How to find government contracts

Three layers — start with the page that matches the question

Capture read

Keyword-only SAM.gov search is the default and it misses notice types and incumbents. Start with the open-notice count, add Sources Sought if you want to shape requirements, then open the expiring slice that matches your agency or NAICS. Forecasts are optional and only when the feed named a program.

• Award history →
• SLED (state & local) →

Related

Frequently asked questions

How do I find government contracts?

Start with currently posted federal notices (15,962 in PrimeRFP SCOUT’s 90-day snapshot as of August 22, 2026), then check expiring awards for incumbents already on a clock, then agency forecasts for named planning programs. SAM.gov is the posting system; SCOUT is the dated count plus the award and recompete layer.

Is SAM.gov the only place to find federal contracts?

SAM.gov is where federal solicitations are posted. Finding the work also means award history (who won), expiring contracts (who holds it now), and forecasts (what the agency says is coming). Those records are not all on a SAM.gov search results page.

What is the difference between an RFP and a Sources Sought?

An RFP is a formal solicitation. A Sources Sought is market research before the RFP. This snapshot has 1,172 federal RFPs and 159 Sources Sought notices.

How do I find expiring government contracts?

Use the expiring slices: VA plus the top 10 intel-hub NAICS codes by 14-month ≥$10M pipeline dollars (August 22, 2026 pull), or Recompete Radar for the all-agency book. Each row has incumbent, PIID, estimated value, and expiry_date.

Methodology

Open-notice counts: get_opportunity_summary (federal, 90 days, Award notices excluded). Expiring: find_recompete_contracts (14 months, ≥$10M). Forecasts: find_pipeline_forecasts (publishable feeds only). Pulled August 22, 2026.