United States of America Tenders, E Procurement, RFP, EOI, E Tender, RFQ and Online Auctions

United States: A Global Economic Engine Driving Innovation and Growth

The United States has the largest economy with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $30 trillion in 2025. Powered by diverse key sectors like defense, healthcare, energy, transportation, education, and technology, the United States offers a fertile ground for global business participation, as per the 2024 B-Ready report. Moreover, the country is growing with an annual growth rate of 1.8%, supported by stable inflation control, employment growth, and commitment to digital and infrastructure modernization.

The defense sector always remains a cornerstone of national economic strength and is funded with $849.8 billion. The sector has always been given constant attention by the government due to evolving geopolitical demands and technological innovation, currently contributing 2.9% to the country's GDP. The defense industry not only ensures national security but also powers local economies through research hubs, manufacturing units, and federal contracts. Moreover, with increasing budgets, the U.S. government is also expanding its reach in space exploration, unmanned aerial systems, and cyber defense.

Healthcare is another one of the fastest-growing sectors, which is estimated to outpace growth in the overall economy and achieve 19.7% of GDP by 2032. Rising health conditions, an aging population, and post-pandemic reforms have required the U.S. government to significantly increase the investment in biotechnology, digital health solutions, and pharmaceutical innovation.

Infrastructure and Transportation are undergoing a historic modernization, led by initiatives like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that authorizes $1.2 trillion. Roads, bridges, public transit, water systems, and broadband are all being upgraded to meet 21st-century demands. The sector not only substantially contributes to the country's Gross Domestic Product but also drives employment and boosts ancillary industries, including construction, logistics, and green building materials.

At the heart of this vast commercial environment lies a highly structured and transparent public procurement system, designed to meet the complex needs of government operations across the country. The United States public procurement is administered at two main levels: the Federal Government and the State Governments. While federal procurement is governed by uniform policies like the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and centralized platforms such as SAM.gov, state-level procurement operates more independently — each state maintains its own regulatory framework, procurement procedures, and digital platforms.

Understanding the U.S. Federal Government Procurement Process

The United States government procurement process is one of the most structured and transparent public purchasing systems in the world. With billions spent on goods, services, and infrastructure, the federal government acts as a vast marketplace for both domestic and international vendors.

The Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) primarily govern this process by using a uniform rulebook to ensure fairness, efficiency, and accountability across all federal agencies. Furthermore, the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) is specifically responsible for managing oversight and coordination, which sets the direction for procurement policies and practices across government departments.

The procurement process begins when the federal agency identifies a need for goods, services, or works, such as technology, defense equipment, construction services, or consulting. Once the internal planning and market research are completed, the federal procuring agency releases a solicitation notice, which includes Request for Proposal (RFP), Invitation for Bid (IFB), or Request for Quotation (RFQ) on the official government portal for federal contract opportunities - www.sam.gov.

To apply for federal contract opportunities, vendors must be registered on the portal by securing a Unique Entity ID (UEI). After submitting a proposal, authorities evaluate the bids based on several factors like cost, technical competence, past performance, and regulatory compliance.

Federal procurement consistently offers high-value opportunities for global and U.S.-based vendors while ensuring fair competition and a clear path for both large and small businesses to engage. If vendors really want to position themselves in this dynamic and well-regulated market, they need to understand the FAR system and leverage digital platforms.

How to Register on SAM.gov?

Here we’ve mentioned eight simple steps to register on the SAM.gov.

Step 1: Validate Your Entity

Visit www.sam.gov to start your new entity registration. You must primarily validate your business entity through the Entity Validation Service (EVS), which verifies that no entity is registered under your legal business name and physical address. You must provide several details, including legal business name, physical address, and country of incorporation.

Step 2: Obtain a Unique Entity ID (UEI)

Once your business is recorded in the SAM.gov, you get a 12-character alphanumeric identifier, Unique Entity ID. It will work as a core identifier for all your federal procurement processes.

Step 3: Enter Core Data

You need to mandatorily provide certain core data, which are as follows.

Step 4: Provide Assertion

At this stage, SAM.gov evaluates your business capabilities and eligibility by requiring you to submit certain details.

Step 5: Fill in Representations and Certifications

The Reps & Certs are required by federal statutes and regulations in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). Filling this section is mainly important for the vendors who are interested in competing for federal contracts.

