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Reporting on supplier diversity.

Working coverage of certifications, corporate procurement, federal contracting, financing, and the operators making each work for diverse-owned businesses. Every piece checked against primary sources.

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Government-Contracting

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How to sell to National Institute of Standards and Technology as a diverse small business

National Institute of Standards and Technology is a major federal buyer with $800M annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse …

· Mario Bailey

How to get government contracts in office supplies

Office supplies is a high-volume, repeat-buy federal category where small and diverse firms compete well. Here is how the NAICS codes, GSA …

How to get government contracts in medical supplies and equipment

The VA runs its own medical supply schedule, separate from GSA, and gives verified veteran-owned firms first priority. Here's how the NAICS …

· Maya Okonkwo

How to get government contracts in marketing and advertising

Federal and state agencies buy outreach, recruitment, and digital campaigns every year. Here are the NAICS codes that classify the work, the …

· Maya Okonkwo

How to get government contracts in landscaping and grounds maintenance

Federal agencies buy landscaping and grounds maintenance under one NAICS code with a $10 million size standard. Here's how a small or …

How to get government contracts in janitorial and cleaning services

Janitorial work is one of the most accessible federal markets for a small or diverse firm. The size standard is generous, demand …

Federal resources specifically for women entrepreneurs pursuing government contracts

The federal government has set aside billions in contracts for women-owned small businesses, yet most eligible firms never tap in. Here's what …

· Mario Bailey

Win themes in federal proposal writing: what they are and how to use them

Most federal proposals describe capabilities. Win themes argue for selection. Here's how to identify the 3-5 discriminating reasons an evaluator should pick …

· Mario Bailey

VETS 2 GWAC: the SDVOSB IT contract guide

GSA's VETS 2 GWAC is one of the few large-dollar IT vehicles where only service-disabled and veteran-owned small businesses can compete. Here's …

· Mario Bailey

Federal resources for veteran-owned businesses in government contracting

The federal government sets aside billions annually for veteran-owned businesses, but the programs, portals, and verification requirements are scattered across multiple agencies. …

· Mario Bailey

STARS III: getting on the small business IT contract (8a, WOSB, HUBZone, SDVOSB)

GSA's STARS III gives small IT firms a direct path to $50B in federal technology work. Here's how to get on the …

· Mario Bailey

Simplified acquisition procedures: winning federal contracts under $350,000

Between $15,000 and $350,000, contracting officers can skip most of the full procurement paperwork and award contracts faster. Most small businesses never …

· Mario Bailey

NASA SEWP V: the IT contract every diverse tech supplier should know

SEWP V is one of the most-used IT contract vehicles in the federal government, with $20 billion in ceiling and orders flowing …

· Mario Bailey

SBIR Phase I proposals: how to write a winning one without prior SBIR experience

SBIR Phase I awards typically run $150K–$300K to prove technical feasibility. Here's the exact structure agencies use to score proposals and what …

· Mario Bailey

Surety Bonds for 8(a) Contractors: The 90% SBA Guarantee Explained

SBA guarantees a bigger share of your bond if you're 8(a) certified. Here's the 90% vs 80% split, the fees, and how …

· Mario Bailey

How to get government contracts in painting

Painting falls under NAICS 238320 with a $19 million SBA size standard, so almost every painting contractor qualifies as a small business. …

How to get government contracts in plumbing

Government buyers spend steadily on plumbing repair, fixture replacement, and water-line work, and most of it runs through one NAICS code. Here …

SBA size determinations: how to calculate your size and what triggers a protest

Getting your size calculation wrong can cost you a federal contract — and a competitor who loses to you will often check …

· Mario Bailey

The 8(a) annual review: what SBA is looking for and how to prepare

Every 8(a) participant must submit an annual review package to SBA. Miss a benchmark or misread the business activity rules and you …

· Mario Bailey

Line of Credit for Government Contractors: CAPLines, the Working Capital Pilot, and What Actually Fits

A government contract can pay net-30 or slower while payroll runs weekly. Two SBA credit-line products exist specifically to bridge that gap. …

· Mario Bailey

Mobilization Funding for Government Contracts: Why the Government's Own Payment Rules Don't Cover It

The government's own payment rules reimburse costs you've already spent, not costs you're about to spend. Here's what actually finances the gap …

· Mario Bailey

Financing for DBE Contractors: What the 49 CFR Part 26 Prompt-Payment Rule Actually Buys You

DBE certification doesn't come with a loan. It comes with a 30-day payment clock the state DOT is obligated to enforce, which …

· Mario Bailey

SBA 8(a) Program: What Financing Benefits It Actually Includes

Nobody hands you a check for getting 8(a) certified. What the regulation actually gives you is a mentor's equity investment and a …

· Mario Bailey

SAM.gov beyond registration: advanced features for finding federal contracts

Most small businesses treat SAM.gov as a one-time registration form. It's actually the federal government's primary procurement portal, and knowing how to …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Internal Revenue Service as a diverse small business

Internal Revenue Service is a major federal buyer with $3B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses get …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Maritime Administration as a diverse small business

Maritime Administration is a major federal buyer with $1B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses get into …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency as a diverse small business

National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is a major federal buyer with $2B in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses get into …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to National Institutes of Health as a diverse small business

National Institutes of Health is a major federal buyer with $8B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as a diverse small business

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is a major federal buyer with $4B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small …

· Mario Bailey

Federal proposal color teams: pink, red, gold, and what each review catches

Color team reviews are the internal quality gates that separate winning proposals from compliant-but-losing ones. Here's what each team actually looks for …

· Mario Bailey

Price-to-win analysis for federal contracts without a big budget

Large defense contractors pay analysts $500/hour to build price-to-win models. You can replicate most of that work with free federal databases and …

· Mario Bailey

POLARIS GWAC guide for WOSB and small business IT contractors

GSA's POLARIS contract is one of the few governmentwide acquisition vehicles built specifically for women-owned small businesses. Here's how to get on …

