{"id":2468,"date":"2023-09-06T17:25:14","date_gmt":"2023-09-07T00:25:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/contractorslicensingschools.com\/blog\/?p=2468"},"modified":"2023-09-18T18:30:07","modified_gmt":"2023-09-19T01:30:07","slug":"how-to-work-on-government-contracting-projects-a-deep-dive-on-the-government-contractor-license","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/contractorslicensingschools.com\/blog\/how-to-work-on-government-contracting-projects-a-deep-dive-on-the-government-contractor-license\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Work On Government Contracting Projects: A Deep Dive On The Government Contractor License"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>If you\u2019re a contractor, you might often find yourself asking: \u201cHow do I get my hands on one of those lucrative, long-term, often-over-budget government contracts?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

You may see contracts for bridges or tunnels or a number of other federal or local public works projects out there on jobs boards or you may hear about them through your local trade union. But how exactly do you get these jobs? And what kind of work do you need to do to even get your foot in the door?<\/span><\/p>\n

In this article, we\u2019ll cover everything you need to know about locking down those lucrative government contracts \u2013 so you can start bringing in those dollary-doos from Uncle Sam!<\/span><\/p>\n

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The End-All, Be-All: The Government Contractor License<\/span><\/h2>\n

To begin, you first have to establish yourself as a verified contractor who can take on jobs for the federal, state or local government by obtaining a <\/span>government contractor license<\/b>. Just like the CSLB, this is a process that requires verification and certification by a regulatory body.<\/span><\/p>\n

The way to do that is through the <\/span>United States Small Business Association<\/span><\/a> (SBA) \u2013 this is the federal organization responsible for providing resources and regulation for small businesses across the nation \u2013 including <\/span>issuing federal government licenses.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

If you want to work on government contracts, you\u2019ll need a federal government license, just like you\u2019d need a CSLB contractor\u2019s license to do any construction work over $500 in California.<\/span><\/p>\n

Keep the SBA\u2019s website in your back pocket. As you continue down the path of getting your government license as a contractor, you\u2019ll be constantly in contact with the SBA, and constantly visiting their website over and over again as you jump through the endless hoops of paperwork and bureaucracy.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Steps To Getting Your Government Contractor License<\/span><\/h2>\n

To be completely honest, the process of obtaining a government contractor license is long and arduous. This is the tradeoff of working with the government \u2013 everything takes much longer and requires a lot more work than it should.<\/span><\/p>\n

Step 1: Establish Your Business<\/span><\/h3>\n

The first step on this journey is to establish your business legally. In most cases, you\u2019ve already gotten this taken care of \u2013 these are all the basic elements of forming your business in the state of California.<\/span><\/p>\n

This involves several sub-steps, including registering your business with the appropriate state agency (in this case, <\/span>the California Secretary of State<\/span><\/a> and the <\/span>CSLB<\/span><\/a>), <\/span>obtaining an Employer Identification Number (EIN)<\/span><\/a> from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and <\/span>setting up a DUNS number<\/span><\/a> through Dun & Bradstreet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As we\u2019ve said, most of these are basic steps of owning a business, and in many cases, you will already have done these.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Step 2: NAICS and PSC Codes<\/span><\/h3>\n

Once your business is legally established, the next step is to identify your <\/span>North American Industry Classification System<\/span><\/a> (NAICS) codes and <\/span>Product Service Codes<\/span><\/a> (PSC).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

These codes are part of a database that the government uses to categorize the types of products or services that businesses offer. In our case, we\u2019ll be submitting construction-related services, including sourcing, engineering, and general contracting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Step 3: Register Your Company With SAM<\/span><\/h3>\n

You\u2019ve done it \u2013 you\u2019re now ready to start winning some business! With your NAICS and PSC codes in hand, you’re ready to register your business with the <\/span>System for Award Management<\/span><\/a> (SAM).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

SAM is the sole system where companies can bid for contracts \u2013 and the sole way that the government awards contracts. Once you\u2019re in the system, you\u2019ll be able to start bidding on and winning contracts with the government.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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OPTIONAL STEP: Get Certified\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

While not strictly necessary, obtaining certain certifications can significantly increase your chances of winning government contracts, especially in the realm of construction.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re a minority-owned business or a woman-owned business, for example, you can get certified as a <\/span>disadvantaged business<\/span><\/a>, which means you\u2019ll have a better chance of winning contracts over more established competitors!<\/span><\/p>\n

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Step 4: Start Winning Government Contracts!<\/span><\/h3>\n

With your business established, your codes identified, your SAM registration complete, and your certifications (if any) in hand, you’re finally ready to start searching for contract opportunities.<\/span><\/p>\n

The king of all websites when it comes to finding and bidding on government contracts is, as you probably guessed, the SAM website. Visit <\/span>sam.gov\/search<\/span><\/a> to find federal contracts that fit your area of expertise \u2013 then start bidding on them!<\/span><\/p>\n

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Why Bother With A Government Contractor License?<\/span><\/h2>\n

There are so many incredible benefits of being a contractor who has worked and continues to work on, government jobs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are just a few benefits of working on government contracts as a construction contractor:<\/span><\/p>\n