Opportunities for Small Businesses
GSA's procurement programs offer great ways for small businesses to partner with the agency. The Office of Small Business Utilization (OSBU) helps provide access to these opportunities by pointing out the steps to success.
First Steps
Businesses interested in selling products and services at both a prime- and sub-contractor level should:
- Register your business with the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) system, the primary database for contractors working with the federal government. A vendor must be registered prior to the award of a contract. To register in CCR, a firm must have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number. The DUNS Number is assigned by Dun & Bradstreet, Inc.(D&B) [NonGovernment website] to identify unique business entities.
- Identify the size of your business - visit the Small Business Administration website for complete information about what size qualifies a business as "small" and therefore eligible for federal programs and assistance.
- Get a NAICS code. It is a business classification identification obtained from the North American Industry Classification System, which defines the business classification schema used by the federal government. The NAICS code is often used by federal agencies in procurement and regulatory applications.
- Visit FedBizOpps often and register there to be notified of newly posted opportunities;
- Browse the GSA Subcontracting Directory for opportunities to subcontract with existing GSA Prime Contractors;
- Visit the GSA Forecast of Contracting Opportunities to see upcoming contract awards.
Businesses who have never done business with GSA before should:
- Go to For Businesses without GSA Contracts to learn how to get started;
- Go to the Training for Small Businesses page and check the Upcoming Training schedule for workshops and forums on how to do business with GSA.
Questions?
At any stage in the process, small businesses can contact their Regional Office of Small Business Utilization with any questions or concerns.
