How to Bid on Government Contracts: Your First Proposal

You have registered on SAM.gov, built your capability statement, and found an opportunity that matches your business. Now comes the part that stops most people: writing and submitting a proposal.

Here is the truth. Your first proposal will not be perfect. That is fine. Government contracting officers expect new contractors to learn on the job. What they don’t accept is late submissions, missing documents, or proposals that ignore the instructions.

This guide is Step 5 of our 5-Step Start Here Path. By the end, you will know how the bidding process works and what it takes to submit a competitive proposal.

Start Small: Simplified Acquisitions vs. Full Proposals

Not all government bids are the same. There are two main categories, and they require very different levels of effort:

Our advice: Start with micro-purchases or simplified acquisitions. These are designed to be faster and simpler. Most simplified acquisitions under the $350,000 threshold are automatically set aside for small businesses, which means you are only competing against other small companies.

Micro-purchases (under $15,000) are the fastest path to your first government revenue. Government purchase card holders can buy from any registered vendor without formal competition. Make sure your SAM.gov profile is complete, your website is professional, and you accept credit card payments.

How a Government Proposal Works

When you find a solicitation you want to bid on, here is the process from start to finish:

1. Read the Entire Solicitation

Start with Section M (Evaluation Criteria), then Section L (Proposal Instructions), then Section C (Statement of Work). These three sections tell you what the government needs, how they will score your proposal, and what format to submit it in.

If you have completed Step 4: Find Opportunities, you already know how solicitation sections work.

2. Decide If You Should Bid

Not every opportunity is worth pursuing. Ask yourself:

• Can we actually do this work?
• Do we meet the minimum requirements (certifications, clearances, experience)?
• Can we be competitive on price?
• Can we meet the deadline for submission?
• Does the evaluation criteria favor our strengths?

A focused bid on the right opportunity beats five rushed bids on marginal ones. Your time is limited. Spend it where you can win.

3. Write Your Proposal

Most government proposals have three main parts:

Technical Approach: Describe how you will do the work. Be specific. Don’t write about your company’s philosophy. Write about the steps you will take to deliver what the government needs. Use the language from the solicitation. If the Statement of Work says “provide weekly status reports,” your proposal should describe exactly how you will provide weekly status reports.

Past Performance: List 2 to 4 contracts or projects similar to this one. Include the client name, contract value, period of performance, and a brief description of the work and outcomes. If you don’t have government past performance, use commercial experience. If you have no past performance at all, focus on your team’s qualifications and experience from previous employers.

Price/Cost: Provide your pricing in the exact format the solicitation requests. For firm fixed-price contracts, give a total price. For time-and-materials contracts, provide hourly rates and estimated hours. Don’t underbid just to win. Price your work so you can actually deliver it and make a reasonable profit.

4. Follow the Instructions Exactly

This cannot be overstated. Section L tells you:

• Page limits (if your proposal exceeds the limit, extra pages may be thrown out)
• Font size and margins
• Required sections and their order
• How to submit (email, online portal, or mail)
• The exact deadline (to the minute)

Government evaluators can and do disqualify proposals for missing the deadline, exceeding page limits, or omitting required documents. Follow every instruction.

5. Submit Before the Deadline

Submit at least 24 hours early. Technical problems happen. Servers crash. Email attachments fail. If you submit at the last minute and something goes wrong, your proposal is late and it will not be evaluated.

What Evaluators Actually Score

Government source selection works under two main methods:

Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA)

The government sets minimum technical requirements. Every proposal that meets those requirements is “technically acceptable.” The contract goes to the lowest-priced acceptable proposal. Period.

With LPTA, don’t over-invest in a fancy technical proposal. Meet every requirement, prove you can do the work, and compete on price.

Best Value Tradeoff

The government weighs technical quality, past performance, and price together. A higher-priced proposal can win if it offers significantly better technical quality or past performance. This is where your experience, team qualifications, and approach matter most.

Section M of the solicitation will tell you which method the government is using. Read it before you start writing.

The Debrief: Learning from Every Bid

If you don’t win, you are entitled to a debrief. A debrief is a meeting or written summary where the contracting officer tells you why your proposal was not selected.

Debriefs are one of the most valuable tools in government contracting. They tell you:

• How your proposal scored against the evaluation criteria
• What weaknesses the evaluators found
• What the winning proposal did better
• Specific areas where you can improve

To get a debrief, you must request one in writing within 3 calendar days of being notified that you were not selected. Do this every time. The feedback is free, specific, and directly actionable.

The average win rate for experienced government contractors is 25% to 40%. For first-time bidders, it is lower. That means even experienced firms lose more often than they win. What separates successful contractors from the rest is that they learn from every loss and improve their next proposal.

Your First Bid: A Practical Action Plan

1. Start with a micro-purchase or simplified acquisition. Don’t chase a $5 million contract as your first bid. Find something under $350,000 that matches your core capabilities.
2. Read the entire solicitation before committing. If you can’t do the work, don’t bid. If you can, commit fully.
3. Ask questions. Solicitations include a contracting officer’s contact information. If something is unclear, submit a written question before the questions deadline. Everyone sees the answers, but asking shows you are engaged.
4. Write to the evaluation criteria. Structure your proposal around Section M. If they score past performance at 40%, make your past performance section strong.
5. Submit early. At least 24 hours before the deadline.
6. Request a debrief if you lose. Every loss is a lesson.
7. Get help. Your local APEX Accelerator (formerly Procurement Technical Assistance Centers) offers free proposal review. Call them at aptac-us.org.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to write a government proposal?

For a simplified acquisition, plan 2 to 5 business days. For a full FAR Part 15 proposal, 2 to 4 weeks is typical. The timeline depends on the complexity of the solicitation and how prepared you are. Having your capability statement, past performance references, and pricing templates ready in advance saves time.

Can I bid on contracts in industries outside my NAICS code?

Technically yes, but your North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code determines your small business size standard. If the solicitation uses a NAICS code where you exceed the size standard, you cannot bid as a small business. Stick to your registered NAICS codes, especially when starting out.

What happens if I win?

You receive a contract award notice. The contracting officer will send you the contract documents to sign. You then perform the work according to the terms of the contract and submit invoices for payment. The government pays on Net 30 terms, and the Prompt Payment Act requires interest on late payments.

What if I can’t complete a contract I won?

Talk to the contracting officer immediately. Failing to perform on a government contract can result in a negative past performance rating, termination for default, and potential debarment from future contracts. If you encounter problems, communicate early. Contracting officers prefer to work through issues rather than terminate.

Should I hire a proposal writer?

For your first few bids on simplified acquisitions, you can do it yourself. As you pursue larger, more competitive contracts, professional proposal support (writers, reviewers, graphic designers) can improve your win rate. Many successful contractors start writing their own proposals and invest in professional help as they grow.

Congratulations: You Have Completed the Start Here Path

You now know what government contracting is, how to register, how to build your capability statement, how to find opportunities, and how to submit your first bid. That is the complete foundation.

Government contracting is a long game. Your first contract may take 6 to 12 months. Your first big contract may take 2 to 3 years. But every step you take, every proposal you submit, and every debrief you request moves you closer to building a reliable, recurring revenue stream from the largest buyer in the world.

What to do next:

• Learn about FAR compliance so you are ready to perform on the contracts you win
• Explore small business programs like 8(a), HUBZone, and WOSB for additional set-aside opportunities
• Find subcontracting opportunities to build past performance under an experienced prime contractor

This article is for informational purposes only. It is not legal, financial, or regulatory advice. Consult with qualified professionals for guidance specific to your business.