# Small IT Contractors Build Federal Bid Credentials

A discussion among small software and IT contractors identifies company past performance—not registration or NAICS selection—as a central challenge in pursuing federal prime contracts. Participants recommend building a federal track record through subcontracting under established primes and responding to sources-sought notices, while using agency small-business offices and industry events to develop relationships. Commercial experience may support key-personnel or teaming narratives when a solicitation allows it, but it does not automatically replace company-level past performance. Commenters report that federal sales cycles can take roughly six months to two years to produce revenue; a separate claim about a possible $500 million size standard is unverified in the discussion.

- Small businesses can build relevant performance by pursuing subcontract roles with established primes and responding to sources-sought notices before competing for prime awards.
- When preparing proposals, firms should distinguish company past performance from individual or commercial experience and use the latter only where the solicitation permits it.
- Firms operating under NAICS 541511 or 541512 should account for potentially lengthy federal sales cycles in business planning; the reported six-month-to-two-year timeframe is anecdotal, not a guaranteed timeline.
- The discussion cites FAR 15.305 and an SBIR project as examples, but provides no confirmed opportunity, agency contact, or source validating the claimed $500 million size threshold.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Information Technology
**Published:** November 06, 2026

### Vendors
- Lockheed Martin ()
- RTX ()

### Key Quotes
> FAR 15.305 says past performance evaluations should take into account information on key personnel who have relevant experience, along with predecessor companies and subcontractors doing major parts of the work. The catch is that "should" isn't "must," and a solicitation can say it won't consider key personnel experience.
> — Community commenter

### Sources
- [Small software/IT contractors: what caught you off guard before your first serious bid?](https://www.reddit.com/r/GovernmentContracting/comments/1xpbun1/small_softwareit_contractors_what_caught_you_off) - reddit-governmentcontracting