Federal, state and local government agencies purchase everything from computers and vehicles to cookies and coffee from small businesses. They also contract with small businesses to construct or renovate buildings, build or improve infrastructure (roads, bridges), maintain landscaping, clean buildings and more.
Contracting With Federal Agencies: Businesses must register with System for Award Management (SAM). Once registered, you can peruse requests for bids on government contracts listed in the Contract Opportunities database.
The GSA (General Services Administration) is the Federal government’s primary purchasing agency. Federal “Prime” contractors (major contractors) are required to purchase a percentage of the goods and services they use from small businesses. A list of prime contractors is found in the GSA Subcontracting Directory. Prime contractors list goods and services they are seeking on Sub-Net.
Contracting With a Regional Agency: The US Army Corps of Engineers Walla Walla District provides contracting opportunities for waterways navigation, flood risk management, design, construction, operation and maintenance at public works facilities within the District’s boundaries (ID, WA, OR, WY).
Contracting With Idaho Agencies: For information about the State purchasing process, see ID Division of Purchasing. Businesses need to register in order to gain information on current bid solicitations. The Division of Purchasing offers regular training programs to assist businesses in learning how to sell to the State.
Not all state agencies list their contracting opportunities with Idaho Purchasing, instead posting bid requests on their individual agency websites:
- Idaho Transportation Department contractor bidding
- Idaho Division of Public Works construction projects
- Idaho Department of Lands contracting opportunities
- Idaho Department of Environmental Quality vendor opportunities
- Idaho and Federal Bureau of Land Management contracting
Contracting With Local Agencies: Cities and counties list their bid opportunities in the legal section of a local newspaper and/or on their city or county website.
Disadvantaged Businesses: Woman, veteran and minority-owned businesses, collectively known as disadvantaged business enterprises (DBE), may have preference in bidding on certain contracts through the various Federal agencies’ Offices of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization. In Idaho, the Idaho Transportation Department handles such contracts.
Woman and Veteran-owned Businesses: Woman and veteran-owned businesses can be certified as eligible for government contracting by the National Women Business Owners Corporation or by Certify.sba.gov.
Minority Owned Businesses: The National Minority Supplier Development Council, Inc. certifies minority-owned businesses.
HUBZones: Businesses located in a federally-designated HUBZone (an economically distressed area within a city or county) have preference when bidding on federal contracting opportunities. Find Idaho HUBZone areas here: HUBZone maps. Businesses must be certified in order to access bid opportunities.
Contracting Assistance: Idaho Apex Accelerator, a division of the Idaho Small Business Development Center, assists businesses in registering to contract with state and federal agencies and in finding appropriate bid opportunities.
