SAM.gov Saved Search Setup Sheet (Free Template)
SAM.gov Contract Opportunities is where federal solicitations, sources-sought notices and award notices are published. Without saved searches you are refreshing a firehose; with badly built ones you get 200 irrelevant emails a week and stop reading them. The filters are simple once you know which ones matter. This sheet explains each filter, gives you a three-search recipe that covers most small firms, and a fill-in table so every saved search is documented and reviewable. Free printable Word version below — just tell us where to send it.
⬇ Download the saved-search sheet (Word)
Before you build
- Sign in to SAM.gov with your Login.gov account — saved searches and "follow" notifications require an account (searching does not).
- Have your primary and secondary NAICS codes and PSCs ready (worksheet).
- Write down five to ten keywords buyers actually use for your work — pull them from real solicitation titles, not your marketing copy.
- Decide the geography you will perform in (states, or nationwide for services delivered remotely).
The filters that matter
| Filter | What it does | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Keywords | Matches title and description text | Use quoted phrases for multi-word terms; test each keyword alone first |
| NAICS code | Matches the code the contracting officer assigned | Always include your primary; add secondaries as separate searches if results are noisy |
| Product Service Code (PSC) | Matches the type of product/service | Useful when a NAICS is broad; combine with keywords |
| Notice type | Presolicitation, Sources Sought, Solicitation, Combined Synopsis/Solicitation, Award Notice, Special Notice, Justification | Include Sources Sought and Presolicitation — these are where you shape the requirement |
| Set-aside | Total small business, 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, SDVOSB, etc. | Filter to set-asides you qualify for; run one search with no set-aside filter too |
| Place of performance | State/ZIP where the work is done | Set only if you cannot deliver remotely; it excludes national notices without a place listed |
| Federal organization | Department / sub-agency | One search per priority agency; leave blank for the broad search |
| Status | Active / inactive | Active for alerts; inactive for research on past notices |
| Response date / published date | Date ranges | Leave open on saved searches; use ranges for research |
Three-search recipe for most small firms
- Search A — Core: primary NAICS + notice types (Solicitation, Combined Synopsis/Solicitation, Presolicitation, Sources Sought) + set-asides you qualify for + Active. Daily email.
- Search B — Keywords: your best five keywords (no NAICS filter) + the same notice types + Active. Catches solicitations coded under a NAICS you did not expect. Daily email.
- Search C — Target agency: one or two priority agencies + your NAICS list + all notice types including Award Notice (to learn who wins). Weekly review.
- Name each search clearly (for example "A-core-541511-SB"), save, and set the notification frequency.
- Follow every opportunity you decide to pursue — following triggers notifications when an amendment or update is posted; a saved search alone will not.
- Review results for two weeks; if a search returns more than ~20 notices a day, tighten with PSC or keywords; if it returns nothing, loosen.
Saved-search documentation sheet
| Search name | Keywords | NAICS / PSC | Notice types | Set-aside | Agency / place | Frequency | Owner | Last reviewed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
What to do with what the searches find
- Triage within 24 hours: bid / no-bid / respond to sources sought / ignore. Log the decision — you will learn what your searches are really returning.
- For anything you pursue, record the response deadline with time zone and the submission method; put the Q&A deadline on the calendar too.
- Track amendments for every followed opportunity (tracker); an unacknowledged amendment can disqualify an otherwise compliant offer.
- Add the same codes and keywords to your BidWatch watchlist so deadlines and amendments are tracked in one place.
⚠️ Sources Sought is not optional reading. Agencies use responses to decide whether enough capable small businesses exist to set a requirement aside. Not responding is a vote for full-and-open competition against large firms.
Free: BidWatch watches SAM.gov for your NAICS codes and alerts you to every response deadline and amendment. Watch your first solicitation free →
Never miss the solicitation — or the amendment that changes it
BidWatch monitors SAM.gov for your NAICS codes and keywords, tracks every response deadline and amendment, and drafts your response outline. The free tier covers your first solicitation.
Start free — no card requiredGeneral guidance for small businesses entering federal contracting, not legal or contracting advice. Registration procedures, thresholds and program rules change — verify current requirements on SAM.gov, SBA.gov, Acquisition.gov (FAR) and in each solicitation. BidWatch is not affiliated with the U.S. government.