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Government contracting guides for contractors
Straight-talking guides that help construction and specialty contractors find, qualify for, and win government work — federal, state, and local. No jargon, no fluff, written for people who bid for a living.
Hit an unfamiliar term? Check the government contracting glossary.
How to Win Government Contracts: A Contractor's Guide
A step-by-step guide for construction and specialty contractors on how to find, qualify for, and win federal, state, and local government contracts — from SAM.gov registration to submitting a winning bid.
10 min read · Updated August 14, 2026Getting startedSAM.gov Registration: A Step-by-Step Guide for Contractors
How to register your business in SAM.gov so you can bid on federal contracts — get your Unique Entity ID (UEI), complete entity registration, and keep it active. It's free, and here's each step.
9 min read · Updated August 14, 2026Procurement basicsIFB vs RFP vs RFQ: What's the Difference?
A plain-English comparison of the three main government solicitation types — Invitation for Bid, Request for Proposal, and Request for Quote — how each one is awarded, and how to respond to win.
8 min read · Updated August 14, 2026Procurement basicsHow to Read an RFP (Without Missing Requirements)
A step-by-step guide to reading a government RFP the way the evaluator will — finding the instructions and evaluation criteria, building a compliance matrix, and catching every requirement before you write a word.
9 min read · Updated August 15, 2026Getting startedNAICS Codes for Contractors: How to Pick Yours
What NAICS codes are, how they control small-business size standards and set-asides, and how to choose the right primary and secondary codes for your construction or specialty business.
7 min read · Updated August 15, 2026BondingBid Bonds Explained
What a bid bond is, why government projects require one, how much it costs, and how contractors get bonded — in plain English, without the surety jargon.
6 min read · Updated August 15, 2026BondingPerformance vs Payment Bonds: What's the Difference?
A plain-English guide to performance bonds and payment bonds on public projects — what each one guarantees, who they protect, when they're required (the Miller Act), and how they work together.
7 min read · Updated August 15, 2026CompliancePrevailing Wage & Davis-Bacon: A Contractor's Guide
What prevailing wage and the Davis-Bacon Act mean for contractors on public works — wage determinations, certified payroll, state 'little Davis-Bacon' laws, and how to price a bid correctly.
8 min read · Updated August 15, 2026Marketing to governmentHow to Write a Capability Statement
What a capability statement is, exactly what to put on it, and how contractors use this one-page document to win the attention of government buyers — with a section-by-section breakdown.
7 min read · Updated August 15, 2026Put these guides to work
GovBid Finder surfaces the federal, state, and local opportunities that match your trade — and only charges 3% when you actually win.