Win Less-Crowded Federal Bids
Federal Set-Aside Programs
Set-aside programs reserve federal contracts for specific kinds of small business — so you compete against a much smaller field, and sometimes win sole-source with no competition at all. Here's who qualifies for each program, how to get certified, and the contracting benefits.
Core small-business
Socioeconomic
8(a) Business Development Program (8(a))
A 9-year SBA program for small businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, with set-aside and sole…
Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB)
A federal set-aside for women-owned small businesses competing in NAICS industries where women are underrepresented.
Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB)
A subset of the WOSB program for women-owned small businesses whose owners also meet federal economic-disadvantage criteria.
Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB)
A self-represented status for small businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, used mainly to mee…
Veteran
Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
A federal set-aside for small businesses owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans — government-wide and a priority at …
Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB)
A small business owned and controlled by veterans — recognized primarily through the VA’s "Vets First" contracting preference.
Geographic (HUBZone)
See also: NAICS code guides (which set-asides apply to your industry), federal contracting by state, the federal contracting glossary, or per-agency guides.