Key Takeaways

  • To qualify for a defense contract, individuals must meet citizenship and security clearance requirements.
  • Businesses must register as government contractors, understand federal acquisition regulations, and identify suitable contract opportunities.
  • Agencies like the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) offer programs to help small businesses compete for defense contracts.
  • Building relationships with contracting officers, subcontracting with prime contractors, and maintaining compliance with reporting requirements increase chances of success.
  • Understanding contract types and bidding processes—such as RFPs, RFQs, and IDIQs—is essential to winning government work.

Defense contracts are awarded to individuals or companies by the federal government. The contracts are an agreement to produce material or perform services related to national defense for the United States.

How Can You Become an Individual Defense Contractor?

To increase your chances of becoming an individual defense contractor, you should do the following.

Be a U.S. Citizen

Nearly all U.S. defense contractor positions require applicants to be national citizens. Anyone who is not a native citizen may go through the naturalization process to obtain citizenship.

Be Eligible for Security Clearance

You'll also have to acquire security clearance, but you can't actually obtain this clearance until you're in a government position. You can see if you're eligible for security clearance before you go through the application process. If you've had security clearance before, that's generally a good sign that you can get it again. Some factors that prevent a person from obtaining security clearance include the following: 

  • Current use of controlled or illegal substances 
  • Past criminal convictions resulting in one or more years of jail time 
  • Mental incompetence 
  • Serious, repeated financial troubles 
  • Being dishonorably discharged from the military 
  • Being unwilling to surrender a foreign passport 
  • Intentionally making false statements on the application 
  • Ongoing alcohol abuse 
  • A pattern of criminal or rule violation conduct

Understand the Federal Acquisition Process

To learn how to get a defense contract, it’s essential to understand how the federal acquisition process works. Most defense contracts are governed by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), which outlines the rules and procedures for government purchasing. The Department of Defense supplements these regulations through the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS).

Familiarizing yourself with these frameworks helps you determine how contracts are advertised, awarded, and managed. The Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) and SAM.gov are key databases where federal opportunities are posted. You can review historical contract data to identify agencies that purchase goods or services similar to yours.

Government solicitations generally fall under:

  • Request for Proposal (RFP): Competitive bids where price and technical merit are evaluated.
  • Request for Quotation (RFQ): Used for smaller acquisitions, often awarded to the lowest bidder.
  • Invitation for Bid (IFB): A sealed bidding process emphasizing price competition.

Talk to Other Defense Contractors

Current contractors can give you a lot of information, such as:

  • Insider tips on locating jobs 
  • Red flags on job listings 
  • Position-specific tips on formatting your resume and completing your application to increase your chances of being hired

Build Relationships and Network Strategically

Networking plays a crucial role in securing defense contracts. Many contractors build connections through industry events, procurement conferences, and small business outreach programs hosted by defense agencies.

Engage with Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) or APEX Accelerators, which help businesses understand requirements, complete certifications, and identify contract matches. Maintaining communication with contracting officers and other prime contractors can open doors to subcontracting or joint venture opportunities.

Check Online Job Listings

The Department of Defense maintains job listings for civilian employment opportunities. You can check the Department of Defense website and search the Careers links, or use the USAJOBS site and search for jobs by using the keyword “defense.”

Register Your Business in Government Databases

All businesses seeking government contracts must register in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov). During registration, you’ll provide essential company details, including your DUNS number, Unique Entity ID (UEI), and NAICS codes that describe your industry.

Additional registrations or certifications that strengthen eligibility include:

  • Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) or 8(a) Business Development certification
  • Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
  • Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) certification
  • HUBZone certification for businesses in underutilized areas

These certifications give you access to set-aside contracts, which the government reserves for small or minority-owned firms.

Completely Fill Out Your Application

Start by reading the application thoroughly; government jobs often have intensely detailed application processes. Be completely honest when filling it out as well. If you move forward in the hiring process, you'll be subject to a thorough background check, so supplying false information could lead to consequences.

Learn the Types of Defense Contracts

The DoD awards several types of defense contracts, and understanding their structure helps you bid effectively.

Common types include:

  • Fixed-Price Contracts: Contractors are paid a set amount regardless of cost overruns.
  • Cost-Reimbursement Contracts: The government reimburses allowable costs and pays an additional fee.
  • Time-and-Materials Contracts: Payment is based on labor hours and materials used.
  • Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ): Used for recurring needs where the exact quantity isn’t known in advance.