Here, you will get a standard questionnaire based on Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR). You will have to provide the following representations and certifications.

Step 6: Assign Point of Contacts (POCs)

Before completing your entity registration, you will be required to provide some mandatory and optional points of contact (POCs), mentioned below.

Step 7: Submit the Registration

Once you're done entering all the information, you need to review and submit it. Your status will change from "Work in Progress" to "Submitted." Although the average overall processing time is around three business days, external reviews may take around ten business days.

Step 8: Processing and Active

You will receive an update via email when all your reviews are completed. The Federal Service Desk can not provide you with any further information about your registration before the 10 business days since you have submitted your registration.

After successful entity registration, your status shows "Active," and it will remain active for 365 days from the date of submission, unless your account has been deactivated by your Entity Administrator.

Top 3 Sectors Offering Tendering Opportunities for U.S. Federal Government

Here we’ve mentioned three major sectors offering tendering opportunities for the U.S. federal government.

1. Defense and Aerospace

The Defense and Aerospace consists of a significant share of U.S. federal government spending, driven mainly by the Department of Defense (DoD). The United States government is responsible for the procurement of advanced weapons systems, military-grade IT infrastructure, surveillance technologies, aircraft, and combat vehicles.

Defense tenders are highly structured and require contractors to meet strict regulatory and security requirements, including ITAR, DFARS, and cybersecurity compliance. Both large primes and subcontractors have to fulfill complex, multi-layered contracts to participate in specialized areas of production and services.

2. Information Technology and Cybersecurity

With the increasing digital modernization push, the U.S. government is persistently expanding its procurement in IT and cybersecurity. IT tenders may include the procurement of cloud computing, software solutions, cybersecurity systems, and digital infrastructure upgrades.

U.S. government departments such as Homeland Security, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Internal Revenue Service regularly issue tenders, while requiring both domestic and global vendors to meet standards like FedRAMP and CMMC. Plus, the procurement guidelines may focus on innovation, data protection, and federal compatibility standards.

3. Construction and Infrastructure

The Federal Government is largely investing in civil and infrastructure projects like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The General Services Administration, Department of Transportation, and Army Corps of Engineers lead most of the construction tender projects for the construction of highways, bridges, government building renovation, and environmental infrastructure.

Bidders are required to comply with building codes, safety standards, minority business participation requirements, and sustainability guidelines. It promotes a transparent and competitive bidding process.

Understanding the U.S. State Government Procurement Process

The U.S. State Government Procurement Process defines how 50 states independently purchase goods, services, and public works projects from private vendors. Unlike the federal government's centralized procurement system, each state has its own procurement laws, budget procedures, and oversight mechanisms. These processes are specifically designed to meet each state's unique operational and policy needs, while giving some preferences to local businesses and sustainability initiatives.

Each state has its own digital procurement portal, such as Cal eProcure, NYS Contract Reporter, and MyFloridaMarketPlace, where all interested vendors must be registered to access contract opportunities. The concerned procuring agencies release tenders on their respective portal with Requests for Proposals (RFPs), Invitations to Bid (ITBs), or Requests for Quotations (RFQs) based upon the nature and value of the contract. Vendors must carefully follow the guidelines while submitting proposals on the site.

The United States has also created NASPO ValuePoint, a platform for cooperative purchasing. This helps the state government with purchasing power for common goods and services. Vendors can use this platform to access multiple states through a single competitive service. However, vendors still need to understand each state's unique legal framework, registration requirements, and evaluation criteria. Moreover, vendors also need to adhere to strategic targeting, compliance, and familiarity with state preferences to win contracts in diverse procurement landscapes.

What Vendors Must Know About the State Government Procurement Process?

Here are some of the things that every vendor must know before participating in the U.SU.SU.S State Government procurement process.

1. Each State has Its Own Rules and Portals

Unlike the federal government's centralized procurement system, the state-level procurement process allows every U.S. state to operate under its own procurement laws, regulations, and digital systems. Therefore, to participate in these procurement processes, vendors must adapt to different documentations, registration processes, and bidding formats based on the targeted state.

2. Registration is Mandatory

To access contract opportunities for U.S. states, vendors must register on the state-specific procurement portal. In fact, many states require vendors to complete certifications and pre-qualification steps before bidding. Ensuring that no steps are missed and avoiding submitting incomplete documentation can disqualify vendors even before the evaluation begins.

