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Your First Government Contract: The B.S Guide for Small General Contractors

Stacy
Stacy |

If you’re a small-to-mid GC, government work looks confusing from the outside. Different forms. Different rules. Weird timelines. And a whole lot of contractors assume the only way to win is “know somebody.”

Here’s the truth: government contracts are winnable if you stop treating them like private jobs. The game is different. The rules are public. The buyers are predictable. And the contractors who win consistently do three things well:

  1. Pick the right lane (contracts that match their capacity)

  2. Submit compliant bids (no missed docs, no disqualifications)

  3. Build a repeatable system (pipeline > one-off hustle)

This article gives you a clean, evergreen roadmap to get your first win—and then keep winning.

Why government bidding feels harder than it is

Most contractors don’t “lose” on price. They lose on process.

Common reasons bids fail:

  • Missing forms, signatures, or required attachments

  • Not acknowledging addenda

  • Wrong wage decision / labor classification issues

  • Insurance/bonding requirements ignored until the last minute

  • Bid submitted late (even by minutes)

  • Proposal doesn’t clearly answer what the agency asked for

Government buyers don’t have time to interpret your intent. They evaluate what you submitted—period. That’s why process matters more here than anywhere else.

Step 1: Pick your lane (don’t start at the hardest level)

A lot of contractors start with federal because it’s famous. That’s usually the slowest way to your first win.

A better approach:

  • Municipal + county (schools, small facilities, DPW, maintenance, renovations)

  • State agencies (bigger budgets but still predictable)

  • Public universities / authorities (often steady recurring work)

If you’re looking for speed, your best first targets are usually:

  • Small projects with short performance periods

  • Service/maintenance-style work

  • Renovations and repairs (less design complexity)

  • On-call/IDIQ style contracts (recurring task orders)

Your first goal isn’t “the biggest job.”
Your first goal is a clean win you can perform well and leverage into the next one.

Step 2: Get “bid-ready” before you chase opportunities

You don’t need to be perfect, but you do need to be organized.

Here’s what “bid-ready” means in real life:

Company basics

  • Legal business name consistent across docs

  • W-9 ready

  • Insurance certs available quickly (and you know your limits)

Past performance

  • 3–5 projects you can write up cleanly (scope, value, dates, owner, outcome)

  • Photos (before/after if possible)

  • References you can actually call

Capacity + pricing

  • Know your labor structure (employees vs 1099)

  • Know your overhead

  • Know how you price: T&M, unit price, lump sum, etc.

  • Know your subs (and who answers fast)

Compliance reality

  • If the job requires bonding, be honest about where you stand.

  • If prevailing wage applies, know how you’ll handle it.

This is the part most contractors skip—then wonder why bidding feels chaotic.

Step 3: Understand set-asides (your win odds can jump overnight)

A set-aside is a contract reserved for specific business types—so you’re not competing against everyone.

Common examples:

  • Small Business Set-Aside

  • 8(a)

  • HUBZone

  • WOSB/EDWOSB

  • SDVOSB

Why it matters:

  • Smaller competition pool

  • Agencies often have goals they must hit

  • Your certifications can be a real advantage

Set-asides don’t guarantee wins—but they can change your math. If you’re eligible, you should build a strategy around it.

Step 4: Build a go/no-go checklist (this is where pros separate)

Before you spend time pricing and writing, run the opportunity through a quick filter.

Go/No-Go Checklist

  • Can we meet the schedule?

  • Can we perform the scope with our crew/subs?

  • Are insurance requirements realistic for us?

  • Are bonding requirements doable?

  • Is there a site visit? Can we attend?

  • Do we understand how they’re awarding (low bid vs best value)?

  • Do we have relevant past performance we can show?

  • Can we submit 12–24 hours early (not last-minute)?

If you can’t confidently answer these, you’re not “being cautious.”
You’re walking into a trap.

Step 5: Price smarter (government pricing rewards discipline)

Government bids punish sloppy estimating because:

  • Your price is locked

  • Your paperwork is auditable

  • Your margin gets exposed fast if you missed scope

A few evergreen pricing rules:

  • Clarify scope early (RFIs are normal—use them)

  • Don’t ignore logistics (phasing, access, security, hours, staging)

  • Treat compliance like scope (submittals, closeout, reporting, wage rules)

  • Always build a risk line (or you will “donate” labor later)

If you’re bidding low-bid work, the goal isn’t to be reckless.
The goal is to be low and correct.

Step 6: Write to the evaluation criteria (not your ego)

A government proposal is not a brochure. It’s not a “we’re great” statement.

It’s a response.

Your job is to:

  • Mirror their language

  • Answer every requirement

  • Make it easy to score you

Even on small bids, use this structure:

  • Understanding of the work

  • Approach + schedule

  • Relevant experience

  • Key personnel

  • Safety/quality

  • Pricing + forms

When buyers feel like they have to “figure you out,” you lose.

Step 7: Submit early and follow up like a professional

Two habits that win contracts:

  • Submitting 12–24 hours before deadline

  • Following up after submission

Follow-up matters because:

  • You catch missing attachments before it’s too late (sometimes they’ll tell you)

  • You show you’re engaged and serious

  • You get debriefs (which turn into future wins)

Even when you lose, a debrief can tell you:

  • Where your price landed

  • What the winner did better

  • What the agency values

  • How to adjust next time

Government work rewards contractors who learn fast and stay in the game.

The system that wins: pipeline, process, and consistency

Most contractors treat bids like emergencies. Winning contractors treat them like operations.

A real bidding system looks like:

  • A weekly bid pipeline review

  • Clear go/no-go rules

  • A standard proposal template

  • Fast sub and supplier quote requests

  • Submission checklists

  • Post-bid follow-up + debrief tracking

That’s how you go from “trying government work” to building a government revenue stream.

How Smart Movers Club fits in

Smart Movers Club exists for one reason: help small-to-mid GCs win government contracts without hiring a full bid department.

We combine:

  • Data-driven opportunity selection

  • Compliance + proposal execution

  • Boots-on-the-ground support (when needed)

  • Performance-based pricing (we win when you win)

If you want help building your pipeline and getting your first wins on the board, book a quick call:

One Bid Club and You’re In It.

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