How To Pick A Government Contracting Niche
Oct 04, 2024Just getting into government contracting? Here’s a simple roadmap to help you navigate.
First, don’t worry about building a website or setting up your business right away. Instead, check if the government buys what you sell. Head to USAspending.gov—a free tool where you can look up what the government is purchasing. You can search by keywords or better yet, use the NAICS (North American Industry Classification) code, which categorizes government spending. This will help you figure out if there’s a market for your product or service.
If the government buys what you sell, focus on how much they spend on small businesses in your field. The government is required to allocate a certain percentage of contracts to small businesses, so it’s worth researching how your type of business fits into that.
If you don't have a business yet, consider taking a step back. Government contracting is a long game, often taking 6–18 months to close deals. It’s tough without an established business, but if you're still interested, consider learning the contracting process—there are plenty of opportunities in consulting, proposal writing, or helping other businesses get certified.
If you're ready to move forward, the next step is registering your business on SAM.gov, where the government lists all contract opportunities.
To find your niche, you can dive deeper into subcategories in your field, like tax preparation or bookkeeping under accounting services. Analyze the spending and competition within each niche to see where there’s opportunity.
In short:
- Step 1: Use USAspending.gov to check if the government buys what you sell.
- Step 2: Research the small business spend in your industry.
- Step 3: Consider learning the government contracting process if you’re new, or register your business if you’re ready to jump in.
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