Government & Fleet Playbook · Deep dive
The SAM.gov Playbook
Everything you need to get Pressure Pros on the federal & local vendor list — and start finding real contracts — explained in plain English, step by step. It's 100% free.
Everything you need to get Pressure Pros on the federal & local vendor list — and start finding real contracts — explained in plain English, step by step. It's 100% free.
SAM.gov (System for Award Management) is the U.S. government's official, free front door for doing business with federal agencies. Government agencies are required to post contracts over $25,000 there. To get paid by any agency, your business must be registered and "Active" in SAM.gov.
Gather this once and registration goes fast. Everything must match your official tax and bank records exactly.
SAM.gov doesn't have its own password — you sign in through Login.gov, the government's secure single sign-on. Go to login.gov, use your business email, create a strong password, and set up two-factor (a phone code or authenticator app).
At sam.gov, click Get Started → Register Your Entity. It sends you to Login.gov to sign in, then brings you back.
Get a Unique Entity ID and complete registration to bid on contracts and receive payments.
Get StartedSAM.gov validates your business against public records. Enter your legal name and physical address exactly as filed. If it matches, you're issued a UEI on the spot.
Now you fill four sections. The one that matters most for getting found is Assertions → NAICS codes (what your business does).
After you submit, registration is reviewed and usually goes Active in a few business days (sometimes up to ~10). You'll get an email. Then set a reminder: renew every 365 days or it expires.
Go to sam.gov/opportunities. Search a keyword, then use the filters on the left to narrow to work near you that fits your business.
Once your filters are dialed in, hit Save Search and turn on alerts so new matching contracts come to you automatically. Click Follow on any opportunity to track updates and get on the interested-vendors list.
NAICS codes describe what you do. Add all that fit during registration, and filter by them when you search.
| NAICS | What it covers | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| 561790 | Other Services to Buildings & Dwellings | Pressure / power washing, driveways, lots, building exteriors |
| 811192 | Car Washes | Vehicle washing, detailing, waxing, fleet washing |
| 238990 | All Other Specialty Trade Contractors | Exterior building & surface cleaning |
| 561720 | Janitorial Services | Recurring interior/exterior cleaning contracts |
Search these keywords on the Opportunities page:
The official videos from the U.S. General Services Administration (they run SAM.gov), pulled straight from their channel and ordered so you go from zero to winning contracts. Watch them top to bottom.
Browse contracts and data before you ever make an account.
Look up any business that's already registered.
Pick the right registration goal before you start.
The main walkthrough — get your business's federal ID.
Pass entity validation — the step people get stuck on.
Find your way around the registration workspace.
Enter business + banking details the right way.