Too many small businesses breathe a sigh of relief once they’ve registered in SAM.gov. But while registration is necessary, it's also where the real work begins. Without further action, your profile sits idle — and so does your pipeline.
Simply registering doesn't tell agencies what problems you solve, where you belong in the acquisition landscape, or why you matter to their mission.
Adding every NAICS code you can think of doesn’t make you more versatile — it makes you look unfocused. Contracting officers want vendors who clearly align with specific requirements. If your codes are scattered or irrelevant, your chances of matching to real opportunities shrink.
Your DSBS profile is one of the first places agency buyers and small business specialists go to vet a vendor — often before an RFP is ever posted. A blank or generic profile tells them you’re not serious. You need keywords, performance history, and capability language that speaks to their mission.
You wouldn’t walk into a job interview without a resume. Yet many businesses show up to capability briefings without a polished, tailored capabilities statement. It’s not a brochure — it’s your proof of fit, performance, and problem-solving focus.
Being a veteran-, minority-, or woman-owned business is an asset — but only if your profile, certifications, and messaging make that clear. Set-asides don’t help if they’re hidden in the fine print.
SAM.gov is a posting board. If you’re waiting for a perfect-fit RFP to drop, you’re already behind. Readiness means shaping opportunities before they go live — through market research, early engagement, and positioning briefings.
Avoiding these five mistakes can mean the difference between sitting in SAM limbo or getting on the radar of buyers who need your solution.
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