Department of Defense Contracts
The Department of Defense is the largest buyer in the federal government, awarding over $400 billion in contracts annually. DoD contracts span virtually every industry — from weapons systems and cybersecurity to facilities maintenance, IT services, medical supplies, and professional consulting. For small businesses that meet the requirements, defense contracting represents one of the most substantial and consistent revenue opportunities available.
Use the free tool below to see open SAM.gov bids that match your business and presolicitations you can prepare for now. Then open a prepared dossier preview to see the match analysis, award history, pricing context, and AI-assisted next steps you can use when you find your own opportunities.
Free SAM.gov match preview · no account needed
See open bids and opportunities to prepare for
Enter your NAICS codes, service states, and set-asides to see how many SAM.gov bids are open now—and how many presolicitations or sources-sought notices could give you a head start. Your count is free. Create an account and choose a paid plan to search for your business and investigate full results.
Your SAM.gov count is only the starting point.
GovSentry's full Search also checks relevant state and local procurement portals using your business description and service areas. Those harder-to-find opportunities are additional to this SAM.gov-only preview.
Choose an industry suggestion or enter an exact six-digit NAICS code and select Add code.
Find your NAICS codesPro tip: include nearby states if you can travel. If you work remotely or ship nationwide, choose nationwide to widen the search.
This free first look counts SAM.gov notices. A paid search lets you investigate relevant notices and also checks state and local portals.
Prepared dossier preview
See the report exactly where customers use it
Explore a prepared GovSentry report preview. Where we have a historical notice or award, it is labeled as closed; otherwise the example is explicitly illustrative. The award comparisons, fit estimates, and AI guidance show the workflow—not verified facts about the same contract. Run Search for your company to apply these tools to current matches.
One example, not a contract-size ceiling
Your matched results can include simplified purchases and smaller service jobs, low-million-dollar contracts like this example, and larger prime or teaming opportunities. The mix depends on your NAICS codes, capabilities, certifications, and service area.
Be among the first to know when a matching opportunity arrives
GovSentry watches SAM.gov and harder-to-find state, local, and other public sources, then sends alerts matched to your company’s NAICS codes, capabilities, certifications, and service area.
GovSentryOpportunity Overview
Design and Build Covered Parking Structure for Fighter Aircraft
An illustrative construction dossier showing how a completed report organizes notice details, profile fit, award comparisons, and next steps. These example figures are not a verified current opportunity.
Target & Match Score92%
Eligibility Assessment
Eligible with verification items
Profile data indicates a fit; confirm all official solicitation requirements before pursuing.
NAICS alignment
NAICS 236220 appears in the prepared construction-company profile.
Small-business competition
This sample illustrates how a set-aside would be checked against a company profile.
SAM.gov registration
Verify the company UEI and registration renewal date before bidding.
Market Context
89
Records analyzed
$1.85M
Average award
$764K
Median award
Strong
Illustrative fit signal — not a win probability
Competition signal
Recent Department of Defense construction awards under $10M show a broad small-project market with meaningful small-business participation.
| Comparable market | Winner signal | Award value |
|---|---|---|
| Same NAICS and agency family | Example comparable awardee | $2.03M illustrative award |
| Historical award set | Multiple public winners | $764K median |
Related Award Context
Example comparable awardee
$2.03M illustrative award
A related awardee is market context, not proof that it held the exact requirement. A live dossier should link the award record and distinguish a confirmed prior contractor from a broader comparable.
Pricing Intelligence
$21.7K–$9.77M
Comparable range
$1.85M
Average
$764K
Median
The awarded value was $2.03M. Use that amount and the comparable-award distribution as context, then price the active solicitation from its actual drawings, labor, material, bonding, and schedule requirements.
Related Opportunities
Executive Summary
Recommendation: Pursue when scope and bonding fit. The prepared profile has strong NAICS, small-business, and geographic alignment. A contract near $2M is substantial but within reach for many established specialty and general contractors.
Market Context
⚠️ NAICS-Based Data Limitation: Market data includes all contracts under this NAICS code, which can range from $10K local projects to $1B+ specialized systems. Past award sizes and winners may not reflect this specific opportunity's scope. Always review the solicitation details to assess fit.
89 comparable awards were analyzed. The average award was $1.85M and the median was $764K. Recent Department of Defense construction awards under $10M show a broad small-project market with meaningful small-business participation..
Similar Contract Winners
These are comparable awards selected by available NAICS, agency, or location fields. The search can broaden to NAICS-only results, and cached awards can be older than two years. They are not confirmed predecessors for this solicitation.
⚠️ Note: Awards shown may be for vastly different scopes/sizes under the same NAICS category. A $500M system and a $50K service contract can share the same NAICS code.
