Resources

The procurement playbook, in plain English.

Free guides, explainers, and worked examples for small businesses pursuing government contracts and grants. No gated downloads. No sales pitches buried in the middle.

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Evergreen guides

Playbooks that don't change every Tuesday.

How to Renew Your SAM.gov Registration Before It Expires

Your SAM.gov registration expires every 365 days — how to renew it, when to start, how long it takes, and how to avoid the paid “renewal” services that charge for what the government does for free.

Guide · 7 min read · August 21, 2026

Choosing the Right NAICS Codes for Government Contracts

Why a single six-digit code decides whether you count as a small business — how size standards work, how to pick your primary and secondary codes, and how to appeal the code on a solicitation.

Guide · 7 min read · August 18, 2026

VOSB & SDVOSB Certification: Who Qualifies and How to Apply

The veteran-owned federal set-aside programs in plain English — the 51% ownership and control tests, the VA's mandatory "Veterans First" preference, and how to certify free through SBA VetCert.

Guide · 8 min read · August 14, 2026

Find NYC Government Contracts Before They're Public

Where the City signals its buying plans in advance — the City Record Online, PASSPort's public portal, and the M/WBE Procurement Forecast — so you can prepare weeks before the RFP drops.

Guide · 7 min read · July 24, 2026

SBA Mentor-Protégé Program: How Joint Ventures Work

How a small firm can team with a large contractor, bid bigger federal work as a joint venture, and still count as small — the affiliation exception, the 40% workshare rule, and the 105-day approval.

Guide · 8 min read · July 21, 2026

GSA Schedule Basics: A Small Business Starter Guide

What a Multiple Award Schedule contract actually gets you, the financials and training GSA requires, and why the award is a hunting license — not a sale.

Guide · 7 min read · July 17, 2026

New York State Contract Reporter: A Small Business Guide

The state's official daily listing of $50K+ opportunities — free registration, the 15-business-day bid window, and how the 30% MWBE goal changes the math on every bid.

Guide · 8 min read · July 14, 2026

The NYC M/WBE Small Purchase Method: A $1.5M Fast Lane

How city agencies can award certified M/WBEs up to $1.5 million with no competitive bid — where the ceiling came from, what "discretionary" really means, and how to be the firm buyers find.

Guide · 7 min read · July 10, 2026

NYC PASSPort Vendor Enrollment: A Step-by-Step Guide

From NYC.ID to "Filed" status — the account request, the Vendor Enrollment Package, and the small details that stall most first-time submissions.

Guide · 7 min read · June 30, 2026

WOSB & EDWOSB Certification: Who Qualifies and How to Apply

The federal women-owned set-aside program in plain English — the 51% ownership and control tests, the EDWOSB financial caps, and the four ways to get certified free through the SBA.

Guide · 7 min read · August 11, 2026

HUBZone Map: How to Check If Your Office Qualifies

How to read the SBA's HUBZone map, the four eligibility tests beyond your address, and the 10% price evaluation preference that makes the paperwork worth it.

Guide · 7 min read · June 23, 2026

NYC SBS M/WBE Recertification: What to File and When

The annual affirmation, the 45-day material-change rule, and the five-year renewal — every deadline that keeps your NYC M/WBE certification alive, anchored to one letter date.

Guide · 7 min read · June 19, 2026

Grant vs. Contract: Which Funding Path Fits Your Business?

The legal line between the government buying from you and funding you — with the timelines, the shared SAM.gov prerequisite, and the compliance load that follow from it.

Guide · 7 min read · June 16, 2026

Personal Financial Documentation for M/WBE Certification

Which personal financial documents NYC, NYS, and the SBA actually require — the $1.3M disclosure trigger, the $15M state cap, and how to build a net worth statement that holds up.

Guide · 7 min read · June 12, 2026

How to Read a NYC City RFP: A Section-by-Section Guide

The predictable skeleton behind every NYC solicitation — which sections to read first, how proposals are actually scored, and where RFPs live before deadline pressure builds.

Guide · 7 min read · June 9, 2026

SBA 8(a) Program: Who Actually Qualifies (2026 Guide)

The ownership, control, net worth, and income tests the SBA actually enforces — and the three dollar thresholds that quietly disqualify most applicants before they start.

Guide · 8 min read · June 2, 2026

Am I Eligible for NYC MBE Certification? A 2026 Guide

The 7 main certifications, their real eligibility criteria, and what to do if you don't qualify. Includes our free 60-second AI-powered eligibility checker.

Guide · 12 min read · May 26, 2026

How Long Does NYC MBE Certification Actually Take?

The honest distribution behind the agency's 90-day target. Median 12 weeks, fast quartile 8 weeks, tail 6 months. What moves you between buckets and how to plan around it.

Guide · 9 min read · May 20, 2026

NYC SAM.gov Registration Guide for Small Businesses 2026

The federal contractor front door, in plain English. UEI vs. full Entity Registration, what to gather before you start, realistic timelines, and how to spot the scams that target first-timers.

Guide · 8 min read · May 26, 2026

NMSDC vs WBENC: Which Certification Should You Get First?

If you qualify for both, you should not chase both at once. A side-by-side on eligibility, fees, timelines, and which buyers each certification actually unlocks — plus a three-question decision framework.

Guide · 9 min read · May 26, 2026

Capability Statement Examples for NYC Small Business Owners

The one-page document every government buyer asks for, broken into its six real sections — with example language you can adapt and the three places it needs to live.

Guide · 7 min read · June 5, 2026

The NYC MBE Certification Walkthrough

Every form, every supporting document, every common rejection reason. The full playbook for getting NYC MBE certified, written for someone going through it the first time.

Guide · Coming soon

Reading a Federal Solicitation

How to read a SAM.gov posting and decide in fifteen minutes whether it is worth pursuing. The four sections that matter, the three that don't, and the red flags that mean walk away.

Guide · Coming soon

The Procurement Calendar

When NYC budgets are set, when federal fiscal year transitions hit, when state grant cycles open and close. The timing of public procurement, in one calendar.

Calendar · Coming soon

Office Hours

Open Q&A sessions for small business owners thinking about pursuing certifications, grants, or contracts. Free. No pitch.

Live · Coming soon
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