· Mario Bailey

How to read a federal Performance Work Statement before writing a proposal

The Performance Work Statement is the contract inside the solicitation. Read it wrong and your proposal answers the wrong question. Here is …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Defense Logistics Agency as a diverse small business

Defense Logistics Agency is a major federal buyer with $45B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses get …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Defense Information Systems Agency as a diverse small business

Defense Information Systems Agency is a major federal buyer with $14B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Defense Intelligence Agency as a diverse small business

Defense Intelligence Agency is a major federal buyer with $3B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses get …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Drug Enforcement Administration as a diverse small business

Drug Enforcement Administration is a major federal buyer with $1.5B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses get …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency as a diverse small business

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is a major federal buyer with $4B+ annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services as a diverse small business

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is a major federal buyer with $4B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency as a diverse small business

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is a major federal buyer with $2.5B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to US Census Bureau as a diverse small business

US Census Bureau is a major federal buyer with $1.5B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses get …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a diverse small business

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a major federal buyer with $2B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Customs and Border Protection as a diverse small business

Customs and Border Protection is a major federal buyer with $6B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Bureau of Reclamation as a diverse small business

Bureau of Reclamation is a major federal buyer with $3B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses get …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Bureau of Prisons as a diverse small business

Bureau of Prisons is a major federal buyer with $3B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses get …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Bureau of Land Management as a diverse small business

Bureau of Land Management is a major federal buyer with $1B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses …

· Mario Bailey

How Singapore tech companies sell to US government contractors

US prime contractors including Leidos, SAIC, and CACI operate Singapore offices and subcontract locally. The entry path for Singapore tech companies runs …

· Mario Bailey

How SMEs become Singapore defence suppliers (MINDEF, DSTA, ST Engineering)

DSTA manages Singapore's S$15B+ annual defence budget and runs a dedicated Industry Development Office to build local SME supplier capacity. Here is …

· Mario Bailey

How to become a GovTech Singapore supplier in Singapore and APAC

Singapore's government ICT spend runs $4B+ SGD annually, all procured through GovTech's GeBIZ portal. Here is exactly how to register and land …

· Mario Bailey

GeBIZ: how to register and win Singapore government contracts

GeBIZ is Singapore's central procurement portal handling $20B+ in annual government spending. Every supplier, local or foreign, must register before bidding on …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to the Department of Defense (DoD) as a diverse business

The Department of Defense is the single largest federal buyer at over $400 billion annually. Small businesses won $90.8 billion of that …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to the Intelligence Community (IC) Contractors as a diverse business

The Intelligence Community does not post most of its contracts publicly. Subcontracting through cleared primes like Booz Allen, Leidos, and SAIC is …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a diverse business

DHS is one of the federal government's largest buyers, with over $15 billion in annual contract obligations and an active Mentor-Protege Program …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to the Department of Transportation: registration, set-asides, and the small-business path

The DOT spends through 11 operating administrations like the FAA and FHWA. This guide covers SAM.gov registration, the set-asides DOT uses, where …

How to sell to DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy as a diverse small business

DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy is a major federal buyer with $5B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers …

· Mario Bailey

Malaysia's Bumiputera contractor programme: what it is and how it compares to US supplier diversity

Malaysia runs one of the world's most formalized ethnic-preference procurement systems, with mandatory Bumiputera participation quotas written directly into government contract awards …

· Mario Bailey

How to get government contracts in construction

The real path into federal construction work: which NAICS codes and size standards apply, the set-asides worth pursuing, and why most small …

How to start a minority-owned business in 2026

A founder's walkthrough of starting a minority-owned business in 2026: forming the entity, the certifications that actually open contract doors, what each …

· Maya Okonkwo

How to start a veteran-owned business in 2026

A founder's walkthrough for veterans: form the entity, get SBA VetCert (it's free and now averages 12 days), and use the federal …

How to get government contracts in architecture and design

Architecture and engineering work gets bought differently than almost everything else the government procures. You compete on qualifications first, price second, and …

How to get government contracts in catering and food service

The catering NAICS code caps you at $9M while food service contractors get $47M. Pick the wrong one and you lose bids …

· Mario Bailey

How to get government contracts in management consulting

Federal agencies bought roughly $4.3 billion under the main management consulting NAICS code last year. Here is the real path in: the …

· Mario Bailey

How to get government contracts in electrical contracting

Electrical work runs through almost every federal building, base, and depot. This guide covers the NAICS code and size standard that decide …

How to get government contracts in engineering services

Engineering services sit under NAICS 541330 with a $25.5M small-business size standard. Here's how diverse firms register on SAM.gov, use set-asides, and …

How to get government contracts in HVAC and mechanical

Federal agencies need HVAC and mechanical work on millions of square feet of buildings. Here's the NAICS code that classifies you, the …

How to get government contracts in information technology (IT)

IT is one of the highest-volume categories in federal contracting, with NAICS 541519 alone moving billions in awards. Here's the real path: …

· Maya Okonkwo

APEX Accelerators (formerly PTACs): free government contracting help near you

APEX Accelerators are federally-funded, locally-delivered centers that provide free government contracting assistance to small businesses — including diverse-owned firms pursuing 8(a), WOSB, …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to US Patent and Trademark Office as a diverse small business

US Patent and Trademark Office is a major federal buyer with $600M annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Veterans Health Administration as a diverse small business

Veterans Health Administration is a major federal buyer with $25B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses get …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Veterans Benefits Administration as a diverse small business

Veterans Benefits Administration is a major federal buyer with $1B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses get …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to USDA Forest Service as a diverse small business

USDA Forest Service is a major federal buyer with $2B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses get …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to VA National Cemetery Administration as a diverse small business

VA National Cemetery Administration is a major federal buyer with $500M annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Securities and Exchange Commission as a diverse small business

Securities and Exchange Commission is a major federal buyer with $700M annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to US Special Operations Command as a diverse small business

