"Government contracts" isn't one market — it's three (federal, state, local), and they behave differently. Here's how to choose where to start.
Federal
- Where: all posted in one place, SAM.gov.
- Pros: standardized, huge volume, strong small-business set-asides.
- Cons: more competition and paperwork; requires SAM.gov registration.
State
- Where: each state runs its own portal (e.g., Cal eProcure, Delaware's bid system, Texas ESBD).
- Pros: often less competition than federal; many states have their own small-business programs.
- Cons: fragmented — every state's system and rules differ.
Local (city / county / school district)
- Where: thousands of individual portals and platforms.
- Pros: can be the least competitive and most relationship-driven; great for first wins.
- Cons: the most scattered — hardest to find in one place.
Where to start
For most small businesses: start where the work is closest to what you already do and where competition is lowest — often state and local. Then layer in federal as you get registered and build past performance. The hard part is that these live in different systems; a tool that brings federal + state + local into one place (clearly labeled) saves you from checking dozens of portals.
**See federal *and* state/local contracts that match you — in one place, free.** Find my contracts →