How to win federal site preparation and excavation contracts
To win federal site preparation and excavation contracts, register in SAM.gov, find notices under the site preparation and excavation NAICS codes in the states you work in, and bid first on small business set-asides, which made up 79% of the 185 site preparation and excavation solicitations posted in the last 12 months. Today there are 8 open notices, and the busiest buyer over the past year was the Department of the Army.
The market today
Right now there are 8 open federal site preparation and excavation notices, 7 of them open for bids. 2 close within the next 7 days. 5 are set aside for small or certified businesses, so fewer companies can compete. Over the last 12 months agencies posted 185 site preparation and excavation solicitations and published 45 awards with a median value of $79K. The busiest buyer was the Department of the Army, with 48 solicitations.
| Open notices today | 8 |
| Closing within 7 days | 2 |
| Set aside for small or certified businesses | 5 |
| Solicitations posted in the last 12 months | 185 |
| Published awards in the last 12 months | 45 (median $79K) |
From public SAM.gov data, updated October 20, 2026. See every open site preparation and excavation notice.
Who buys site preparation and excavation work
Site preparation, excavation, grading and demolition are bought by the Army Corps of Engineers, military bases, land agencies such as the Forest Service, the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management, and as part of larger building projects.
The busiest buyers in the last 12 months:
- Department of the Army: 48 solicitations
- Forest Service: 25 solicitations
- Department of the Air Force: 20 solicitations
- US Fish and Wildlife Service: 14 solicitations
- Department of the Navy: 14 solicitations
The states with the most open site preparation and excavation work today: Indiana (1), New Mexico (1), Louisiana (1), Montana (1), Washington (1).
Rules to know before you bid
- Davis-Bacon wages apply, and Miller Act bonds are required over $150,000.
- Earthwork usually requires erosion and stormwater controls and the construction stormwater permit that covers the site.
- Demolition of older buildings can include hazardous material surveys and abatement.
NAICS codes for site preparation and excavation
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 site preparation and excavation:
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.
- Check the quantities against the drawings and the geotechnical report: earthwork quantities are where bids are won or lost.
Questions
How many federal site preparation and excavation contracts are open right now?
On October 20, 2026 there were 8 open site preparation and excavation notices on SAM.gov, 2 of them closing within a week.
Which agencies buy the most site preparation and excavation?
Counting solicitations from the last 12 months: Department of the Army (48); Forest Service (25); Department of the Air Force (20).
Can a small business win federal site preparation and excavation contracts?
Yes. 79% of the site preparation and excavation 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 site preparation and excavation contracts worth?
The median published award in the last 12 months was $79K, across 45 award notices. Values vary widely and some contracts are awarded without a public notice.
What NAICS codes are used for site preparation and excavation?
The main ones are 238910 (Site Preparation Contractors).
Related guides
- How to bid on federal construction contracts
- How to get federal subcontracts as a small business
- Bid bonds, performance bonds and prevailing wages on federal construction jobs
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.