US Special Operations Command is a major federal buyer with $3B+ annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Social Security Administration as a diverse small business

Social Security Administration is a major federal buyer with $2B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses get …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Transportation Security Administration as a diverse small business

Transportation Security Administration is a major federal buyer with $2B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses get …

· Mario Bailey

Alliant 2 GWAC: large IT services contracts and how to participate

Alliant 2 is one of the largest IT contract vehicles in the federal government. If you're a small or diverse business, you …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): registration, set-asides, and the small-business path

The VA buys differently than most agencies. Its Veterans First Contracting Program puts certified veteran-owned firms ahead of every other set-aside. Here …

A bid/no-bid framework for small federal contractors

Most small federal contractors lose because they bid too much, not too little. This framework gives you six factors to score before …

· Mario Bailey

Certifications for diverse construction contractors: DBE, MBE, WBE, SBE

Construction has the most fragmented certification system of any industry. This guide maps which certifications unlock which contracts, and in what order …

· Mario Bailey

Certifications for diverse energy and utility contractors: federal and state programs

Energy and utility contracting is one of the most certification-driven sectors for diverse small businesses. This guide breaks down which credentials matter, …

· Mario Bailey

Certifications for diverse IT service providers pursuing federal and corporate contracts

Federal and corporate IT buyers have specific vehicles and programs for diverse firms. The combination you pursue determines whether you're eligible for …

· Mario Bailey

Managing your CPARS rating: how it affects future federal work

Your CPARS record is a permanent performance transcript that contracting officers read before awarding new work. Here is what actually happens when …

· Mario Bailey

DCAA-compliant accounting for small government contractors: what you actually need

Most small contractors don't know they have an accounting problem until DCAA shows up unannounced. Here's what the agency checks, which systems …

· Mario Bailey

FAR overview for new federal contractors: the rules you need to know in year one

The Federal Acquisition Regulation runs to thousands of pages, but most small contractors get tripped up by the same dozen parts. Here's …

· Mario Bailey

Market research for federal contractors: finding what agencies plan to buy

Most federal contracts are decided well before the solicitation publishes. Here's how small business BD teams find opportunities at the planning stage, …

· Mario Bailey

Using FPDS to research your federal competitors before bidding

Every federal contract award since 2004 is public record. Here is how to mine that data to find your real competition before …

· Mario Bailey

Teaming agreements for federal contracts: what to include and what to avoid

A teaming agreement can get you into a federal contract you couldn't win alone. It can also hand your proprietary data to …

· Mario Bailey

Free alternatives to GovWin IQ for small businesses tracking federal opportunities

GovWin IQ is the industry standard for federal opportunity tracking, but its price tag starts at roughly $10,000 per year. Before you …

· Mario Bailey

GSA Advantage catalog: getting listed and generating orders

Getting on GSA Schedule is only half the work. Here's how to turn your contract into a catalog that federal buyers actually …

· Mario Bailey

GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS): getting on schedule as a diverse supplier

The GSA MAS puts your business in front of every federal buyer in the country. Here is what the application actually requires …

· Mario Bailey

Maintaining HUBZone compliance after certification: what triggers recertification and audits

Getting HUBZone certified is the easy part. Staying certified requires tracking employee residency, monitoring your principal office address, and knowing exactly what …

· Mario Bailey

8(a) joint ventures: how to form one and what the SBA actually requires

If a federal contract is too large for your 8(a) firm to win alone, a joint venture may let you compete anyway. …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to the U.S. Postal Service: registration, set-asides, and the small-business path

USPS buys differently from every other federal agency. It is exempt from the FAR, runs its own rulebook, and registers suppliers through …

· Maya Okonkwo

Federal resources specifically for minority-owned businesses pursuing government contracts

The federal government has built a specific set of programs, offices, and contracting set-asides for minority-owned businesses. Here is where they are …

· Mario Bailey

Choosing the right primary NAICS code for federal contracting (it affects what you win)

The NAICS code you list as primary on your SAM.gov registration determines which size standards apply to you and which set-aside pools …

· Mario Bailey

Federal contract novation: what happens when you acquire or are acquired

When a federal contractor gets acquired, the contracts stay with the original entity until the government formally agrees otherwise. Here's what the …

· Mario Bailey

OASIS+ GWAC: how to get on the contract and win task orders

GSA's OASIS+ replaced the original OASIS contract and is now the primary vehicle for professional services across the federal government. Here's how …

· Mario Bailey

Past performance narratives for federal proposals: structure and what evaluators look for

A poorly structured past performance section can sink a technically strong proposal. Here is the format evaluators expect and the specifics that …

· Mario Bailey

Guide · 11 min

Surety bonds for small contractors: how to get bonded for government work

Bonding decides which public contracts a small contractor is allowed to win. Here is how bid, performance, and payment bonds work, why …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to the USDA: registration, set-asides, and the small-business path

USDA obligated more than $11 billion across 67,000 contract actions in FY2023 and aims to send 57.5% of contract dollars to small …

· Maya Okonkwo

How to sell to the U.S. Department of State: registration, set-asides, and the small-business path

State spends on construction, embassy security, IT, and language services worldwide. Here is how a small or diverse business registers, finds the …

· Maya Okonkwo

How to sell to the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA): registration, set-asides, and the small-business path

DLA buys the fuel, food, parts, and medical supplies that keep the military running, and it does most of it through one …

How to sell to the Department of Justice: registration, set-asides, and the small-business path

The DOJ ran about $3.1 billion through small-business contracts in FY2024. Here is how its OSDBU works, which set-asides it uses, and …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to the U.S. Navy: registration, set-asides, and the small-business path

The Department of the Navy buys through a dozen separate commands, not one front door. This guide covers SAM.gov registration, which set-asides …

· Maya Okonkwo

How to sell to the U.S. Army: registration, set-asides, and the small-business path

