Frequently Asked Questions

GovChime is a comprehensive federal contracting intelligence platform that provides real-time access to government contract opportunities, vendor profiles, and market analytics. We help businesses identify opportunities, track competitors, and make data-driven decisions to win more government contracts.

No! Our free tier provides full access to all public federal contract data from SAM.gov and USAspending. Premium tiers offer additional features like advanced analytics, saved searches, alerts, and API access for power users.

Contract data is synchronized with SAM.gov multiple times daily to ensure you have access to the latest opportunities. New contracts typically appear within 2-4 hours of being posted on SAM.gov.

A Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) is a 12-character alphanumeric code that uniquely identifies entities doing business with the federal government. It replaced the DUNS number in 2022 and is required for all SAM.gov registrations and federal contracting.

No, you can browse and search all federal contract opportunities without a SAM.gov registration. However, you must be registered in SAM.gov to submit bids and receive federal contract awards.

A Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code is a 5-character identifier assigned to entities located in the United States and its territories. CAGE codes are used to identify companies in various government systems and are automatically assigned during SAM.gov registration.

Set-aside contracts are federal contracts reserved for specific types of small businesses, including 8(a) businesses, HUBZone companies, Women-Owned Small Businesses (WOSB), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned businesses (SDVOSB), and others. These programs help ensure small businesses get a fair share of federal contracting dollars.

A pre-solicitation is an early notice that an agency plans to issue a solicitation in the future, allowing vendors to prepare. A solicitation is the formal request for proposals (RFP) or quotes (RFQ) with detailed requirements and submission deadlines.

A sole source contract is awarded without competition to a single vendor, typically because they are the only supplier capable of meeting the government's requirements. These are relatively rare and require special justification.

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is a 6-digit number that classifies businesses by industry. You can find relevant NAICS codes by searching our database or using the search tool on the Census Bureau website. Most businesses qualify under multiple NAICS codes.

Yes! While you must designate a primary NAICS code in SAM.gov, you can bid on any contract where you can demonstrate the capability to perform the work. Many successful contractors work across multiple NAICS codes.

Product and Service Codes (PSC) are 4-character codes used to describe products, services, and R&D purchased by the federal government. Unlike NAICS codes which classify your business, PSC codes classify what the government is buying.

Saved searches allow you to store your frequently used search criteria and quickly re-run them. With a premium account, you can also set up email alerts when new contracts matching your saved searches are posted.

Yes! You can favorite agencies and vendors to track their activity. Premium users receive notifications when favorited agencies post new opportunities or when tracked vendors win contracts.

Free users can export individual contract details as PDF. Premium users can bulk export search results to CSV or Excel formats, with options to include historical data and custom fields.

Yes! Our platform shows awarded contracts with vendor information, award amounts, and performance periods. This data helps you understand pricing, identify teaming partners, and analyze competitor strengths.

Look for large prime contractors in your industry using our vendor search. Many prime contractors are required to subcontract a percentage of work to small businesses. You can also filter contracts by dollar value to identify opportunities likely to require subcontractors.

The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) is the principal set of rules governing federal government procurement. Understanding FAR helps you navigate the bidding process, ensure compliance, and avoid costly mistakes. Key areas include procurement methods, contract types, and small business programs.

ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) and EAR (Export Administration Regulations) control the export of sensitive technologies. If you work with defense-related or dual-use technologies, you may need to comply with these regulations and obtain appropriate licenses.

Yes! You can upgrade your plan immediately to access premium features. Downgrades take effect at the end of your current billing period.