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How to find and bid on government contracts in California

Right now BidRep lists 39 open government bids in California: 0 from state and local agencies and 39 federal. Updated every morning. See them all.

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Where California government bids are posted

Government work in California is advertised in more than one place: federal agencies post on SAM.gov, and the state, cities, counties, school districts and transportation departments each post on their own purchasing sites. Today's open California bids on BidRep come from:

• SAM.gov (federal): 39 open

Also check Cal eProcure directly: BidRep doesn't include it yet.

Who's buying in California right now

Busiest buyers: Department of Defense (25), General Services Administration (4), Department of Agriculture (3), Department of Veterans Affairs (3), Department of Energy (2).

Most common work: general construction (15), transportation, moving & logistics (4), networks & telecom (4), civil / heavy (3).

By industry: Construction (18) · IT services (4) · Engineering and A/E (3) · Facilities and grounds (6) · Professional services (8)

A few open California bids

• ICE HSI Schwartz 2nd Floor Window Coverings: GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION, due Oct 21
• EOIR Schwartz FOB Courtroom Painting: GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION, due Oct 21
• Manned Hyperbaric Systems Support Services: DEPT OF DEFENSE, due Oct 21
• GAOA Red Rock Lookout Renovation, Plumas National Forest: AGRICULTURE, DEPARTMENT OF, due Oct 21
• El Toro Range Improvements: JUSTICE, DEPARTMENT OF, due Oct 22
• 80-DAY DRY CARGO TIME CHARTER: DEPT OF DEFENSE, due Oct 23

All 39 open California bids

How to bid, step by step

1. Find bids that fit your work. Look for your trade, the area you cover and a deadline you can meet. Small-business set-asides are worth a close look: only small businesses (or certain kinds of small businesses) can bid on them.
2. Read the whole solicitation. Note the exact due date and time (and time zone), any pre-bid meeting or site visit (some are mandatory), bonding and insurance requirements, licenses, and the forms that must come back signed.
3. Register with the buyer. Federal bids need a free registration on SAM.gov, which gives you a Unique Entity ID. Most state and local agencies ask vendors to register on their own purchasing portal before bidding; the solicitation says how.
4. Prepare your bid. Price the work, fill in every required form, line up any bid bond, and answer each requirement in the order the solicitation asks. Missing one form is a common reason bids get thrown out.
5. Submit before the deadline, the way the solicitation says (online portal, email or sealed paper). Late bids are almost never accepted. Keep proof of submission.

BidRep helps with steps 1, 2 and 4: it finds the California bids that fit your business every morning, and builds a draft bid package from the solicitation for you to review, price, sign and submit.

Free help for small businesses in California

• APEX Accelerators: free or low-cost, one-on-one help with government contracting, with offices serving every state.
• Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs): free business advising nationwide.
• SAM.gov: register to bid on federal contracts and search federal opportunities.
• SBA federal contracting: size standards and small-business certifications such as 8(a), HUBZone, women-owned and veteran-owned.

Counts and buyers come from BidRep's list of open bids this morning. Always confirm details in the official solicitation.

How to bid in other states