How to find set-aside contracts on SAM.gov

SAM.gov is the official place where federal agencies generally post contract opportunities expected to exceed $25,000. It is free to search, it covers every civilian and defense agency, and it is where almost every set-aside you will ever bid on first appears. It is also a large, busy system, and new users often give up after a few searches that return thousands of irrelevant results. This guide shows how to narrow SAM.gov down to the set-asides that fit your business, how to tell which notices deserve your attention, and how to keep up without searching from scratch every day.

Step 1: Open Contract Opportunities

Go to SAM.gov Contract Opportunities. You do not need an account to search or read notices. You do need a free SAM.gov account, which signs you in through Login.gov, to save searches, follow notices and receive email notifications. And to actually be awarded a contract as a prime, your business must also complete free entity registration, which is a separate step described on Register your entity on SAM.gov. Under FAR Subpart 4.11, offerors generally must be registered when they submit an offer, so if you have not started, read our SAM.gov registration walkthrough and begin now; it can take ten business days or more to become active.

Make sure the search is set to show active notices. By default, SAM.gov hides notices that have passed their inactive date, which is what you want when looking for work you can still bid on. Searching inactive notices is useful later, for research.

Step 2: Filter by set-aside

In the filters panel, open the set-aside filter and choose the programs you qualify for. Almost every small business should include Total Small Business Set-Aside and Partial Small Business Set-Aside, since those require only that you are small for the notice's NAICS code. Add 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, EDWOSB or SDVOSB only if your business holds that SBA certification, because those set-asides are closed to everyone else. If you are unsure which programs you might qualify for, our comparison of HUBZone, WOSB, SDVOSB and 8(a) set-asides explains the eligibility rules for each.

It is tempting to skip this filter and search everything, but the set-aside field is the fastest way to remove notices you cannot win. A small firm reading through full and open competitions against national contractors is usually spending time in the wrong place.

Step 3: Narrow by NAICS and place of performance

Next, add your NAICS codes. These are the industry codes you listed in your SAM.gov registration, and on a set-aside the code assigned to the notice decides which SBA size standard applies. Check each code against the SBA size standards so you know you are small for it. You can also filter by product service code (PSC), a separate classification of what the government is buying, which helps when agencies classify similar work under different NAICS codes.

Then filter by place of performance. For services and construction, the location drives your staffing and travel costs, and nearby work is usually the realistic place to start. A hypothetical example shows the effect: a small HVAC contractor in Georgia who filters to total small business set-asides, the relevant construction and repair NAICS codes, and Georgia plus neighboring states will see a short, manageable list instead of a nationwide one. SetAside Signal's industry pages and state pages show the same slices of current set-asides, pre-filtered and updated every morning.

Step 4: Check the notice type

Every notice has a contract opportunity type, and it tells you what kind of response the agency wants. Sources sought notices and requests for information are market research. Presolicitation notices announce that a solicitation is coming. Solicitations and combined synopsis/solicitations are requests for offers. Award notices report who won. Special notices cover everything else, from industry days to policy updates.

Do not ignore sources sought notices. Under FAR 19.502-2, a contracting officer sets work aside for small businesses when there is a reasonable expectation of offers from at least two responsible small businesses at fair market prices, and market research responses are a primary way they form that expectation. A short, specific capability statement answering the agency's questions can help convince it to set the work aside, and it puts your firm on the contracting office's radar before the solicitation is written.

Award notices are worth reading too. They show which firms win the kind of work you want, from which offices, and sometimes at what value, which helps you price future bids and identify possible teaming partners.

Step 5: Read the whole notice

When a notice looks promising, open it and read every field: the response date and its time zone, the set-aside, the NAICS code, the place of performance, the description and the contact information. Then download all of the attachments, including amendments, which often change dates, quantities or answer bidder questions. Our article on reading a SAM.gov notice line by line explains what each field means and what to look for.

Look in the solicitation for the limitation on subcontracting clause, FAR 52.219-14. On a set-aside services contract, you generally may not pay more than 50% of the amount paid by the government to subcontractors that are not similarly situated, with different limits for supplies and construction. If your plan depends on heavy subcontracting, this clause may rule the bid out.

Questions go only to the contracting officer or contract specialist named in the notice, in writing, by any question deadline stated. Answers are frequently shared with every bidder in an amendment, so phrase questions clearly and reference the section you are asking about.

Step 6: Save the search and set up alerts

Once a search returns the right kind of notices, signed-in users can save it and choose to receive email notifications when new matching notices appear. You can also follow individual notices so you are told about amendments. Review your saved searches every few months; as your business grows or earns certifications, the filters should change with it.

If you would rather not manage alerts yourself, SetAside Signal does this work daily. Each morning we pull every new set-aside from SAM.gov's public data, group it by set-aside type, state and industry, and publish it on our set-aside pages. The same list goes out in our free daily email digest, so the morning's new opportunities arrive in one place. We are an independent publication, so always confirm the details on SAM.gov before you bid.

Common mistakes to avoid

Three mistakes come up again and again. The first is selecting set-aside programs you are not certified for, which wastes time on notices you cannot win. The second is ignoring the NAICS size standard and bidding on work in a code where your firm is not small. The third is missing amendments or misreading the deadline's time zone, both of which can make an otherwise strong offer ineligible.

If you get stuck, free help is close by. APEX Accelerators offer no-cost counseling on SAM.gov searching, registration and bid preparation, and you can find your SBA district office for additional support.

Frequently asked questions

Is searching SAM.gov free?

Yes. Searching Contract Opportunities and registering your entity on SAM.gov are free. Be wary of third parties charging to register you.

How do I see only set-aside contracts on SAM.gov?

In Contract Opportunities, open the Set Aside filter and select the set-aside types you qualify for, such as Total Small Business, 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB or SDVOSB.

What is a sources sought notice?

Market research the agency does before deciding how to buy. Responding shows small-business capability and can lead the agency to set the work aside.

SetAside Signal is an independent publication, not a government agency, and this isn't legal advice. Rules change, so confirm details at sba.gov, sam.gov and acquisition.gov. Reviewed Oct 19, 2026.