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Sources Sought Notices

The earliest signal in federal contracting. A Sources Sought notice means an agency is researching the market before writing its solicitation — and the small businesses that respond shape whether the contract gets set aside at all.

294 active notices. Updated daily from SAM.gov.

How to respond — with a free templatearrow_forward
Active (294)Closed (445)
U.S. Department of Justice
Small Business

Upgrade Fire Detection System at FDC Honolulu

U.S. Department of Justice
$5M – $10M📍 Honolulu, HIUpdated Jul 01
Offers due Aug 19 · in 36 days
U.S. Department of Defense
Small Business

Ramp Alignment Weldment

U.S. Department of Defense
$5K – $50K📍 Anniston, ALUpdated Jul 01
Offers due Jul 14 · due today
U.S. Department of Defense
Small Business

HVAC Component Removal and Installation

U.S. Department of Defense
$100K – $500K📍 Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HIUpdated Jul 08
Offers due Jul 24 · in 10 days
U.S. Department of Defense
Small Business

LPD Ship Control System Modernization

U.S. Department of Defense
$1M – $10MUpdated Jun 30
Rolling deadline
U.S. Department of State
Small Business

Environmental Engineering Services

U.S. Department of State
$1M – $10M📍 0, VAUpdated Jun 30
Offers due Jul 15 · in 1 day
U.S. Department of Energy
Small Business

Hanford General Support Services Consolidation

U.S. Department of Energy
$100K – $500K📍 Richland, WAUpdated Jun 30
Offers due Jul 30 · in 16 days
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Small Business

USCGC CALHOUN Dockside Repairs

U.S. Department of Homeland Security
$1M – $5M📍 North Charleston, SCUpdated Jun 30
Offers due Jul 14 · due today
U.S. Department of the Interior
Native American (IEE)

Trust and Fiduciary Services

U.S. Department of the Interior
$100K – $500KUpdated Jun 30
Offers due Sep 30 · in 78 days
U.S. Department of the Interior
Native American (IEE)

Special Notice for Indian Economic Enterprises

U.S. Department of the Interior
Estimated $50K – $250KUpdated Jun 30
Offers due Sep 30 · in 78 days
U.S. Department of Defense
Small Business

Microwave Point-to-Point Communications

U.S. Department of Defense
$5M – $10M📍 JORUpdated Jul 10
Offers due Jul 24 · in 10 days
U.S. Department of Defense
Small Business

Flooring Services

U.S. Department of Defense
$100K – $500K📍 Edwards, CAUpdated Jun 29
Offers due Jul 29 · in 15 days
U.S. Department of the Interior
Small Business

Little Creek Campground Improvements

U.S. Department of the Interior
$500K – $2M📍 Randolph, UTUpdated Jun 29
Offers due Jul 29 · in 15 days
U.S. Department of the Interior
Small Business

Pavement Preservation Project

U.S. Department of the Interior
$100K – $500KUpdated Jun 29
Offers due Jul 31 · in 17 days
U.S. Department of Defense
Small Business

Vehicular Cover

U.S. Department of Defense
$4M – $4.4MUpdated Jul 03
Offers due Aug 21 · in 38 days
U.S. Department of Defense
HUBZone

General Construction Projects

U.S. Department of Defense
$100K – $7MUpdated Jun 29
Offers due Jul 15 · due today
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Sources Sought — common questions

What is a Sources Sought notice?expand_more

It's market research, not a solicitation. Before an agency writes an RFP, it posts a Sources Sought notice asking 'who can do this work?' Businesses respond with a short capabilities statement — there is no bid, no pricing, and no award at this stage.

Why respond if there's nothing to win yet?expand_more

Because responses drive the set-aside decision. If enough capable small businesses respond, the Rule of Two pushes the contracting officer to reserve the eventual contract for small business — possibly for your certification specifically. Responding also puts your firm on the agency's radar before the RFP is written.

How long do I have to respond?expand_more

Response windows are typically two to four weeks from posting, and they're firm. Each notice lists its own response deadline and submission instructions — read the notice itself, since formats vary by agency.

What should a response include?expand_more

A concise capabilities statement: your company profile (UEI, CAGE, size status, certifications, NAICS codes), a point-by-point answer to what the notice asks, and two or three directly relevant past performances. It's market research, not a proposal — a few strong pages beat a long one.

Set-Aside Pro is an independent publication, not affiliated with the SBA or SAM.gov. Each notice's own text controls what a response must include — read it before submitting.