# Small Businesses Prepare Government Proposals

A small business has established a SAM.gov profile, obtained an APEX bid-match seat, and is registering with state governments while preparing its first three proposals—one requiring a physical submission and two requiring digital submissions. The accompanying advice emphasizes that proposal responsiveness can hinge on acknowledging amendments, completing required forms, following submission instructions, and meeting delivery deadlines. Award timelines vary substantially: a commenter reported a $16 million award in under 30 days and a $25,000 award that took months, underscoring the need to use each solicitation’s schedule rather than assume a standard timeline.

- Before submitting, verify amendment acknowledgments, required forms, file or packaging specifications, delivery method, and deadline against each solicitation.
- Use only the solicitation’s authorized contact channel for questions, and plan award expectations around the stated procurement schedule; complex buys or protests may extend timelines.
- Compare state and federal opportunities on their individual requirements and local preferences. APEX bid-match fees vary by program, so confirm costs with the specific APEX office.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Published:** November 01, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)
- U.S. Intelligence Community (IC)
- State governments

### Vendors
- Fedcon ()

### Key Quotes
> I’ve awarded a $16M contract in under 30 days and had $25K contracts that took months to award.
> — Commenter

### Sources
- [Over the past several months I have, set up my fed profile on Sam.gov, met with APEX and got a bid match seat, grinding through registering with states individually to go after those opportunities. About to submit my first three proposals (one a physical package, the other two digital formats).](https://www.reddit.com/r/GovernmentContracting/comments/1xlgcog/over_the_past_several_months_i_have_set_up_my_fed) - reddit-governmentcontracting