The Army buys through SAM.gov and its Office of Small Business Programs, and it has historically routed more than 20% of contract …

How to sell to the U.S. Air Force: registration, set-asides, and the small-business path

The Air Force runs its small-business work through the Department of the Air Force Office of Small Business Programs. Here is how …

· Maya Okonkwo

How to sell to the U.S. Treasury: registration, set-asides, and the small-business path

Treasury buys through bureaus like the IRS, the Mint, and the BEP, and routes small-business work through its OSDBU. Here's how to …

· Maya Okonkwo

How to sell to the Social Security Administration: registration, set-asides, and the small-business path

SSA buys through the Office of Acquisition and Grants and uses SAM.gov as its primary vendor database. Here's how its OSDBU works, …

How to sell to the NIH: registration, set-asides, and the small-business path

The NIH buys research support, lab services, and roughly $21 billion in IT through NITAAC. Here's how a small or diverse business …

· Maya Okonkwo

How to sell to the GSA: registration, set-asides, and the small-business path

The GSA buys through SAM.gov, the Multiple Award Schedule, and socioeconomic set-asides. Here is the registration sequence, the goals that work in …

· Maya Okonkwo

How to sell to the FAA: registration, set-asides, and the small-business path

The FAA buys under its own Acquisition Management System, not the standard FAR, which changes how set-asides and registration work. Here is …

· Maya Okonkwo

MBE vs WBE vs DBE: The 2026 Difference (Who Issues, Cost, Where Each Wins)

MBE is for minority-owned firms (issued by NMSDC), WBE is for women-owned firms (issued by WBENC), and DBE is a federal transportation …

· Maya Okonkwo

How to sell to the EPA: registration, set-asides, and the small-business path

The EPA runs its own Acquisition Forecast Database and a vendor database that feeds its OSDBU and contracting officers. Here is how …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Customs and Border Protection (CBP): registration, set-asides, and the small-business path

CBP buys through DHS, the largest federal agency to earn 15 straight A or A+ grades on SBA's small-business scorecard. Here is …

· Mario Bailey

Guide · 12 min

How to Bid on a Government Contract: Your First Proposal Step by Step

Found an opportunity on SAM.gov and wondering what to do with it? Here is exactly what happens from solicitation to award — …

· Mario Bailey

Guide · 10 min

How to Get Past Performance When You Have None: Breaking the Catch-22

Federal agencies want past performance before they hand you a contract, and you can't get past performance without a contract. Here are …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Rural Utilities Service (USDA) as a diverse small business

Rural Utilities Service (USDA) is a major federal buyer with $10B+ in loans in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small …

· Mario Bailey

SBIR and STTR Grants: The Federal R&D Path for Small Businesses

SBIR and STTR are federal grant programs that pay small businesses to do R&D on problems the government needs solved. They are …

· Mario Bailey

Sole-Source Government Contracts: What They Are and How to Get One

A sole-source contract is a federal award made directly to one vendor, skipping competition entirely. The four justifications in FAR Part 6.302, …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Occupational Safety and Health Administration as a diverse small business

Occupational Safety and Health Administration is a major federal buyer with $300M annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Office of the Comptroller of the Currency as a diverse small business

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency is a major federal buyer with $500M annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to National Science Foundation as a diverse small business

National Science Foundation is a major federal buyer with $2B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses get …

· Mario Bailey

How to become a CACI International diverse supplier

CACI International is a $7B+ DoD prime contractor with a Small Business Programs Office and active SUB-Net listings. Here is how certified …

· Mario Bailey

Guide · 11 min

How to sell to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as a diverse business

NIH obligated more than $6.4 billion in contracts in FY2023. The agency uses 8(a), WOSB, SDVOSB, and HUBZone set-asides across IT, research …

· Mario Bailey

How to write a federal contracting capability statement that gets read

A capability statement is a 1-2 page document that federal contracting officers and small business specialists use to evaluate vendors. Get the …

· Mario Bailey

How to write a federal contracting proposal: the basics every diverse business needs to know

Federal proposals follow a rigid structure defined by the solicitation itself. Miss a required section or exceed a page limit and your …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Natural Resources Conservation Service as a diverse small business

Natural Resources Conservation Service is a major federal buyer with $500M annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses …

· Mario Bailey

How to get government contracts in security guard services

Security guard work is one of the most reliable on-ramps to federal contracting for small and diverse firms. The agencies buy it …

How Israel Businesses Sell to US Companies

The US-Israel free trade agreement, signed in 1985, eliminated tariffs on most goods. The harder part is not the trade law — …

· Mario Bailey

How to get government contracts in staffing and temporary services

Federal agencies buy temporary, clerical, technical, and healthcare staffing every year. This guide covers the NAICS code and size standard that decide …

How to get government contracts in training services

The Office of Personnel Management alone spends over $1.1 billion a year on professional and management training. Here is the real path …

· Maya Okonkwo

How to get government contracts in trucking and transportation

Federal agencies move freight, relocate household goods, and haul materials through small-business carriers every day. Here is the real path: the NAICS …

· Maya Okonkwo

How to get government contracts in waste management

Federal agencies like the Bureau of Reclamation and HHS post solid-waste hauling and recycling work as total small business set-asides. Here are …

· Maya Okonkwo

GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS): the fastest path to federal sales for diverse businesses

The GSA Multiple Award Schedule lets agencies buy from you without a separate full competition — and being 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, or …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to National Park Service as a diverse small business

National Park Service is a major federal buyer with $1.5B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses get …

· Mario Bailey

OSDBU and OSBP: the federal offices that help diverse businesses win contracts

Every major federal agency has a dedicated small business office—OSDBU or OSBP—whose job is to help businesses like yours get in front …

· Mario Bailey

SAM.gov registration for diverse businesses: step-by-step guide

SAM.gov registration is required before you can receive a federal contract or grant above $10,000. The process takes 7-10 business days and …

