" must be the first word and spelled exactly; letter case will not have an effect.

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I use FBO directly, how do I flag a notice as a Recovery and Reinvestment Act action?

When creating a new notice, Buyers are required to identify whether or not it is a Recovery Act action. If so, you must select the "yes" radio button for the "Is this a Recovery and Reinvestment Act action" field on the "Notice Details" form (Step 2) located below the "NAICS Code" field.

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How do I provide the award notice concerning a delivery order or task order against an existing indefinite delivery contract (IDC)?

In order to provide the historic levels of transparency required by the Recovery Act, the government is posting all Recovery Act funded order notices on FedBizOpps. This includes award notices for task orders / delivery orders issued, which were previously unavailable. See FAR 5.704(a)(2) for additional information.

When building the notice, first select an Award Notice. Next, include the following statement in the Description field preceding the actual notice description:

"THIS NOTICE IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY.
THIS OPPORTUNITY IS AVAILABLE ONLY TO CONTRACTORS UNDER
[Contracting officer insert program name. For example: GSA Schedule 03FAC, COMMITS, Navy's SeaPort-e]."

Because these notices are "for information purposes only," FAR 5.203 does not apply and contracting officers should concurrently use their usual solicitation practice (e.g., e-Buy).

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What type of notice do I select when advertising a Request for Proposal (RFP) action against an existing indefinite delivery contract (IDC) or vehicle (IDV)?

FBO allows the contract specialist maximum flexibility in the development of the synopsis number. There are 255 characters available and the field can include any combination of alphanumeric and/or four special characters, - _ ( ). Contract specialist need only use an identifier that is a unique number developed by the local contracting office to distinguish the action from other procurements in the office. The combination of contracting office, contract specialist, and the identifier will ensure the procurement is distinct from any other procurement in FedBizOpps.

It is suggested that if you want to issue a synopsis for a particular delivery order or task order under an existing indefinite delivery type contract, use the contract number of the basic contract and the delivery/task order number on the end.
For example: OM0007-D-09-TEST-0100.

If that is not unique enough, use the original solicitation number, with the contract number of the basic contract, and the delivery/task order number on the end.
For example: OM0007-R-06-TEST/OM0007-D-09-TEST-0100

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How do I advertise a proposed action funded in whole or part by the Recovery Act?

  • Step 1. Select the type of notice.
    • If the procurement is in the presolicitation phase, select the Presolicitation Notice.
    • If the procurement is at the award phase, select the Award Notice.
  • Step 2. For agency users accessing FedBizOpps through an interface, insert the word "RECOVERY" in the first position of the Title field.
    • For agencies using FBO directly, select the "yes" radio button, that when checked, will tag the announcement as a Recovery procurement and enable users to find the procurement. You do not need to insert the word "RECOVERY" in the Title field.

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Answers to Vendor Questions

How do I find a solicitation without the solicitation number?

To locate a specific solicitation without the solicitation number, you will need to search for the solicitation based on unique attributes of the solicitation. So for instance, you might search based on Agency, office, posted date, procurement classification code, and/or archived versus active status. The advance search features of the system are well suited for this purpose.

  1. Go to www.fbo.gov and login as vendor (logging in allows you to save the search for later use. Note you can also do the same search not logged into the site using "opportunities" link on the home page, but the search cannot be saved for later use).
  2. Click on "opportunities" upper navigation.
  3. Click on "advanced search" sub-tab.
  4. Use the fields to enter the terms of your search. There are some tools that might help as you set up your advanced search. If presented on a filter, you can use the "+" tool to select all values of the list (e.g., all procurement types). Then you could uncheck the one or two you may not want to include (e.g., uncheck "award"). Once you are satisfied with your filters, click "search"
  5. Results are then presented on the "search results" tab.
  6. rom the search results page, users are given the option to save the search criteria for use at a later date. Click "save this search as a search agent"to save the search. If you do so, you will need to provide a label that you would like to use for the search agent. You will need to "save" the label once entered.

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How do I get on the GSA Schedule?

For information about the GSA schedule, please contact the MAS Helpdesk at: Phone: (800) 488-3111, Email: mashelpdesk@gsa.gov, or go to http://www.gsa.gov/ and click on "GSA Schedules" to walk through the process.

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How can I find business opportunities for the NAICS code that represents my business product or service?

First, you may want to validate your NAICS code selection at an Internet reference site, such as http://www.census.gov/epcd/www/naics.html. Once you have selected the 6-digit NAICS code that best represents your business product or service, you can use the code as a search filter. Note the filter search for NAICS Code allows you to select codes at either the broader (3 number) or narrow (6 number) code specificity.

  1. Go to www.fbo.gov and login as vendor (logging on allows you to save the search for later use. Note you can also do the same search not logged into the site using "opportunities" link on the home page, but the search cannot be saved for later use).
  2. Click on "opportunities" upper navigation.
  3. Click on "advanced search" sub-tab.
  4. Use the "NAICS Code:" field to filter your search. Hold down the Control Key (CTRL) with menu open to select to select multiple codes. The list is hierarchical in nature. Selections can be made at both the three digit code and the six digit code. Once you are satisfied with your filter selection, click "search"
  5. Results are then presented on the "search results" tab.
  6. From the search results page, users are given the option to save the search criteria for use at a later date. Click "save this search as a search agent"to save the search. If you do so, you will need to provide a label that you would like to use for the search agent. You will need to "save" the label once entered.

