A federal contract, bid or RFP is a solicitation to public contractors from the federal government for products and services. The US Federal government is the single largest buyer of goods and services in the nation. If you are considering winning federal government contracts and bids, you need to understand how federal government contracts and bids are solicited and awarded.

The federal government issues government contracts and bids through the US General Services Administration (GSA). GSA buys billions of dollars worth of products and services for the federal government agencies through contract vehicles.

Products and services that are purchased by the GSA range from cleaning and food services to IT, telecommunication, and construction contracts. Most GSA contracts are for standard services and products and equipment, including: general-purpose supplies, equipment, and services, building construction, repair, and maintenance, information technology and network services, office space and other real estate (purchase or lease), and vehicles for all federal agencies (purchase or lease).

GSA advertises the federal government contracts and bids locally and nationally. GSA is an advocate for small, small disadvantaged, women-owned, HUBZone (Historically Underutilized Business Zone), veteran, and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses. Some small business programs also have "set asides" under which certain contracts are reserved for competition among small or small disadvantaged businesses.