> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.civiccontracts.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Federal contracts

> Find and research federal prime contract opportunities and awards in Civic AI — SAM.gov solicitations, set-asides, and USAspending competitive intel.

Federal contracting is published on **SAM.gov** (solicitations) and **USAspending.gov** (awards). Civic AI aggregates these sources so you can search them in plain English alongside state and local data.

## Find open federal solicitations

<Steps>
  <Step title="Search in plain English">
    Example queries:

    * "Open GSA IT schedule opportunities for small business"
    * "Defense logistics RFQs due in 30 days"
    * "8(a) set-aside professional services — HHS"
  </Step>

  <Step title="Check set-aside and NAICS">
    Federal opportunities are tagged with socioeconomic categories and classification codes. Civic AI surfaces set-aside status on each result card.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify on SAM.gov">
    Always confirm final requirements, amendments, and submission instructions on the official SAM.gov posting before you bid.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Research federal awards

Use award search to answer:

* Who is the incumbent on a recompete?
* Which vendors win in my NAICS at a given agency?
* What contract vehicles (IDIQ, BPA, GWAC) dominate a market?

See [Contract awards](/find-opportunities/contract-awards) and [Competing bidders](/business-dev/competing-bidders).

## Small business set-asides

The federal government has statutory small-business goals and set-aside programs (8(a), WOSB, SDVOSB, HUBZone, and others). Civic AI tags set-aside status on search results.

<Card title="Small business set-asides in Civic AI" icon="building" href="/find-opportunities/small-business-set-asides">
  How to filter and prioritize set-aside opportunities.
</Card>

## Get buy-ready

Before bidding on federal prime contracts you need an active **SAM.gov** registration and a **UEI**. Civic AI does not replace registration — it helps you find opportunities once you are ready to compete.

<Card title="How to register in SAM.gov" icon="clipboard-check" href="https://www.civiccontracts.com/blog/how-to-register-in-sam-gov">
  Step-by-step registration guide on the blog.
</Card>

## Contract vehicles

Many federal buys flow through vehicles like GSA Schedules, GWACs, IDIQs, and BPAs. Understanding vehicles helps you interpret award data and teaming strategy.

<Card title="Contract vehicles 101" icon="truck" href="https://www.civiccontracts.com/blog/contract-vehicles-101">
  GSA Schedule, GWAC, IDIQ, and BPA explained.
</Card>

## Related pages

* [Search basics](/search-basics)
* [Agency research](/business-dev/agency-research)
* [Federal vs state vs local contracting](https://www.civiccontracts.com/blog/federal-vs-state-vs-local-contracting)