Refer any questions regarding the NAICS code and other synopsis content to the point of contact (POC) in the synopsis.

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How can I find business opportunities for a specific set-aside designation.

The systems advance search feature is well suited for this purpose.

  1. Go to www.fbo.gov and login as vendor (logging on allows you to save the search for later use. Note you can also do the same search not logged into the site using "opportunities" link on the home page, but the search cannot be saved for later use).
  2. Click on "opportunities" upper navigation.
  3. Click on "advanced search" sub-tab.
  4. Use the "Set-Aside Code:" field to filter your search.
  5. Results are then presented on the "search results" tab.
  6. From the search results page, users are given the option to save the search criteria for use at a later date. Click "save this search as a search agent"to save the search. If you do so, you will need to provide a label that you would like to use for the search agent. You will need to "save" the label once entered.

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Why am I unable to download information marked Export-Controlled?

A company must be certified by the Joint Certification Program (JCP) administered by the Defense Logistic Information Service (DLIS) to be eligible to download documents marked Export Controlled. This certification establishes that a company is a U.S. or Canadian contractor eligible to receive unclassified technical data that is under the control of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) or the Canadian Department of National Defense (DND).

If you are a vendor outside of the U.S. or Canada you must obtain authorization by the government agency; contact the Contracting Officer directly to obtain the documents.

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How do I know if can submit an electronic response to an opportunity?

If electronic response submissions are enabled by the Buyer for a particular notice, a note will be visible within the "Notice Details" sub-tab indicating that the opportunity allows for electronic responses. Note: A vendor must login to the system to be able to submit an electronic response for an opportunity.

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Why am I unable to submit an electronic response for an opportunity?

If you do not see the option to submit an electronic response, the Buyer did not enable electronic submissions for that opportunity.

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Why am I only able to submit a Line Item Builder form response to a notice? Or, why am I only able to submit a document response to a notice?

There are two types of electronic response submissions possible: Line Item Builder form and Document upload. The Buyer determines which options, if any, are enabled for a particular notice. What the vendor sees depends on which response type(s) the buyer enabled for that particular notice. So, you may see only the Line Item Builder form, only the Document Package upload, both the form and upload options, or neither option.

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I submitted an electronic response for a notice, but I need to make changes. Or, I saved a draft response and am ready to submit it to the Buyer.

Once logged into the system, you can either click on the "Find Opportunities" Quicklink on the "My FBO" page, or go to "Opportunities" located in the top navigation. Click on the "Bids/Responses" tab to review a list of all electronic responses. Click on the "View" icon for the desired response. If the response deadline has passed for the opportunity, the system will advise you that you can no longer edit the response. (Note: You can always review a submitted response in read-only mode.) If the response deadline has not yet passed, the system will prompt you to click on a link to make changes. A user can also review a submitted electronic response from the "Notice Details" tab of an opportunity.

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How will I know if the Buyer modified the Line Item Builder form?

If the Buyer modifies the Line Item Builder form after you submitted an electronic response, the FBO system will send an email to the email address on file for you alerting you that a change has been made. Also, when you review the response submitted for that notice, the system will display a message advising you that changes were made to the form.

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How do I locate Justification & Approvals (J&As) on FBO?

Effective February 17, 2009, the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Section 6.302 mandates that all Justification and Approval documents associated with any solicitation be posted to the public.

As of April 13, 2009, there is a new notice type called "Justification & Approval (J&A)" established within the Opportunities section. Buyers are now able to post a J&A Notice type and have it associated to the notice of award, if applicable. In addition, Vendors are able to search for and retrieve posted J&A Notices according to specific criteria, such as J&A Statutory Authority, Posted Date Range, and Contract Award Date (via Advanced Search).

Note: For J&As posted prior to April 13, 2009, users can search for J&As attached to an existing notice (such as Award Notice or Synopsis) as an amendment/modification. These documents are titled with the J&A and type of exception to full and open competition in the title of the document. For example, a document title could be: J&A6.302-1, J&A6302-2, etc. This allows any interested party to query "J&A" in the quick search function and find what has been posted.

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Answers to Recovery Related Vendor Questions

How do I locate notices related to the Recovery and Reinvestment Act?

There is a new search filter that vendors can use to locate notices related to the Recovery and Reinvestment Act. From the FBO.gov homepage, go to "Opportunities" and click on either the "Search by Classification, NAICS code, Recovery actions and more..." link located below the "Keywords/SOL#" search field, or go directly to the "Advanced Search" tab. The new search field is located at the bottom of the form below the "NAICS Code" search field.

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How do I know if a notice is a Recovery and Reinvestment Act action?

The system will display an icon labeled "RECOVERY" next to the notice title within the "Opportunities List" tab, as well as under the notice title found in the heading of a notice within the "Notice Details" tab.

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Why are there presolicitation notices for orders funded by the Recovery Act that indicate "For Information Purposes Only" and for which only certain contractors are eligible to compete?

The government is providing new levels of transparency with the implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act). Proposed orders do not generally require FedBizOpps notifications because only contractors who received awards under the initial solicitation for the task or delivery order contract are eligible for such orders. However, to provide unprecedented levels of transparency for the use of Recovery Act funds, the government is posting all Recovery Act funded order notices on FedBizOpps. If you are a contractor interested in learning about opportunities for getting your own task or delivery order contract from the government, go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/procurement and select "Multi-agency contract opportunities."

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