Related award context: Example comparable awardee — $2.03M illustrative award. A related awardee is market context, not proof that it held the exact requirement. A live dossier should link the award record and distinguish a confirmed prior contractor from a broader comparable.
Positioning Strategy
Lead with comparable design-build work, airfield or secured-facility experience, local subcontractor coverage, safety performance, and a schedule that minimizes disruption to flight operations.
Pricing Guidance
Comparable range: $21.7K–$9.77M. The awarded value was $2.03M. Use that amount and the comparable-award distribution as context, then price the active solicitation from its actual drawings, labor, material, bonding, and schedule requirements. Firm-fixed-price design-build construction; validate scope before using historical awards as a bid target.
Recommended Next Steps
Verify SAM.gov registration and the prepared profile
Review drawings, bonding, and site-access requirements
Research the awardee and comparable winners
Build a labor, material, and contingency model
Track related recompetes and new construction notices
📋 Important Disclaimers
- • Market data is indicative, not definitive
- • Always review the actual solicitation documents for requirements and scope
- • GovSentry scores and AI judgments are screening aids, not calibrated win probabilities
- • Follow linked source records for factual claims; some estimates have no direct source link
- • Past performance data may include contracts of different sizes under the same NAICS code
- • GovSentry provides intelligence to inform your decision—final pursuit decisions require your expertise
Prepared by GovSentry AI; review the underlying notice before acting.
Put this intelligence to work for your company
Set your NAICS codes, certifications, and service area. Find matching SAM.gov and beyond-SAM opportunities, explore their dossiers, save the ones worth pursuing, and get alerts when new matches arrive.
Find my matches and get startedRun it for your company
Get every active opportunity that matches your business
Use all the NAICS codes in your company profile to uncover matching SAM.gov and beyond-SAM opportunities. Get complete dossier reports, eligibility checks, incumbent and pricing intelligence, AI-assisted next steps, and alerts when new matches arrive.
Prepared for dod using an illustrative example.
Open the full dossier at normal sizeKey DoD Sub-Agencies
U.S. Army
Largest service branch by procurement volume. Contracts range from logistics and construction to advanced technology.
U.S. Navy / Marines
Shipbuilding, weapons systems, IT, and professional services. Includes Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) and NAVAIR.
U.S. Air Force
Aerospace, space systems, cyber operations, and base support services.
Defense Logistics Agency (DLA)
The supply chain manager for the DoD. Procures food, fuel, medical supplies, and construction materials.
DISA
Defense Information Systems Agency. Focuses on IT infrastructure, cloud, and communications.
Missile Defense Agency (MDA)
Develops and fields missile defense systems. Contracts heavily in R&D and systems engineering.
Requirements Unique to DoD
Defense contracts come with compliance requirements that go beyond standard federal procurement rules. The Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) adds DoD-specific clauses to every contract, covering everything from cybersecurity to cost accounting.
The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is increasingly required for contractors that handle Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). CMMC Level 2 aligns with NIST SP 800-171 and requires a third-party assessment. Many small businesses start with Level 1 (basic cyber hygiene) and work toward Level 2 over time.
Some contracts require facility or personnel security clearances, which can take 6 to 18 months to obtain. If your work involves defense articles or technical data, you may also need to comply with International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), which restrict how information is shared and stored.
Common Contract Types
DoD uses several contract vehicles depending on the procurement. Firm-fixed-price (FFP) contracts are common for well-defined requirements — you agree on a price upfront and deliver. Cost-plus contracts reimburse allowable costs plus a fee, and are typical for R&D work where scope is uncertain. Indefinite Delivery / Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts establish a framework for ordering over multiple years, with task orders issued as needs arise. Government-Wide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs) like SEWP and Alliant provide pre-competed vehicles for IT purchases.
Small Business Programs
DoD has its own Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP) and is required to meet small business contracting goals — typically 23% or more of contract dollars. The DoD Mentor-Protege program pairs small businesses with large prime contractors for technical assistance, financial support, and subcontracting experience. SubNet, the DoD's subcontracting network, connects small businesses with prime contractors seeking partners on large contracts.
Finding DoD Opportunities
DoD opportunities are posted on SAM.gov, the DLA Internet Bid Board System (DIBBS), and individual service branch procurement portals. The volume is enormous — thousands of new solicitations appear every week — and relevant opportunities are easily buried.
GovSentry searches SAM.gov, DLA, and other defense procurement sources automatically. Opportunities are scored against your NAICS codes and capabilities, and you receive alerts when high-relevance DoD contracts appear — along with AI-generated analysis of related awards, pricing context, and opportunity fit factors.
Get ahead on defense contracts.
GovSentry monitors DoD procurement sources and delivers matched opportunities with AI-powered bid intelligence.