3. Understand State Preferences and Compliance Rules

Many states implement "in-state" or "local preference" laws that prioritize vendors based within the state or vendors meeting specific social, environmental, or economic impact criteria, like women-owned or minority-owned. You can refer to the NASPO State Preference Repository - a very useful resource to explore such policies.

4. Timelines and Evaluation Criteria

Vendors must read the bid documents carefully to understand the basis of the contract award decision, which may vary based on the lowest price, best value, or scoring-based evaluation systems. Understanding these criteria can allow for the creation of tailored proposals meeting the state's priorities, including cost-efficiency, technical capability, or past performance.

5. Monitor Opportunities through State and Cooperative Platforms

Besides state-specific portals, vendors can also access contract opportunities through NASPO ValuePoint, which aggregates demand across multiple states for cooperative purchasing contracts. Vendors participating in cooperative contracts not only get access to broader markets but also involve less red tape once the vendor is pre-approved.

Top 3 Sectors Offering Tendering Opportunities for U.S. State Government

Below, we’ve mentioned the top 3 sectors offering tendering opportunities for the U.S. State government.

1. Transportation and Public Works

Transportation is one of the most prominent sectors in the United States, growing due to increased modernization needs and urban population. The state government often issues transportation tenders for road construction, bridge maintenance, traffic management systems, smart mobility tech, and airport improvements.

While applying for these state-level tenders, vendors must be compliant with state-specific construction standards, environmental review processes, and workforce regulations. In addition, prequalification, DBE participation, and safety compliance are common requirements.

2. Education

The education sector is widely growing in the United States to upgrade learning infrastructure and ensure digital access. K-12 and higher education systems are substantially investing in both physical and tech resources. State Departments of Education often release education tenders for the procurement of textbooks, e-learning platforms, classroom furniture, campus construction, IT systems, and teacher training services.

To apply for these tenders, suppliers must adhere to curriculum standards, IT compatibility requirements, and even need to register with regional cooperative purchasing programs. Moreover, suppliers are also required to adhere to student safety and accessibility guidelines.

3. Healthcare and Medical Services

Large-scale healthcare programs are widely growing in every state of the United States, including Medicaid, public hospitals, and community clinics.

The procuring agencies, like State Health Departments and Public Health Authorities, regularly issue tenders for buying medical equipment, vaccines, staffing services, lab supplies, and healthcare technologies.

Vendors who are interested in the procurement of healthcare and the medical sector must adhere to state-level licensing rules and other guidelines specific to pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

From Regulation to Revenue: How TendersOnTime Can Help You Win a U.S. Government Contract?

Listed below are some of the core points defining how TendersOnTime can help you win U.S. government contracts at both the federal and state levels.

1. Access to Daily Tender Alerts from SAM.gov and All State-Level Portals

TendersOnTime encompasses thousands of tendering opportunities daily from SAM.gov, state procurement portals, and cooperative contract networks like NASPO ValuePoint. Vendors subscribing to TendersOnTime receive alerts tailored to the industry, location, and buyer agency. This way, vendors can stay updated on both federal and state-level bids while avoiding the hassle of navigating multiple federal and state pages.

2. Award History and Competitor Intelligence

TendersOnTime has an extensive database of contract awards that enables vendors to analyze past winners, contract values, and procurement patterns. You can understand what agencies are buying, who they are buying from, and how to set competitive bid pricing. It is one of the best features while targeting high-volume buyers at the state DOTs or federal agencies like GSA or DoD.

3. End-to-End Bid Support Services

TendersOnTime also offers consulting services where experts guide vendors through the complex U.S. public procurement process. From helping foreign suppliers register on the official portals to preparing complaint proposals as per FAR or state procurement codes, we offer everything to help you get the bid. This is the most valuable feature for non-U.S. vendors new to American tendering.

4. Support for Cooperative and Multilateral Bids

TendersOnTime also tracks funded projects from multilateral organizations, including the World Bank, UNDP, ADB, etc., that tie into the U.S. procurement at both federal and state levels in sectors like infrastructure, education, healthcare, and more. Hence, vendors subscribed to TendersOnTime can gain visibility into development finance-backed contracts.