How to Use FedBizOpps

If you would like to be a contractor for the US Government, these instructions should be useful to you. Federal agencies publicize solicitations seeking bids or proposals on the Federal Business Opportunities website. There are thousands and thousands of opportunities on the site but finding the one which is right for you is critical to being able to use the information to your benefit. This page provides tips and information on How to Use FedBizOpps.

For businesses looking to sell or perform services as a US Government Contractor, the Federal Business Opportunities web site is the place to start. The FedBizOpps Website located at FBO.gov is the central location where Government agencies post solicitations looking to purchase commodities, hire a service contractor, or contract for construction work. To get started as a Government contractor it is important to know how to use FedBizOpps.

In order to be awarded a federal contract, businesses must be registered in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR). Before registering in CCR, companies should obtain a DUNS number. A DUNS (Data Universal Number System) number is assigned to each business by Dun and Bradstreet and can be applied for on line through the website at DNB.com. Apply before bids are due as it takes time to process applications and receive the DUNS number. Once the DUNS number is received, CCR registration can begin. CCR registration is done on line via the website at www.bpn.gov/ccr. To register for CCR companies need the DUNS number, a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) and general business information. Numbers are issued 2 to 3 days after applications are processed. While waiting for CCR registration view FedBizOpps info as a guest.

Many companies looking for Federal Contract opportunities know the type work they want to find. If there is a unique word in the types of desired projects, search for it in the keyword block on the FedBizOpps home page. If the keyword is a term with more than one word, put it in quotations to get the best search results. Once results are shown, look for project titles which are of interest to the company.

Another way to search on FedBizOpps is by Agency: On the home page, start to type the Agency name in the block provided. Typing "Corp" in this block you will see the agency names show which contain the word line Corp of Engineers. Choose the Agency the company is searching for bid opportunities from. This search is most useful for companies who desire to support only the local agency in the area.

After finding a FedBizOpps project of interest, click the link to the page to determine the status. The solicitation may be in "sources sought" stage or could have already been awarded. Projects which have recently released solicitation or are looking for sources are the best ones to begin with as starting the proposal late in the process lessens the winning chances. Many sources sought notices will list a date to submit data by but if that date has passed contacting the Contracting Officer may be beneficial. Sources sought notices are often done early enough that latecomers may not be harmed by entering the process at this point.

For projects of interest, once a user ID is established, the company can be added to the interested vendors list to network with other potential bidders. Also, once the user ID is established, register to receive updates on the projects of interest. This triggers email notification when the FedBizOpps project status changes or new information is posted.

The advanced search feature can be used once a user ID has been established. When advanced search is used, the option is given at the end of the search to save and automatically run the search. For keywords which always apply to the business, consider a keyword search which updates via email to inform registered users of new projects. These saved searches can be run at varying time increments allowing for daily, weekly, or other updates.

Once a project of interest is located and is available for bidding, documents should be downloaded from FedBizOpps and the proposal preparation process started. Registering as discussed previously will insure notification of any change to the project being worked.