Knowing which contract type fits your capabilities allows you to submit accurate and competitive proposals.

Cooperate Fully With the Security Investigation Process

If you make it to the final stages or receive an offer, you'll go through a rigorous investigation process for security clearance. You must be completely honest and compliant. Provide all the information that's requested of you quickly, and make sure it's all accurate.

How to Become a Small Business Defense Contractor

The U.S. government doesn't only work with large corporations. The Department of Defense devotes a good part of its budget to contract with small businesses. Small businesses owned by veterans, women, and minorities are given added advantages during the selection process. It's important to do your research; working with the federal government means you'll have to follow a lot of complex rules and procedures.

Consider what your company can offer the government. Before looking into these types of contracts, think about specific services or products you can offer, as well as reasonable prices that still allow you to make a profit.

Be prepared to apply for security clearance for some, perhaps all, of your employees who'll be carrying out the contract. If you hired anyone without doing a background check first, you should notify them of your intentions to apply for government contracts so they'll be aware they may need to obtain security clearance to continue employment with your company.

Get ready to do a ton of paperwork as applying for a federal contract requires completing a lot of documents. Determine the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the products or services you want to provide. This information is necessary when looking for contracts and completing applications. 

Register as a government contractor, and check the Fed Biz Opps site frequently for open contracts. When you submit proposals to agencies looking for contractors, follow all directions in the call for bids and clearly explain how your business can provide exactly what the agency is looking for.

As helpful as databases can be, it's just as important to network and make contacts in the industry. This is one of the best ways to get inside information on existing and upcoming opportunities when you're trying to land a position as a defense contractor.

Maintain Compliance and Performance Standards

After securing a defense contract, maintaining compliance is critical. Contractors must adhere to reporting requirements, cybersecurity standards under NIST SP 800-171, and export control laws like ITAR and EAR.

Regular performance reviews, cost reporting, and quality assurance documentation are mandatory under FAR clauses. Maintaining high performance metrics increases the likelihood of contract renewals and favorable past performance ratings, which weigh heavily in future awards.

Subcontracting and Partnering Opportunities

New contractors often gain entry into the defense sector by partnering with established prime contractors. Subcontracting allows smaller firms to build past performance credentials, gain experience with federal compliance systems, and develop relationships with contracting agencies.

The DoD’s Mentor-Protégé Program encourages experienced contractors to mentor small businesses, providing technical assistance and business development guidance. This can significantly improve your competitiveness when pursuing future prime contracts.

You can locate subcontracting opportunities through:

  • The Subcontracting Directory available on SBA.gov
  • Prime Contractor Subcontracting Plans listed in agency solicitations
  • Industry networking and trade association meetings

Steps to Win a Defense Contract

Once your business is registered, focus on positioning your company to win defense contracts. Here are the core steps recommended by the SBA and Deltek guides.

  1. Research Opportunities: Visit SAM.gov, SubNet, and the Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) database to find open solicitations.
  2. Identify Target Agencies: Review past award data to determine which agencies buy products or services similar to yours.
  3. Respond to Solicitations Carefully: Read all instructions, submit complete documentation, and follow formatting rules exactly.
  4. Price Competitively: Offer value by combining quality, reliability, and fair pricing.
  5. Prepare for Evaluation: Be ready for technical and financial assessments, audits, and performance capability reviews.

Winning a defense contract requires persistence and compliance with government standards.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the first step to getting a defense contract? Register your business in SAM.gov and ensure your NAICS codes and company profile are accurate. This registration is mandatory for bidding on federal contracts.

2. Do small businesses really get defense contracts? Yes. The federal government allocates about 23% of its contracting budget to small businesses, including those owned by veterans, women, or minorities.

3. How long does it take to win a defense contract? It varies depending on contract size and complexity. The process can take several months, from proposal submission to award.

4. Can I get a defense contract without prior experience? You can start as a subcontractor under a prime contractor to build your past performance and gain familiarity with government processes.

5. What agencies manage most defense contracts? The Department of Defense (DoD) is the largest contracting agency, but others such as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and NASA also issue defense-related contracts.

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