BidFox

How to win federal training contracts

To win federal training contracts, register in SAM.gov, find notices under the training NAICS codes in the states you work in, and bid first on small business set-asides, which made up 55% of the 355 training solicitations posted in the last 12 months. Today there are 23 open notices, and the busiest buyer over the past year was the Department of the Navy.

The market today

Right now there are 23 open federal training notices, 8 of them open for bids. 10 close within the next 7 days. 4 are set aside for small or certified businesses, so fewer companies can compete. Over the last 12 months agencies posted 355 training solicitations and published 69 awards with a median value of $142K. The busiest buyer was the Department of the Navy, with 111 solicitations.

Open notices today23
Closing within 7 days10
Set aside for small or certified businesses4
Solicitations posted in the last 12 months355
Published awards in the last 12 months69 (median $142K)

From public SAM.gov data, updated October 20, 2026. See every open training notice.

Who buys training work

Training contracts come from the military services, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Labor (including Job Corps) and civilian agencies: technical and safety courses, professional development and curriculum design.

The busiest buyers in the last 12 months:

The states with the most open training work today: District of Columbia (3), Oklahoma (2), North Carolina (2), California (2), Missouri (1), New Jersey (1).

Rules to know before you bid

  • Solicitations specify course content, instructor qualifications and the number of sessions and students.
  • Proposals are usually evaluated on instructor credentials, past performance and price.
  • Some instructor services carry Service Contract Act wage determinations.

NAICS codes for training

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 training:

How to win your first one

  1. Register your business in SAM.gov (free) and list every NAICS code above that you can really perform. How to register.
  2. Watch the notices in your states every day, including sources sought and presolicitations, which tell you what is coming.
  3. Start with small set-aside jobs close to home: they have fewer bidders and build the past performance you need later.
  4. Read the whole solicitation, ask questions before the deadline and acknowledge every amendment.
  5. Send instructor résumés that match the stated qualifications exactly: it is the most common reason training proposals are found unacceptable.

Questions

How many federal training contracts are open right now?

On October 20, 2026 there were 23 open training notices on SAM.gov, 10 of them closing within a week.

Which agencies buy the most training?

Counting solicitations from the last 12 months: Department of the Navy (111); Department of the Air Force (41); Department of the Army (40).

Can a small business win federal training contracts?

Yes. 55% of the training 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 training contracts worth?

The median published award in the last 12 months was $142K, across 69 award notices. Values vary widely and some contracts are awarded without a public notice.

What NAICS codes are used for training?

The main ones are 611430 (Professional and Management Development Training), 611710 (Educational Support Services), 611519 (Other Technical and Trade Schools).

Related guides

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.