· Mario Bailey

SBIR and STTR: federal R&D funding for innovative diverse businesses

The federal government awards over $4 billion annually through SBIR and STTR to small businesses doing innovation work. Women-owned and minority-owned firms …

· Mario Bailey

Guide · 10 min

Diversity Certification Comparison 2026: Costs, Timelines, and Requirements Side by Side

Every major diversity certification in one place: federal and corporate, with current fees, processing timelines, ownership requirements, and the markets each one …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to the Department of Homeland Security: registration, set-asides, and the small-business path

DHS obligated $9.9 billion to small businesses in FY2023 (38.21% of eligible dollars), the most in its history. Here is how registration, …

How to sell to FEMA: registration, set-asides, and the small-business path

FEMA buys through SAM.gov and Unison Marketplace, runs a Small Business Program under the DHS OSDBU, and asks vendors to file an …

· Maya Okonkwo

How to sell to Health and Human Services (HHS): registration, set-asides, and the small-business path

HHS buys across NIH, CDC, FDA, and CMS, and runs a Small Business Customer Experience office for vendors. Here is how to …

· Maya Okonkwo

How to sell to HUD: registration, set-asides, and the small-business path

HUD buys through SAM.gov and runs the standard federal set-asides. This guide covers registration, which socioeconomic certification to chase, where HUD posts …

· Maya Okonkwo

How to sell to NASA: registration, set-asides, and the small-business path

NASA runs its small-business work through the Office of Small Business Programs and posts opportunities on SAM.gov. Here is how to register, …

· Maya Okonkwo

How to sell to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: registration, set-asides, and the small-business path

USACE buys through district offices, not one central office. This guide walks the SAM.gov registration, the set-asides it uses (8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, …

How to sell to the U.S. Coast Guard: registration, set-asides, and the small-business path

The Coast Guard is a DHS buying component, not a Defense agency, and that changes where you look and who you call. …

· Maya Okonkwo

How to sell to the Department of Commerce: registration, set-asides, and the small-business path

The Department of Commerce runs most of its contracting through bureaus like NOAA, Census, and USPTO, and NOAA alone puts more than …

· Maya Okonkwo

How to sell to the U.S. Department of Defense: registration, set-asides, and the small-business path

DoD bought $183 billion from small businesses in FY2024, 28.78% of eligible spend. Here is the actual path: SAM.gov registration, the set-asides …

· Maya Okonkwo

How to sell to the Department of Education: registration, set-asides, and the small-business path

The Department of Education buys against roughly $2.5 billion in estimated annual obligations, and its OSDBU exists to route small businesses into …

· Maya Okonkwo

How to sell to the Department of Energy: registration, set-asides, and the small-business path

DOE runs roughly 80% of its procurement budget through Management & Operating contractors at the national labs and cleanup sites, which means …

· Maya Okonkwo

How to sell to the Department of the Interior: registration, set-asides, and the small-business path

Interior put 60% of its eligible prime contract dollars with small businesses in FY2023. Here is how registration, set-asides, and the agency …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to the Department of Labor: registration, set-asides, and the small-business path

DOL spends roughly $2.2 billion a year buying goods and services, and it routes a large share to small and diverse firms. …

· Maya Okonkwo

Native American-owned business certification and contracts

A founder's guide to certifying a Native American-owned business: SBA 8(a) eligibility, NMSDC's tribal-enrollment documentation, the costs and timelines, and the financing …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to National Nuclear Security Administration as a diverse small business

National Nuclear Security Administration is a major federal buyer with $20B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Employment and Training Administration (DOL) as a diverse small business

Employment and Training Administration (DOL) is a major federal buyer with $2B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Federal Aviation Administration as a diverse small business

Federal Aviation Administration is a major federal buyer with $5B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses get …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Federal Bureau of Investigation as a diverse small business

Federal Bureau of Investigation is a major federal buyer with $3B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Federal Communications Commission as a diverse small business

Federal Communications Commission is a major federal buyer with $400M annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses get …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Food and Drug Administration as a diverse small business

Food and Drug Administration is a major federal buyer with $3B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Federal Emergency Management Agency as a diverse small business

Federal Emergency Management Agency is a major federal buyer with $8B+ annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Federal Highway Administration as a diverse small business

Federal Highway Administration is a major federal buyer with $48B annually in grants in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Food and Nutrition Service (USDA) as a diverse small business

Food and Nutrition Service (USDA) is a major federal buyer with $700M annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Federal Transit Administration as a diverse small business

Federal Transit Administration is a major federal buyer with $20B annually in grants in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Health Resources and Services Administration as a diverse small business

Health Resources and Services Administration is a major federal buyer with $1B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Department of Housing and Urban Development as a diverse small business

Department of Housing and Urban Development is a major federal buyer with $1B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse …

· Mario Bailey

How to sell to Immigration and Customs Enforcement as a diverse small business

Immigration and Customs Enforcement is a major federal buyer with $5B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small businesses …

· Mario Bailey

SAM.gov exclusions: what gets a contractor debarred and how to clear it

An exclusion in SAM.gov shuts you out of every federal contract and most federally funded subcontracts instantly. Here is what causes them, …

Jul 27, 2026 · Mario Bailey

How to sell to US Army Corps of Engineers as a diverse small business

US Army Corps of Engineers is a major federal buyer with $12B annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how diverse small …

Jul 27, 2026 · Mario Bailey

SBA Mentor-Protege Program: how to find a mentor and what you actually get

The SBA All Small Mentor-Protege Program lets any size-standard-eligible small business form a joint venture with a large company to compete for …

Jul 27, 2026 · Mario Bailey

How to find federal contracting opportunities on SAM.gov

SAM.gov Opportunities is the mandatory posting site for federal solicitations above $25,000. Knowing how to filter by set-aside type and NAICS code …

Jul 27, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Federal contract types explained: FFP, T&M, CPFF, IDIQ, and when each is used

The type of contract you sign determines who bears the risk when scope changes or costs run over. Here's what each of …

