Government Contracting How-To Guides & Step-by-Step Playbooks (2026) | Intandem

Step-by-step how-to guides for small business government contractors: how to start bidding, SAM.gov & CAGE codes, SBA set-asides, teaming, RFP qualification, and proposal writing.

Government Contracting How-To Guides & Step-by-Step Playbooks

Tactical, FAR-cited playbooks showing small businesses how to register on SAM.gov, select NAICS codes, qualify RFPs, team with verified SBA partners, price wrap rates, and win federal & state contracts.

How to Start Bidding on Government Contracts: Complete 2026 Small Business Guide (FAR Parts 4, 13, 15 & 19 · 12 min read) — Step-by-step guide on how to start bidding on federal, state, and local government contracts: SAM.gov registration, NAICS codes, SBA set-asides, and winning your first RFP.
How Hard Is It to Win a Government Contract as a Small Business? (Real Win Rates & Timelines) (Win-Rate Benchmarks & Capture Data · 10 min read) — Honest breakdown of how hard it is to win a government contract: real small business win rates (8% cold vs 38% qualified), time to first award, and how to beat incumbents.
How to Register on SAM.gov & Get Your UEI and CAGE Code for Free (Step-by-Step) (FAR Subpart 4.11 & 4.18 · 11 min read) — Complete walkthrough to register on SAM.gov for free, pass entity validation on the first try, get your 12-character UEI and 5-digit CAGE code, and avoid $600 registration scams.
How to Choose the Right NAICS Codes & SBA Size Standards for Government Contracting (FAR 19.102 & 13 CFR Part 121 · 10 min read) — Learn how to select primary and secondary 6-digit NAICS codes for SAM.gov, calculate SBA small business size standards, and avoid missing misclassified RFPs.
How to Team with Other Government Contractors: Subcontracting, CTAs & Joint Ventures (FAR Subpart 9.6 & 13 CFR 125.6 / 125.8 · 13 min read) — Complete guide to government contractor teaming: Prime/Subcontractor agreements (FAR 9.6), 13 CFR 125.6 50% subcontracting limits, Joint Ventures, and finding SBA partners.
How to Find State, Local & Municipal (SLED) Government Contracts Without Checking 50 Portals (50-State & 3,000+ Municipal SLED Portals · 11 min read) — Learn how to find and win state, county, municipal, and school district (SLED) government contracts across 50 state portals and 3,000+ local bidding platforms.
How to Read & Qualify a Government RFP in 10 Minutes (The Go / No-Go Framework) (FAR 15.204 Uniform Contract Format · 11 min read) — Learn how to read a 100-page government RFP in 10 minutes using the Uniform Contract Format (Sections A–M), spot wired incumbent bids, and run a Go / No-Go scorecard.
How to Write a Government Contracting Capability Statement That Wins Meetings (OSDBU & Prime Capture Standard · 9 min read) — Step-by-step guide to creating a 1-page government contracting Capability Statement: the 5 mandatory sections, CAGE/UEI header rules, and tailoring for Primes and OSDBUs.
How to Write a Winning Government Contract Proposal (Shredding Section L & M) (FAR Subpart 15.3 & Shipley Color Reviews · 14 min read) — Step-by-step guide to writing a winning government RFP proposal: shredding Section L and M into a compliance matrix, outlining technical volumes, and running Red Team reviews.
How to Price a Government Contract: FFP vs. T&M, Wrap Rates & Labor Categories (FAR Part 15.4 & Part 16 Contract Types · 13 min read) — Learn how to price a government contract proposal profitably and competitively: calculating your Fringe, Overhead, and G&A wrap rate, pricing FFP vs. T&M CLINs, and SCA wages.
How to Respond to a Sources Sought Notice or RFI to Trigger the Rule of Two (FAR Part 10 & FAR 19.502-2 Rule of Two · 10 min read) — Learn how to write a high-impact Sources Sought or RFI response under FAR Part 10 & 19.502-2 to get federal contracts set aside for your small business category.
How Long Does It Take to Get SBA Certified (8(a), SDVOSB, WOSB, HUBZone) — And Which One First? (FAR Part 19 & MySBA Certifications · 12 min read) — Compare 2026 SBA certification processing timelines, net worth caps, and sole-source thresholds for 8(a), VetCert SDVOSB/VOSB, WOSB/EDWOSB, and HUBZone—plus what to bid while waiting.

Search Open Solicitations | AI Teaming Matchmaking | AI Proposal Writing | NAICS Directory | SBA Set-Asides