SAM.gov registration and 8(a) certification, done right the first time.
SAM.gov registration, NAICS code alignment, UEI and CAGE codes, 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, VOSB, and SDVOSB applications, and the capability statement contracting officers actually read.
Federal contracting is its own paperwork. The setup decides whether you compete.
Selling to the federal government isn't like selling to commercial customers. Before a contracting officer can award a contract — even a small one — the business has to be registered in SAM.gov, classified under the right NAICS codes, issued a UEI and CAGE code, and, for set-aside opportunities, certified in one of the SBA's small-business programs.
The setup work isn't hard if it's done deliberately. It's only hard when it's done piecemeal — a SAM registration started but never finished, NAICS codes picked without thinking about which programs they qualify for, a capability statement that reads like a website's About page instead of a federal procurement document.
We do the setup work for Atlanta and Georgia small businesses pursuing federal contracts — the registrations, the certifications, the codes, and the capability statement that gets the firm read instead of skipped.
Six pieces of a complete federal setup.
SAM.gov registration
The central registration with the federal System for Award Management. We complete the full registration — legal business name, entity structure, banking details, point-of-contact information — so it activates on the 7-to-10-day timeline instead of stalling for weeks.
NAICS code alignment
NAICS codes determine which contracts your business is eligible for and what the small-business size standards are for each one. We align primary and secondary NAICS codes to what the business actually does and what set-aside opportunities the codes open up.
UEI and CAGE codes
UEI (Unique Entity Identifier) is issued by SAM.gov as part of the registration. CAGE (Commercial and Government Entity) code is issued by the Department of Defense — required for any business doing work with DoD agencies and many civilian agencies too. We track both through to issuance.
8(a) certification
The SBA's nine-year business development program for socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses. Certified 8(a) firms qualify for sole-source contracts up to $4.5 million ($7M for manufacturing) and set-aside competitions. We handle the application, the social and economic disadvantage documentation, and the business plan submission.
HUBZone, WOSB, VOSB, SDVOSB
The other small-business set-aside programs. HUBZone for businesses in qualifying low-income areas. WOSB for women-owned. VOSB for veteran-owned. SDVOSB for service-disabled veteran-owned. A business can qualify for several programs at once — we evaluate fit and prepare each application.
Capability statement
A one-to-two-page document that gets your business read by contracting officers. Core competencies, differentiators, past performance, codes, certifications, and contact details — concise, scannable, and tailored to the kinds of opportunities you're chasing. Not a marketing brochure.
Which certification is worth pursuing.
8(a) Business Development. Nine-year program for socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses. Sole-source contracts up to $4.5 million ($7M for manufacturing), plus set-aside competitions reserved for 8(a) firms. The most valuable certification for businesses that qualify — and the most rigorous application.
HUBZone. For businesses headquartered in qualifying Historically Underutilized Business Zones (low-income areas), with at least 35% of employees living in HUBZones. HUBZone-certified firms get a 10% price evaluation preference on federal contracts and access to set-aside competitions. Many parts of metro Atlanta qualify as HUBZones; we check the address before applying.
WOSB / EDWOSB. Women-Owned Small Business certification (or Economically Disadvantaged WOSB) for businesses at least 51% owned and controlled by women. Set-aside competitions in specific NAICS codes; sole-source up to $4.5 million for EDWOSB.
VOSB / SDVOSB. Veteran-Owned and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business certifications. SDVOSB gives access to VA contracts (significant for healthcare-adjacent and facilities work) and sole-source authority on contracts up to $5 million.
$280,000 in federal contract awards in the first year.
A veteran-owned services firm in Georgia had let an incomplete SAM.gov registration sit untouched for nine months. The owner kept hearing about set-aside opportunities he was theoretically eligible for, but the registration wasn't active, the NAICS codes weren't aligned, and there was no capability statement to send when an opportunity came up.
We finished the SAM.gov registration, aligned the NAICS industry codes to what the firm actually does, prepared a real capability statement, and the firm landed its first set-aside contract inside a hundred and twenty days — the start of $280,000 in federal awards in the first year of being actively in the market.
Questions Atlanta business owners ask us about federal contracting.
- What is SAM.gov and why does my business need to register?
- SAM.gov is the federal government's System for Award Management — the central registration for any business that wants to do business with the U.S. government. You can't bid on federal contracts, receive federal grants, or be paid by a federal agency without an active SAM.gov registration.
- How long does SAM.gov registration take?
- Filed correctly the first time, activation typically takes 7 to 10 business days. With errors or missing documentation, processing can stretch to 30-45 days. Most of our SAM.gov work is making sure the application is right the first time so it activates quickly.
- What is the 8(a) Business Development Program?
- A nine-year SBA program for small businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. Certified 8(a) firms can receive sole-source contracts up to $4.5 million ($7M for manufacturing) and compete for 8(a) set-aside contracts. One of the most valuable federal certifications for eligible businesses.
- Who qualifies for 8(a) certification?
- The business must be at least 51% owned and controlled by a U.S. citizen who is both socially and economically disadvantaged. Economically disadvantaged requires a personal net worth under $850,000 (excluding primary residence and business value), AGI under $400,000 averaged over three years, and total assets under $6.5 million.
- What's the difference between 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, VOSB, and SDVOSB?
- These are different SBA small-business set-aside programs. 8(a) for disadvantaged owners. HUBZone for businesses in qualifying low-income areas. WOSB for women-owned. VOSB and SDVOSB for veteran-owned (with SDVOSB requiring service-disabled status). A business can qualify for multiple programs at once.
- What is a capability statement?
- A one-to-two-page document summarizing your business for federal contracting officers — core competencies, differentiators, past performance, codes (UEI, CAGE, NAICS), certifications, and contact information. Contracting officers see hundreds and read most in under a minute. A good one is concise and tailored.
- How do NAICS codes work?
- NAICS codes are the federal classification system for industries. Each contracting opportunity is tied to a specific NAICS code, and small-business size standards (revenue or employee count) are set per code. Picking the right primary and secondary codes is the difference between qualifying for set-aside opportunities and missing them.