Food service and catering is one of the more accessible entry points for woman-owned businesses into federal contracting. The federal government feeds millions of people — military personnel, federal prisoners, students at tribally controlled colleges, patients at VA medical centers — and contracts for much of that food service rather than providing it in-house. For a woman-owned food service or catering company, the Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contracting Program creates a specific path to these contracts.
NAICS 722310 (Food Service Contractors) is the primary code for companies providing managed food services, institutional catering, and cafeteria management. If you provide individual catering events rather than managed services, NAICS 722320 (Caterers) may be more appropriate. Your code determines which contract opportunities you surface for in SAM.gov and which set-aside eligibility you can claim.
How WOSB set-asides work in food service
The WOSB Federal Contracting Program operates under 15 U.S.C. § 637(m) and 13 CFR Part 127. A contracting officer can restrict competition to WOSB or EDWOSB (Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business) firms when:
- The contract falls under a NAICS code where women-owned businesses are underrepresented or substantially underrepresented
- At least two WOSB/EDWOSB firms are expected to submit offers at a fair price
- The contract value falls within applicable thresholds (typically $9 million for services)
NAICS 722310 and 722320 appear on the SBA's list of designated codes for WOSB or EDWOSB set-asides. Verify the current designation at sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-assistance-programs/women-owned-small-business-federal-contracting-program because the list is updated as new economic studies are completed.
Eligibility requirements
To qualify as a WOSB under 13 CFR Part 127:
- At least 51% unconditional and direct ownership by women who are U.S. citizens
- Women must control the firm's day-to-day operations and long-term strategy
- The firm must qualify as small under the SBA size standard for its primary NAICS code
For NAICS 722310, the SBA size standard is $47 million in average annual receipts. For NAICS 722320 (Caterers), the standard is $9 million. These are the firm's three-year average annual gross revenues.
For EDWOSB status, the woman owner must additionally demonstrate economic disadvantage: - Personal net worth not exceeding $850,000 (excluding home equity and equity in the firm) - Personal income averaged over the preceding three years not exceeding $400,000 - Total personal assets not exceeding $6.5 million in fair market value
EDWOSB is worth pursuing if you qualify because it opens contracts in more restrictive set-aside categories.
Food service licensing and regulatory requirements
Federal food service contracts come with significant regulatory overhead beyond standard certification requirements:
State and local food service licenses: Your company needs active food handler permits, commercial kitchen licenses, and health department certifications in your operating jurisdiction. Federal contracting officers will verify these before award.
USDA and FDA compliance: Food products supplied to federal agencies must comply with applicable USDA (for meat, poultry, and egg products) and FDA (for other foods) regulations. Military dining contracts often require USDA-graded products and specific Buy American provisions under the Berry Amendment and related legislation.
The Berry Amendment: This is critical for food service companies pursuing DoD contracts. 10 U.S.C. § 4862 (the Berry Amendment) requires DoD agencies to give preference to domestically produced food and textiles. For food service, it means perishable foods served at military installations must be grown, reprocessed, or manufactured in the U.S. Non-compliant suppliers cannot fulfill military dining contracts. Verify your supply chain's domestic sourcing before pursuing DoD food service contracts.
ServSafe certification: Most federal food service contracts require that supervisory food service employees hold ServSafe or equivalent certification. Military dining contracts often specify additional food safety standards beyond commercial requirements.
Bonding: Some federal food service contracts require performance and payment bonds, particularly for larger managed food service contracts. Establish a bonding relationship before pursuing contracts that require it.
What federal food service contracts look like
Military dining facility (DFAC) management: The U.S. Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps operate dining facilities on bases worldwide. Managed food service contracts — where a contractor takes over the DFAC operations entirely, from menu planning to staffing to food procurement — are a primary opportunity for food service companies. These contracts typically range from $1M to $10M per year per facility. The Army's Installation Food Service contracts appear regularly on SAM.gov under NAICS 722310.
VA medical center food service: The VA contracts for cafeteria management and patient food service at its medical centers. The VA's food service contracts are particularly accessible for WOSB firms because the VA prioritizes veteran-owned and women-owned businesses (the VA's OSDBU actively promotes WOSB spending). Contract values range from $500K to $5M per year depending on facility size.
Federal agency catering: Civilian agencies contract for catering at headquarters buildings, conference centers, and training facilities. GSA's National Capital Region contracts regularly for catering services in Washington, D.C., area federal buildings. Contract values for individual catering task orders range from $25K to $500K; multi-year catering contracts can total $2–5M.
Federal prison food service: The Bureau of Prisons contracts for food service at detention facilities. These contracts are large and multi-year, often worth $3–10M per facility over the contract period. Competition is moderate and WOSB set-asides do appear.
Federal employee cafeteria management: Large federal buildings with employee cafeterias (Social Security Administration headquarters, IRS campuses, military headquarters buildings) contract for cafeteria management services. GSA's Federal Buildings Fund pays for these through the Public Buildings Service.
A concrete example: The Army Contracting Command at Fort Bragg (now Fort Liberty) awarded a WOSB set-aside food service management contract worth approximately $4.5 million for dining facility operations. The contract appeared on SAM.gov under NAICS 722310 with WOSB set-aside designation. This type of award is common across Army installations that lack in-house capacity for the full scope of dining operations.
Self-certification is no longer available
Prior to 2020, WOSB firms could self-certify in SAM.gov. The SBA eliminated self-certification. You must now be certified by either the SBA directly or an approved third-party certifier:
- WBENC (Women's Business Enterprise National Council): The largest and most widely recognized certifier. WBENC certification also satisfies corporate supplier diversity requirements, so one certification opens both federal and corporate markets.
- NWBOC (National Women Business Owners Corporation)
- USWCC (U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce)
- El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
For food service companies that also want to pursue corporate catering contracts with large employers, WBENC certification is the most efficient choice because corporations recognize it for their internal supplier diversity programs.
Corporate food service contracts as a complement
Federal contracting is not the only market where WOSB/WBE certification opens doors. Large corporations with on-site cafeterias and food service programs actively seek certified women-owned vendors:
- Technology companies (major campuses with employee dining)
- Healthcare systems (hospital cafeterias and catering)
- Financial institutions (corporate dining facilities and board catering)
- Universities (contract for supplemental food service alongside their dining hall operators)
WBENC certification covers this market. NMSDC MBE certification covers the same market for minority-owned companies. If the business owner is a minority woman, both certifications are potentially available.
How to apply
- Check whether NAICS 722310 or 722320 is currently designated for WOSB or EDWOSB set-asides using the SBA list
- Gather ownership documents: operating agreement or articles of incorporation showing the woman owner's percentage, and proof of U.S. citizenship
- Prepare three years of personal and business tax returns
- If pursuing EDWOSB, compile your personal financial statement documenting net worth, income, and assets
- Register in SAM.gov if not already active and confirm your NAICS codes are accurate
- Apply through certify.sba.gov or through a WBENC certifier at wbenc.org
- Ensure all required food service licenses, health permits, and ServSafe certifications are current before your application is reviewed
- After certification, search SAM.gov for upcoming food service opportunities and contact base food service officers or VA nutrition and food service departments directly to introduce your firm
