The idea of winning government contracts for your business stops most people in their tracks.
Not because the opportunity isn’t real—but because most companies don’t know where to start.
After a little research, they eventually find SAM.gov. And that’s usually where things stall.
Knowing what to search for—and what actually matters inside SAM.gov—is an art form. Most businesses are looking in the wrong places, at the wrong time, and competing after the game has already been decided.
This short tutorial comes directly from the GovClose Certification Program, where I show our students exactly what we’re looking for and how we identify opportunities before a solicitation is released—when you still have leverage and a real chance to win.
In this 10-minute session, you’ll learn:
What a Sources Sought notice actually is
How the market research phase works behind the scenes
Why finding funded opportunities early is critical—and how to spot them
If you’ve ever wondered why responding to RFPs feels like a losing game, this video will show you what happens beforethe RFP ever hits the street.
Want to go deeper?
This tutorial is just one small piece of the GovClose Certification Program, where we train professionals and businesses how to systematically identify, position for, and win government contracts—without wasting time chasing unwinnable proposals.
If you want to learn the full process, you can explore the program here:
→ GovClose Certification Program
About the Author
Richard C. Howard, Lt Col (Ret.) is the CEO of GovClose and Richard C. Howard & Associates. A former U.S. Air Force acquisitions officer, he managed and oversaw more than $82B in government contracts. Today, he trains professionals and businesses to win government contracts by understanding how the government actually buys.