Jul 27, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Section L and M in federal RFPs: what they mean and how to use them

Most small businesses read Section C and skip straight to pricing. The contractors who win read Section L and M first, then …

Jul 26, 2026 · Mario Bailey

The micro-purchase threshold: how small businesses win government work without proposals

Most small businesses chase RFPs and miss the $15,000 micro-purchase threshold, where federal agencies buy with a credit card and zero competition. …

Jul 26, 2026 · Mario Bailey

How to set up sam.gov opportunity alerts for your NAICS codes

Most small businesses find out about federal contracts after the deadline has passed. Setting up SAM.gov opportunity alerts takes about 20 minutes …

Jul 26, 2026 · Mario Bailey

How to Find Government Contracts in 2026: 7 Steps + Where to Look

Start at SAM.gov, register your entity, filter to set-asides your business qualifies for, then mine SBA SubNet, agency forecasts, and APEX Accelerators …

Jul 26, 2026 · Maya Okonkwo

How to sell to Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives as a diverse small business

Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives is a major federal buyer with $800M annually in annual procurement. This guide covers how …

Jul 26, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Is Supplier Diversity Worth It? The 2026 ROI Numbers, Honestly

Supplier diversity returns measurable money on both sides of the table: The Hackett Group documents 133% greater procurement ROI, the Billion Dollar …

Jul 26, 2026 · Maya Okonkwo

How Much Does 8(a) Certification Cost in 2026? ($0 to the SBA, and the Real Bill)

The SBA charges nothing to apply for 8(a) certification. The honest cost is roughly 200 hours of your time, optional consultant fees …

Jul 26, 2026 · Maya Okonkwo

Guide · 14 min

SBA 8(a) Certification: The Complete 2026 Guide

The SBA 8(a) Business Development Program gives disadvantaged-owned small businesses nine years of access to sole-source federal contracts up to $5.5 million. …

Jul 26, 2026 · Mario Bailey

WAWF invoicing for government contractors: submitting invoices that get paid

Wide Area Workflow is mandatory for most federal invoices, but the system trips up new contractors every day. Here is what you …

Jul 26, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide · 10 min

SBA Small Business Size Standards: What They Are and Why They Matter

Size standards determine who legally qualifies as a small business for federal set-asides and contracts. They vary by NAICS code, measure either …

Jul 26, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Supplier diversity in New York City: certifications, programs, and how to get contracts

New York City runs the most active municipal M/WBE program in the country, with over $25 billion awarded to diverse suppliers since …

Jul 13, 2026 · Mario Bailey

HUBZone map: how to find qualifying locations and keep your certification

HUBZone certification requires your principal office to sit inside a designated zone and 35% of employees to live in one. The SBA …

Jul 13, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide · 11 min

HUBZone certification: requirements, cost, timeline, and what it really takes

HUBZone gives you a 10% price preference and sole-source access up to $5.5M on federal contracts, but the address and employee rules …

Jul 6, 2026 · Mario Bailey

DBE certification in Illinois: Requirements, Process, and Benefits

Illinois DBE certification is administered by the Illinois Unified Certification Program (IL UCP), a five-agency consortium led by IDOT. One application gets …

Jul 6, 2026 · Mario Bailey

HUBZone Certification: Requirements, Map, and How to Apply in 2026

HUBZone certification gives qualifying small businesses access to set-aside contracts, sole-source awards up to $5.5 million, and a 10% price evaluation preference …

Jul 6, 2026 · Mario Bailey

How to do business with the Wyoming government

Wyoming has no state minority or women-owned set-aside. Its main edge is a 5% resident preference. Here's how to register, where to …

May 29, 2026 · Mario Bailey

How to do business with the Wisconsin government

Two free moves get a diverse business into the running for Wisconsin state contracts: register as a vendor, then get certified for …

May 26, 2026 · Mario Bailey

How to do business with the Vermont government

Vermont runs procurement through one office and one eProcurement system. Here's how to register as a vendor, where the bids live, and …

May 14, 2026 · Mario Bailey

How to do business with the Utah government

Utah keeps procurement centralized and the vendor side free. There's no state MBE/WBE certification, but there is a resident preference and a …

May 11, 2026 · Mario Bailey

How to do business with the Texas government

Selling to Texas starts with two free-to-cheap steps: the CMBL vendor list and the ESBD bid portal. The state's diverse-business certification changed …

May 8, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide · 10 min

How to become a subcontractor on a government contract

Subcontracting is the door into federal work that doesn't require past performance you don't have yet. Large primes are required to use …

May 6, 2026 · Mario Bailey

How to do business with the South Dakota government

South Dakota runs a lean, low-friction procurement system, and registering as a vendor is free. The catch most owners miss: the state …

May 4, 2026 · Mario Bailey

How to become a Northrop Grumman diverse supplier

Northrop Grumman spends more than $2 billion annually with small and diverse businesses. This guide covers registration, certifications, sourcing categories, and what …

Apr 22, 2026 · Mario Bailey

How to do business with the North Dakota government

North Dakota runs its buying through one portal, NDBuys, and getting on the bidders list is free. The state has no minority …

Apr 13, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide · 11 min

Veteran-owned business certification: SDVOSB, VOSB, and VBE explained

There are two separate worlds of veteran certification, and they don't transfer. SBA VetCert gets you federal set-asides for free. NaVOBA's VBE …

Apr 10, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Teaming agreement vs joint venture: how small firms partner to win federal work

Both let a small firm bid work it couldn't win alone, but they carry different liability, control, and SBA size consequences. Here's …

Apr 3, 2026 · Mario Bailey

How to do business with the New Jersey government

New Jersey runs a single eProcurement portal, NJSTART, and reserves 25% of state spending for small businesses. Here's the order to register, …

Apr 1, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Supplier diversity for waste, recycling, and environmental services companies: how diverse-owned haulers win work

