PrimeRFP SCOUT · Federal Set-Aside Program
Small Business Set-Aside (SB)
Federal contracts reserved for certified small businesses — the broadest set-aside category with strong participation across all agencies.
$29.2B
TTM Obligated
3.7%
% of Federal (TTM)
63,196
Awards ≥$100K
DoD
Top Agency
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What is Small Business Set-Aside?
Federal contracts reserved for certified small businesses — the broadest set-aside category with strong participation across all agencies.
Certification Process
Register with SAM.gov, obtain DUNS number, provide ownership and financial documentation, and the SBA Size Standard verification (varies by NAICS code). Approval typically takes 2-4 weeks.
Business Development Strategy
Small business primes received $179B in FY2025 (28% of eligible contracting) — still well above the 23% statutory goal, but the first year-over-year dollar decline after a decade of growth (from $183B / 28.8% in FY2024). Including subcontracting credits, small-business participation reached about $273B. On-ramps include STARS III, SBA MAS, and agency-specific vehicles.
Top Agencies Buying Small Business Set-Aside
| Rank | Agency | SCOUT TTM |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Department of Defense | $15B |
| #2 | Department of Health and Human Services | $3.4B |
| #3 | Department of Homeland Security | $2.1B |
| #4 | Department of Agriculture | $1.4B |
Designated SBA set-aside obligations · Aug 2025 – Aug 2026
Market Opportunity
Current designated market (SCOUT TTM)
$29.2B
3.7% of federal TTM · 63,196 awards ≥$100K
Momentum inside the window
CY2025 $13.6B → CY2026 (partial) $15.7B
Calendar buckets from the same TTM extract — not full fiscal years
Official annual picture (SBA)
$179B · ~6% CAGR ↓
FY2025 Procurement Scorecard
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get certified as a small business?
Register with SAM.gov, obtain a DUNS number, and apply for SBA small business certification. Size standards vary by NAICS code (typically $5.5M–$38.5M in revenue). Approval takes 2-4 weeks. Once certified, you're eligible for all small business set-aside contracts.
How much federal contracting is reserved for small businesses?
In FY2025, the federal government awarded about $179 billion in prime contracts to small businesses — 28% of eligible contracting, above the 23% statutory goal but down from the FY2024 high of $183B (28.8%). With subcontracting credits included, small-business participation was about $273B. Source: SBA FY2025 Procurement Scorecard (released June 2026).
What vehicles should I pursue for small business work?
STARS III (GSA, IT services), SBA MAS Schedule, agency-specific vehicles (e.g., VA T4NG2), and direct small business set-aside RFPs are primary on-ramps. PrimeRFP SCOUT tracks all open small business opportunities government-wide.
SCOUT figures mark designated SBA set-aside obligations from USASpending (≥ $100,000 · obligations_only) for Aug 2025 – Aug 2026. Share of federal uses the same TTM denominator ($787B). Distinct from the SBA scorecard annual context above.
SCOUT Signal
August 2026
One VA health contract was 35% of civilian federal obligations in July.
Meanwhile VA's service-disabled veteran-owned contract actions fell 41.8%. The same agency, the same month, the large-vendor lane expanding while the small-business lane contracted. Figures are civilian-agency obligations through 2026-07-31; DoD FPDS for this window is labeled incomplete.
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