Field notes on winning federal work.

The federal contractor requirements, in order: SAM.gov registration, UEI and CAGE code, NAICS codes, reps and certs, and the basics that make you credible.

USASpending.gov and SAM.gov are the free official records of awarded federal contracts. Here is how to search them and turn award data into market research.

SAM.gov is the free official database for federal contract opportunities. Here is how to search it, where else to look, and how to tell which ones fit.

Some agencies award SBIR as grants, others as contracts, and it changes the rules. Here is the difference and what SBIR funding really covers.

Grants and contracts are scored differently and expect different things. Here is how the evaluation, deliverables, and relationship differ.

SBIR and STTR differ on partnering and PI rules. Here is which fits your company, the one real difference, and how Phase I, II, and III work.

Bidding on a federal contract is a sequence, not a leap. Here is the step-by-step path from registration to a submitted proposal, and where firms go wrong.

Teaming widens the work you can pursue, but the wrong partner adds risk. Here is how to find and vet partners on capability, credibility, and commitment.

Win rate is wins divided by pursuits, so the fastest way to raise it is to pursue less and pick better. Here is how to measure it honestly and actually move it.