Trash, recycling, and environmental services are some of the steadiest diverse-supplier categories there are. The work is recurring and the buyers are …

Apr 1, 2026 · Mario Bailey

How to do business with the New Hampshire government

New Hampshire runs a low-bid, lean procurement system with one state-recognized diversity certification (DBE) and a resident-bidder tiebreaker. Here's how to register, …

Mar 30, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Supplier diversity for translation and interpretation companies: how to win corporate, hospital, and government work

A diverse-owned language services company has a real edge in supplier diversity programs, but only if you get certified for the right …

Mar 30, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Supplier diversity for security guard companies: how diverse-owned firms win contracts

Contract security runs on labor, low margins, and trust. Diverse certification opens doors at corporations and agencies, but only if you know …

Mar 26, 2026 · Maya Okonkwo

How to do business with the Montana government

Montana doesn't give a bid preference for being minority-, women-, or veteran-owned. Here's what actually moves you toward a state contract: free …

Mar 20, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Supplier diversity for management and IT consulting firms: how to win the work

Consulting is a relationship sale, and supplier diversity gives a diverse-owned firm a reason to be in the room. Here's which certifications …

Mar 13, 2026 · Will Moss

How to do business with the Michigan government

Selling to the State of Michigan starts with a free SIGMA VSS account, not a certification. Here's how registration, the SDVOB preference, …

Mar 9, 2026 · Mario Bailey

How to do business with the Maine government

Maine runs its vendor registration and bids through one free system, Vendor Self-Service. Here's how to get registered, where the opportunities are, …

Mar 2, 2026 · Mario Bailey

How to do business with the Louisiana government

Selling to Louisiana comes down to three moves: register your business in LaGov, get certified by LED for the Hudson or Veteran …

Feb 25, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Supplier diversity for construction contractors: how diverse-owned GCs and subs win work

Construction runs on two different diversity systems: government DBE work tied to DOT-funded projects, and corporate MBE/WBE spend flowing through primes like …

Feb 25, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Supplier diversity for accounting firms: how a diverse-owned CPA practice wins corporate and government work

Accounting is one of the easiest professional services to buy from a diverse-owned firm, and one of the hardest to break into …

Feb 20, 2026 · Maya Okonkwo

Guide · 10 min

The SBA Mentor-Protégé Program and joint ventures in 2026: how small firms win bigger work

A small firm can team with a larger mentor and bid as a small business on work it could never win alone. …

Feb 18, 2026 · Mario Bailey

How to do business with the Idaho government

Idaho runs its procurement through one free portal called IPRO, and it has no statewide minority or women-owned set-aside program. Here's what …

Feb 9, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Picking NAICS codes for federal contracts (and why size standard matters)

The contracting officer, not you, sets the NAICS code on each solicitation, and that code decides whether you count as small. Here's …

Feb 6, 2026 · Mario Bailey

How to do business with the Hawaii government

Hawaii runs its bids through HIePRO and posts every notice on HANDS. Registration is free, but one compliance step gates every award …

Feb 4, 2026 · Mario Bailey

The 50% rule, explained: limitations on subcontracting for small business

On a set-aside, you can't just win the work and hand most of it to a big prime. FAR 52.219-14 caps what …

Feb 3, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide · 11 min

Is a GSA Schedule worth it? How to get on the Multiple Award Schedule

A GSA Schedule is a contract that lets agencies buy from you faster. It's worth real money for some businesses and a …

Feb 3, 2026 · Mario Bailey

How a diverse-owned cleaning company wins commercial and government contracts

Cleaning is one of the few categories where a diverse certification actually moves a buyer's hand. Here's which certifications matter, who buys, …

Jan 29, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide · 10 min

How to register on SAM.gov: the step-by-step a small business actually needs

Registering on SAM.gov is free and not that hard, but one validation step trips up most first-timers. Here's the order to do …

Jan 27, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide · 10 min

Federal set-asides explained: 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, SDVOSB, and sole-source

Set-asides are how the government reserves contracts for small and diverse businesses. Here's how the small business and socioeconomic set-asides work, and …

Jan 26, 2026 · Mario Bailey

DBE certification: how to get certified as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise

DBE certification opens federally-funded highway, transit, and airport work, and it's free to apply. Here's who qualifies under the new 2025 rules, …

Jan 22, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Federal Government Contracting for Diverse Businesses: Your 2025 Roadmap to $183 Billion

Guide · 12 min

Federal Government Contracting for Diverse Businesses: Your 2025 Roadmap to $183 Billion

Federal small-business contracting hit $183B in FY2024. The four major set-aside programs (8(a), WOSB, SDVOSB, HUBZone), what each spent, who's certified, and …

Jan 22, 2026 · SupplierDiversity.com Editorial Team

The federal capability statement that wins contracts (with a template)

A contracting officer asks for a capability statement before almost anything else. Here's what goes in the six sections, how to write …

Jan 21, 2026 · Maya Okonkwo

Guide · 11 min

How to find federal contract opportunities (without wasting months)

Registered on SAM.gov and staring at a wall of solicitations? Here's where opportunities live, how to read the buy before it's a …

Jan 19, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Your DSBS profile: the free SBA listing buyers actually search (now Small Business Search)

Contracting officers search the SBA's small business database during market research. As of July 2025 it's called Small Business Search, it's built …

Jan 19, 2026 · Mario Bailey

How to do business with the Arkansas government

Selling to Arkansas runs through two free vendor systems and the new ARBuy portal. Here's how to register, where to find bids, …

Jan 15, 2026 · Mario Bailey

CPARS and past performance: how to build a record from your first federal contract

Your first federal contract creates a CPARS record that contracting officers read before they pick you again. Here's how to earn a …

Jan 14, 2026 · Maya Okonkwo

How to do business with the Arizona government

Selling to the State of Arizona starts in one place: the Arizona Procurement Portal. Here's how to register, where small-business set-asides actually …

