Which contract vehicle fits you? vehicle finder
GSA Schedule, SEWP, 8(a) STARS III, VETS 2, Alliant 2, OASIS+ — or just open market? Answer three questions and see which federal contract vehicles match what you sell and your certifications.
Pick your primary certification — you can hold more than one.
A starting-point orientation, not a recommendation to pursue a specific vehicle. Contract vehicles, their pools and their on-ramp windows change, and eligibility depends on the exact solicitation. Confirm current details on the vehicle’s official GSA/agency page before you invest in an offer.
The right vehicle depends on what you sell — and who you are
Contract vehicles aren’t one-size-fits-all. If you sell IT hardware, NASA SEWP is built for you; if you’re an 8(a) IT services firm, STARS III is your lane; SDVOSBs have VETS 2; professional-services firms have OASIS+; and the GSA Schedule spans most commercial products and services. Construction is mostly bought open-market or through agency multiple-award contracts rather than GSA.
Your socioeconomic certifications matter just as much as your offering — they can put you into set-aside pools where you compete against far fewer firms. Match both, and you focus your energy on the vehicles where you actually have an edge.
Start winning while you build toward a vehicle
Most vehicles reward experience, so the smartest first move is usually open-market work. Find live opportunities under your NAICS codes, decide what to pursue with the bid/no-bid scorecard, and check your GSA Schedule readiness when you’re ready to add a vehicle. GovCon helps you find and win that work at every stage.
Frequently asked questions
What is a contract vehicle?+
A contract vehicle is a pre-established contract that streamlines how agencies buy. Instead of running a full procurement from scratch, an agency can place orders against a vehicle you hold — like the GSA Schedule or a governmentwide acquisition contract (GWAC). Holding the right vehicles makes you much easier and faster to buy from.
Do I need a contract vehicle to win federal work?+
No. Plenty of work is competed "open market" through individual solicitations on SAM.gov, and that’s usually the fastest way to start. Vehicles are a longer-term play that pays off once you have the experience and past performance to pursue and use them well.
What’s the difference between a GWAC and the GSA Schedule?+
The GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) is a broad, long-term catalog of commercial products and services. A GWAC (governmentwide acquisition contract) is narrower — usually IT-focused — and often set aside, like 8(a) STARS III (8(a) firms) or VETS 2 (SDVOSBs). GWACs can offer strong set-aside lanes if you’re eligible.
Can my certification get me onto a set-aside vehicle?+
Yes — that’s one of the biggest advantages of certification. 8(a) STARS III is 8(a)-only, VETS 2 is SDVOSB-only, and OASIS+ has small-business and socioeconomic pools. Holding the right certification can put you in a much less crowded competition for a vehicle.
Which vehicle should I pursue first?+
For most firms starting out, the answer is none — win open-market work first to build past performance, then pursue the vehicle that best matches what you sell and your certifications. This finder points you to the candidates; confirm the current on-ramp and requirements on each vehicle’s official page before investing.
Find, score & win it in one place
GovCon ties these tools together with opportunity matching, AI proposal drafting, a capture pipeline and a reusable library — free to start, no credit card.
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