How to win federal landscaping and grounds maintenance contracts
To win federal landscaping and grounds maintenance contracts, register in SAM.gov, find notices under the landscaping and grounds maintenance NAICS codes in the states you work in, and bid first on small business set-asides, which made up 86% of the 758 landscaping and grounds maintenance solicitations posted in the last 12 months. Today there are 26 open notices, and the busiest buyer over the past year was the Department of the Army.
The market today
Right now there are 26 open federal landscaping and grounds maintenance notices, 23 of them open for bids. 5 close within the next 7 days. 19 are set aside for small or certified businesses, so fewer companies can compete. Over the last 12 months agencies posted 758 landscaping and grounds maintenance solicitations and published 81 awards with a median value of $280K. The busiest buyer was the Department of the Army, with 261 solicitations.
| Open notices today | 26 |
| Closing within 7 days | 5 |
| Set aside for small or certified businesses | 19 |
| Solicitations posted in the last 12 months | 758 |
| Published awards in the last 12 months | 81 (median $280K) |
From public SAM.gov data, updated October 20, 2026. See every open landscaping and grounds maintenance notice.
Who buys landscaping and grounds maintenance work
Grounds maintenance is bought for military bases, VA national cemeteries and medical centers, Army Corps of Engineers recreation areas and lakes, national parks and federal office campuses. Many contracts run for a base year plus option years.
The busiest buyers in the last 12 months:
- Department of the Army: 261 solicitations
- Department of Veterans Affairs: 125 solicitations
- Forest Service: 79 solicitations
- National Park Service: 58 solicitations
- Department of the Air Force: 36 solicitations
The states with the most open landscaping and grounds maintenance work today: Texas (2), North Carolina (1), Pennsylvania (1), South Dakota (1), California (1), District of Columbia (1).
Rules to know before you bid
- Most grounds maintenance contracts are service contracts covered by Service Contract Act wage determinations.
- Pesticide and herbicide work requires the applicator licenses of the state where the work is done.
- Work is seasonal and specified by frequency: mowing cycles, edging, leaf removal and snow removal are often priced separately.
NAICS codes for landscaping and grounds maintenance
Agencies tag each notice with one NAICS code, and that code sets the size standard for small business set-asides. These are the codes BidFox follows for landscaping and grounds maintenance:
How to win your first one
- Register your business in SAM.gov (free) and list every NAICS code above that you can really perform. How to register.
- Watch the notices in your states every day, including sources sought and presolicitations, which tell you what is coming.
- Start with small set-aside jobs close to home: they have fewer bidders and build the past performance you need later.
- Read the whole solicitation, ask questions before the deadline and acknowledge every amendment.
- Price each task by frequency and acreage from the Performance Work Statement, and check whether snow removal is included, because it changes your equipment needs.
Questions
How many federal landscaping and grounds maintenance contracts are open right now?
On October 20, 2026 there were 26 open landscaping and grounds maintenance notices on SAM.gov, 5 of them closing within a week.
Which agencies buy the most landscaping and grounds maintenance?
Counting solicitations from the last 12 months: Department of the Army (261); Department of Veterans Affairs (125); Forest Service (79).
Can a small business win federal landscaping and grounds maintenance contracts?
Yes. 86% of the landscaping and grounds maintenance solicitations in the last 12 months were set aside for small businesses or for certified firms such as 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB or WOSB.
How much are federal landscaping and grounds maintenance contracts worth?
The median published award in the last 12 months was $280K, across 81 award notices. Values vary widely and some contracts are awarded without a public notice.
What NAICS codes are used for landscaping and grounds maintenance?
The main ones are 561730 (Landscaping Services).
Related guides
- Small business set-asides, explained
- Sources sought, presolicitation, solicitation: SAM.gov notice types explained
- SAM.gov registration: what you need and how long it takes
Last reviewed October 20, 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules and dollar thresholds change, so check the solicitation and the official sources linked above.