Jan 12, 2026 · Mario Bailey

How to do business with the Alaska government

Alaska does not run a state MBE or WBE program. What it does run: a free vendor portal, a DBE certification for …

Jan 9, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide · 12 min

Breaking the Catch-22: How to Win Government Contracts Without Past Performance

Every year, the federal government awards over $183 billion to small businesses—but most new entrepreneurs hit the same wall: "You need past …

Jan 8, 2026 · SupplierDiversity.com

Guide · 10 min

APEX Accelerators: Free Government Contracting Help in All 50 States

There's a federally-funded office in your state whose only job is to help you win government contracts. They don't charge a dime. …

Jan 6, 2026 · SupplierDiversity.com Editorial Team

How to vet and onboard a small or diverse supplier

Vetting a small supplier isn't about lowering the bar. It's about checking the right things in the right order so a first …

Dec 31, 2025 · Mario Bailey

How to verify a supplier's small business and socioeconomic status

A supplier's word that they're an SDVOSB no longer counts toward your goals. Here's how to confirm SB and socioeconomic status against …

Dec 30, 2025 · Mario Bailey

Using SBA SUBNet to post and find subcontracting opportunities

SUBNet is the SBA's posting board for subcontracting opportunities, and it still helps you document outreach for a FAR 52.219-9 plan. But …

Dec 29, 2025 · Mario Bailey

Tier 1 vs Tier 2 diverse spend: what counts and how to report it

Tier 1 is the spend you pay diverse and small suppliers directly. Tier 2 is what flows through your suppliers. Here's what …

Dec 26, 2025 · Mario Bailey

Supplier diversity metrics and KPIs that actually matter

Most supplier diversity dashboards measure the wrong things. Here's the short list of metrics tied to compliance and economic impact, the vanity …

Dec 24, 2025 · Mario Bailey

Supplier diversity after the DEI rollback: what to keep and what to rename

The 2025 rollback hit voluntary corporate programs, not the statutory federal set-aside and subcontracting machinery. Here's what's durable, what to reframe, and …

Dec 23, 2025 · Mario Bailey

Where to find certified MBE, WBE, and diverse suppliers

If you have a subcontracting plan to meet or a Tier-2 number to report, the supplier has to be certified by the …

Dec 22, 2025 · Mario Bailey

The Small Business Liaison Officer (SBLO): role, responsibilities, and how to staff it

If your company holds a contract with a subcontracting plan, you are required by FAR 52.219-9 to designate a Small Business Liaison …

Dec 19, 2025 · Mario Bailey

How to run a Tier 2 supplier diversity reporting program

Tier 2 reporting fails on data quality, not good intentions. Here's which primes to enroll, what to collect, how direct and indirect …

Dec 18, 2025 · Mario Bailey

How to meet your small business subcontracting plan goals

If you carry a subcontracting plan under FAR 52.219-9, the goals are contractual, not aspirational. Here is where the dollars leak, how …

Dec 17, 2025 · Mario Bailey

How to measure the economic impact of your supplier program

Spend totals don't tell the story your CFO or your contracting officer wants. Here's how to turn supplier program spend into jobs, …

Dec 16, 2025 · Mario Bailey

Limitations on subcontracting: what buyers need to know

If you hold a set-aside prime, the limitations on subcontracting rule caps how much work you can push to firms that aren't …

Dec 16, 2025 · Mario Bailey

Documenting good faith efforts on a subcontracting plan

Missing a subcontracting goal is not automatically a problem. Failing to document a good faith effort is. Here's the record a contracting …

Dec 15, 2025 · Mario Bailey

How to find WOSB and EDWOSB subcontractors

Your subcontracting plan commits you to a 5% women-owned spend goal, and eSRS counts only certified firms. Here's how to source WOSBs …

Dec 12, 2025 · Mario Bailey

How to find SDVOSB subcontractors for a federal contract

Self-certification for SDVOSBs is gone. Here's where to source Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned subcontractors that actually count toward your subcontracting goals, and how to …

Dec 11, 2025 · Mario Bailey

How to find HUBZone subcontractors (and hit the 3% goal)

HUBZone is the smallest pool and the most volatile certification in your subcontracting plan, which is why the 3% goal trips up …

Dec 10, 2025 · Mario Bailey

How to find 8(a) and small disadvantaged business subcontractors

8(a) and SDB credit hinges on sourcing the right firms and proving status. Here's where to find them, what the certification changes …

Dec 9, 2025 · Mario Bailey

How to file the Summary Subcontracting Report (SSR) in eSRS

The SSR is the annual roll-up of your subcontracting plan performance, and the SBA scorecard runs on it. Here's who files, when, …

Dec 8, 2025 · Mario Bailey

How to file the Individual Subcontracting Report (ISR) in eSRS

The ISR is where your subcontracting plan goals meet your actuals, and where contracting officers decide whether you get acknowledged or sent …

Dec 5, 2025 · Mario Bailey

FAR 52.219-9 explained: the subcontracting plan clause for primes

If your contract crosses the threshold, you owe the government a subcontracting plan with goals you have to report against. Here's what …

Dec 4, 2025 · Mario Bailey

Writing diverse and small supplier requirements into your RFPs

Building small and diverse supplier expectations into a solicitation is a sourcing and compliance problem, not a slogan. Here's how to write …

Dec 3, 2025 · Mario Bailey

Commercial vs individual subcontracting plans: which to use

If you sell commercial products or services across many federal contracts, a commercial subcontracting plan can replace a stack of individual plans …

Dec 2, 2025 · Mario Bailey

How to build a supplier inclusion program in 2026

The 2025 DEI rollback hit voluntary corporate programs, not your federal subcontracting obligations. Here's how to build a program around compliance and …

Dec 1, 2025 · Mario Bailey

How to build a diverse supplier pipeline that actually converts

Most diverse supplier pipelines stall as a spreadsheet nobody buys from. Here is a repeatable sourcing process tied to your subcontracting plan …

Dec 1, 2025 · Mario Bailey

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