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How I Find Set-Aside Contracts: A Practical Search Routine for Veteran-Owned and Small Businesses

Writer: Allen Solutions
Allen Solutions
5 days ago
4 min read

Most small businesses I talk to don't struggle with whether set-asides exist. They struggle with finding the right ones before the deadline is too close to do a good bid. I'm a service-disabled veteran and I run Allen Solutions Ltd here in Loveland, so I spend a lot of my week looking for this work for my own company and for the contractors I help. Here's the routine I actually use.

What a Set-Aside Is

A set-aside is a contract the government limits to a certain group of businesses. Some are open to any small business. Others are limited to a specific program, like the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) program, HUBZone, women-owned, or 8(a). According to the SBA, certified SDVOSBs can compete for set-aside and sole-source contracts across the federal government, and certified veteran-owned small businesses (VOSBs) get extra set-aside and sole-source opportunities at the VA through its Vets First program.

Before you search, get the basics in place. The SBA says you need an active SAM.gov registration, the right NAICS codes, and to meet the size standard for each code. If you want SDVOSB or VOSB set-asides, you also need certification through SBA's VetCert program.

Step 1: Set Up Saved Searches on SAM.gov

SAM.gov's Contract Opportunities search is where federal notices are posted. I don't browse it from scratch every day. I set up saved searches and let the notices come to me.

My filters:

  • NAICS codes. Start with the codes in your SAM profile. Search each one, then look at what similar notices use and add any you missed.

  • Set-aside type. Filter for the programs you actually qualify for, plus "Total Small Business."

  • Place of performance. If you can only staff jobs in certain states, filter by state. I focus on Colorado and southern Wyoming.

  • Notice type. Include Sources Sought and Presolicitation notices, not just Solicitations.

Then save each search and turn on email updates so you hear about new notices without logging in.

Step 2: Answer Sources Sought Notices

This is the step most small businesses skip, and I think it's the most important one. A Sources Sought notice is the government asking who is out there and able to do the work. Contracting Officers use these responses in their market research, and that research is part of how they decide whether to set a contract aside for small businesses.

When I respond, I keep it short and specific:

  • My UEI, CAGE code, and socioeconomic status

  • Two or three relevant past jobs, described in plain terms

  • A direct answer to every question in the notice

  • A real contact name, phone number and email

If capable small businesses don't speak up, the agency has less reason to set the work aside.

Step 3: Look Ahead with Forecasts and Award History

The SBA points small businesses to three free tools for market research:

  • Agency procurement forecasts. Most agencies publish what they plan to buy in the coming year.

  • USASpending.gov. You can see what agencies have bought and who they bought it from.

  • FPDS (the Federal Procurement Data System), which the SBA describes as the repository for federal contract data over $25,000.

I use award history to spot contracts that come up on a regular cycle. If an agency bought the same service three years ago on a three-year term, it may be coming back around. That gives you time to build a relationship and be ready.

Step 4: Don't Forget State, Local and Subcontract Work

Federal set-asides are only part of the picture. Cities, counties, school districts and state agencies post their own bids on their own portals, and many use services like BidNet. Each one has its own rules, so read every solicitation for any small business or veteran preference that applies.

Subcontracting is another path. The SBA explains that many large prime contractors on federal contracts above a certain dollar amount must have a small business subcontracting plan with goals that include veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned firms. The SBA's SubNet database lists subcontracting opportunities posted by primes, and primes use SBA's Small Business Search (SBS) to find subs. Keep your SBS profile complete, with your certifications, capabilities narrative, keywords and NAICS codes.

Step 5: Filter Before You Bid

Finding a set-aside doesn't mean you should bid it. Before I spend hours on a bid, I check:

  • Can we meet the limitations on subcontracting? On many set-asides the prime has to do a minimum share of the work itself. The SBA points to 13 CFR 125.6 for the rules.

  • Does the contract include terms that don't fit our business, like liquidated damages or a timeline we can't staff?

  • Is there enough time to get real quotes from suppliers or subs?

Saying no to the wrong bid leaves time for the right one.

Let's Find Your Next Opportunity

If you're a veteran-owned or small business and you want help setting up your searches, answering Sources Sought notices, or sorting good bids from bad ones, I'd be glad to talk. Reach out to Allen Solutions Ltd through our website or call me at 970-703-4793.

Dave Allen Allen Solutions Ltd, SDVOSB, Loveland, CO

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