Subcontracting Resources

Posted by Administrator on December 31st, 2007

Breaking in to the government market can be difficult, especially for a smaller company. I’ve written before about partnering and teaming as a strategy for businesses without much government contract experience to expand their contracting resumes. Subcontracting with a prime on a government contract is another way to benefit from another company’s experience while building your own. It’s not always easy to find prime contractors, though, and subcontractors new to the game may have trouble building the contacts they need. I’ve compiled a list of websites that list prime contractor information. Researching these tried-and-tested primes is a jumping-off point for subcontractors to find more contract opportunities.

Resources for Subcontractors

DoD Prime Contractor Directory - A complete list of participants in the DoD Subcontracting Program, listed by state.
DoD Comprehensive Subcontracting Plan Test Program - A program designed to test whether comprehensive subcontracting plans are increasing opportunities for small business. Includes a listing of current participating primes.
Small Business Subcontracting Opportunities from the Department of Treasury - Alphabetical or state-by-state listing of Treasury large business prime contractors.
SUB-Net - The Small Business Administration’s online database for prime contractors to post subcontracting opportunities, which may or may not be reserved for small business.
Government Executive Magazine’s Top 200 Federal Contractors
- Some of the most influential federal contractors out there.

As many of these contractors are highly visible in their spheres, competition for their subcontracting opportunities may be heavy. Extensive research before contacting them may help - try to position your company to subcontract on a project that will utilize your unique value proposition. Another resource for finding government prime contractors is vendor history from a business intelligence company. You can research similar contracts and find out who bid on them, and who won, further building your list of contacts.