Customs and Border Protection sits inside the Department of Homeland Security and manages 60,000-plus employees, 328 ports of entry, and roughly 1,900 miles of fortified border infrastructure. That scale requires a constant flow of vendor services and technology. CBP spends approximately $6 billion annually on contracts, and a meaningful share of that is set aside or open to small and diverse businesses.
If you sell technology services, engineering, or security-related products, CBP is worth a serious look.
What CBP buys
CBP's procurement reflects its two core missions: trade facilitation and border security. The agency buys heavily in a few categories.
Information technology and cybersecurity is the largest bucket. CBP runs massive screening systems, biometric databases, and port-of-entry infrastructure. Contracts here cover software development, IT support, systems integration, and cybersecurity services. NAICS code 541519 (Other Computer Related Services) covers a wide range of these requirements.
Engineering and technical services come next. Border infrastructure requires planning, design, and construction management. Environmental assessments, civil engineering, and facility maintenance fall under NAICS 541330 (Engineering Services). CBP regularly awards task orders under existing government-wide acquisition contracts in this space.
Security services round out the major spend areas. Guard services, surveillance system installation, and physical security consulting use NAICS 561621 (Security Systems Services, except Locksmiths). Contract sizes in this category range from sub-$1 million task orders to multi-year contracts exceeding $50 million.
Other active categories include logistics and supply chain management, training services, and laboratory and scientific equipment for agricultural inspection at ports of entry.
Typical contract vehicles include Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts with individual task orders, as well as Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs). Many task orders fall in the $500,000 to $5 million range, though CBP awards both smaller micro-purchase orders and large multi-year programs well above $100 million.
How to get into the vendor ecosystem
Start with SAM.gov registration
Your business must be registered in the System for Award Management at SAM.gov before CBP can award you a contract. Registration is free and takes roughly 10 business days to activate. You will need your Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), NAICS codes, and banking information for direct deposit. Renew annually or your registration lapses and you become ineligible for awards.
While you are in SAM.gov, make sure your business profile accurately reflects the NAICS codes where you compete. CBP contracting officers search by NAICS when building their market research reports, so missing codes mean missed opportunities.
Get your certifications documented
If your business qualifies as 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB/EDWOSB, or SDVOSB, document those certifications in SAM.gov and keep them current. CBP issues set-aside solicitations under each of these programs. The SBA manages 8(a), HUBZone, and WOSB certifications. SDVOSB self-certification now requires verification through the SBA's Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert) program.
A current certification is required at time of award, not just at time of proposal submission. Gaps in certification status have disqualified otherwise winning bids.
Register in DHS-specific systems
Beyond SAM.gov, register in the Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN) vendor portal if you plan to pursue sensitive or law-enforcement-adjacent work. CBP also posts opportunities through the beta.SAM.gov contract opportunities module, which replaced FedBizOpps. Set up keyword searches for your NAICS codes and check daily during active proposal periods.
Set-aside and diversity opportunities at CBP
CBP, like all DHS component agencies, operates under the department's Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), which sets small business utilization goals aligned with federal targets. In recent fiscal years, DHS has consistently hit or exceeded its small business prime contracting goals.
CBP uses all five socioeconomic set-aside programs:
- 8(a) sole-source awards for contracts under $4.5 million (services) or $7.5 million (manufacturing) when a certified 8(a) firm is a reasonable sole-source choice
- HUBZone set-asides for businesses in historically underutilized business zones, prioritized when CBP has requirements in or near HUBZone-eligible areas
- WOSB/EDWOSB set-asides in industries where women-owned firms are underrepresented, as defined by the SBA's WOSB Federal Contract Program
- SDVOSB set-asides particularly relevant given CBP's overlap with veterans in its own workforce
- Small business set-asides as the default when two or more small businesses are expected to compete
CBP also participates in multiple DHS-wide IDIQ vehicles that include small business on-ramps. Two worth tracking: the DHS EAGLE II vehicle (IT services) and the PACTS III vehicle (professional and technical services), both of which have small business tracks. Getting onto one of these vehicles opens doors across DHS, not just CBP.
Subcontracting is another entry point. Large CBP prime contractors submit subcontracting plans with diversity commitments. If your capabilities align with a prime's existing contract, direct outreach to their subcontracting managers can lead to teaming arrangements on future re-competes.
Contact the small business office
CBP's small business program is administered through the DHS OSDBU. The OSDBU publishes a directory of component-level small business specialists on the DHS website. These specialists attend industry days, review capability statements, and can tell you whether your business aligns with upcoming requirements.
Reach the CBP small business specialist through the DHS OSDBU contact page at dhs.gov/osdbu. You can also search for CBP-specific industry days and forecast documents on the Acquisition Forecast tool, which DHS publishes annually and updates quarterly.
Do not cold-call contracting officers. The protocol is to go through the small business office first. They route capability statements and introduce vendors through appropriate channels.
One practical tip for your first contract
Target re-competes on existing CBP contracts, not new programs. When an existing contract expires, the incumbent often stumbles because the agency wants to demonstrate competition or diversity in its vendor base. Pull the contract history in USASpending.gov by searching for CBP as the awarding agency and filtering by your NAICS code. Find contracts awarded three to five years ago with a period of performance ending soon.
Then build a one-page capability statement tailored to what that specific contract scope required. Submit it to the CBP small business specialist six to twelve months before the anticipated re-compete date. Contracting officers do market research before issuing a solicitation. Being on that list when they start asking around is worth more than any proposal you write after the fact.
CBP's scale makes it intimidating from the outside. Inside, the procurement process runs like any other federal agency. The businesses that win work are the ones who show up early, stay registered, and make it easy for contracting officers to justify choosing them.
