Your path from a business idea to your first government contract. We make the paperwork, the set-aside rules and teaming with prime contractors clear, one step at a time.
Logistics support under a large prime
And federal rules set aside room for small businesses.
Skip the guesswork and keep the groundwork. Federal contracting is a set of steps, and first-timers do best when they take them in order.
The hard way
You jump onto SAM.gov, download a long solicitation and write a bid from scratch, up against companies with years of past performance and proposal teams.
The result is often months of work on bids that were never a good fit.
The BidTrail way
You build the foundation contracting officers expect, in order: entity, EIN, SAM.gov, then certifications if they apply. Then you find work you can realistically win, including as a subcontractor to a large prime.
One clear path, with the reason for every step.
Form your business and get your EIN, your federal tax ID, with each step explained in plain English.
Register on SAM.gov, where your UEI and CAGE code are issued. We show you where you are in the review, which usually takes 7 to 10 business days.
Open opportunities scored against what your business does, with the reason each one matches. Set-asides included.
A checklist for each bid, plus drafted cover letters, capability statements and point-of-contact emails.
Already have an LLC and an EIN? BidTrail lets you start at SAM.gov or at matched opportunities.
Reserve your spotLarge primes win the biggest federal contracts. On contracts over $900,000 they generally must file a plan for subcontracting to small businesses. BidTrail shows you who wins work in your field and helps you reach out.
See an example in your field
How the rule works: on contracts over $900,000 ($2M for construction), large primes generally must file a small business subcontracting plan under FAR 19.7.
Department of Defense
If you offer cloud, software or cybersecurity support, primes in this space often bring in small businesses for specialized pieces of the work.
BidTrail opens soon. Join the waitlist free today and the first 500 sign-ups get 40% off their first 12 months on any plan.
Reserve, free
Join the waitlist. Sign-ups #1 to #500 each hold a founding spot. No card needed.
Get your code on launch day
We email your code when BidTrail opens. Subscribe to any plan with it within 7 days.
Save 40% for 12 months
Monthly or yearly, on Starter, Pro or Scale.
Terms: Founding 500: the first 500 waitlist sign-ups get about 40% off their first 12 months on any plan, monthly or yearly ($29, $59 or $119 a month; $290, $590 or $1,190 a year). Claim within 7 days of launch. Unclaimed spots are released to the next people on the waitlist.
The guided setup from LLC to SAM.gov, plus federal and 1 state.
$40.83/month
Billed yearly at $490 • Save $98 vs monthly
Founding 500: $290 for your first year
Reserve a founding spot5 states, relevance scoring, AI drafts and the top primes in your field.
$82.50/month
Billed yearly at $990 • Save $198 vs monthly
Founding 500: $590 for your first year
Reserve a founding spotEvery state we cover, every prime in your field, and outreach you send yourself.
$165.83/month
Billed yearly at $1,990 • Save $398 vs monthly
Founding 500: $1,190 for your first year
Reserve a founding spotState bids are rolling out state by state. You pick from the states we cover, and we add more over time.
Anything else? Ask us on the contact page.
Yes. Registering on SAM.gov is always free, and you do it yourself on SAM.gov. BidTrail charges for the guidance and tools around it, never for the registration. Be careful of services that charge to register you.
No. BidTrail starts at forming your business and getting your EIN. If you already have both, you can skip ahead to SAM.gov or to matched opportunities.
No. It’s free and needs no card. If you’re one of the first 500, you get a code on launch day and 7 days to use it.
We explain what each program (8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, SDVOSB) asks for, so you can decide whether to apply. Whether you qualify is decided by the SBA or the agency, not by BidTrail.
Yes, anytime, from Billing in the app. No phone call. Payments are handled by Stripe.
You bring the ambition. We’ll bring the roadmap. Free to join, and 40% off your first 12 months.