SAM.gov has award data, pre-solicitation signals, and competitive intel most companies never look at. Three searches to start with.
Most companies log into SAM.gov to do two things: register their entity and search for open solicitations. That's like having access to a Bloomberg terminal and only checking the weather.
SAM.gov is the federal government's most comprehensive procurement database. It holds contract award histories, pre-solicitation signals, Sources Sought announcements, modification records, and competitive intelligence that most companies never touch.
Here are three searches that change how you compete.
Filter contract awards by your target agency and the NAICS codes that match your work. What you'll see is the competitive landscape laid bare.
If the same vendor has won the last three award cycles, you know two things: there's an incumbent advantage, and the next re-compete will favor someone who starts positioning now. If awards are spreading across new vendors, the agency is actively diversifying its supply base—and the door is open.
Pay attention to award amounts. If a contract you'd bid at $2M is consistently awarded at $800K, either the scope is smaller than you think or you're overestimating the budget. Both are worth knowing before you invest weeks writing a proposal.
Pre-solicitation and Sources Sought notices are the government's way of asking the market: "Can anyone do this?" before committing to a formal procurement.
Most companies scroll past these. That's a mistake. Responding to a Sources Sought notice doesn't just position you early—it can shape the solicitation itself. The language you use to describe your capabilities might appear in the final Statement of Work. You go from competing for a contract to competing for a contract that was partially written around what you do.
This is the quiet arena where contracts are won months before the RFP goes live.
When the government modifies a contract to extend its period or increase its ceiling, it usually means one of two things: the current vendor is performing well, or the agency hasn't had time to re-compete. Either way, a re-competition is coming.
Tracking modifications is like watching the expiration date on a competitor's lease. You know exactly when the space opens up—and you can start preparing your move well in advance.
Run these searches once a week. Track the results over time. Patterns will emerge: agencies ramping spending in your domain, contracts approaching recompetition, new entrants breaking through.
The information is public. The advantage goes to whoever actually looks at it.
Outrider automates this intelligence layer—continuously monitoring SAM.gov, surfacing relevant opportunities, and alerting you to signals that matter before your competitors notice them.
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