Never sold to the government
You have a good business and want government work, but SAM.gov, UEIs, and NAICS codes feel like a foreign language.
Usual start: GovCon Launch Bundle
Get registered, certified, and ready to win government contracts.
I help small businesses through SAM.gov, SBA certifications, and their first bids. You get flat prices, one person who does the work with you, and straight answers about what the government does and doesn't require.
- SAM.gov and SBA certifications are free. You pay only for my time.
- Flat or hourly fees. Never a cut of your contracts.
- I never ask for your passwords.
Intro callFree, 20 minutes
PricingFlat or hourly, in writing
Your contractsNo success fees, ever
Your accountsNever your passwords
ConfidentialityNDA available on request
Where are you starting from?
Most businesses come to me at one of three points.
Registered, but not winning
You're in SAM.gov but don't know which bids to chase, or your quotes keep coming back unsuccessful.
Usual start: Opportunity Tracking or RFQ Response
Ready for set-asides
You may qualify as women-owned, veteran-owned, or HUBZone and want access to contracts with far less competition.
Usual start: eligibility check on the intro call
Services
Grouped by where you are in the process. Take one service or several.
Get set up
Registered correctly the first time.
SAM.gov registration or renewal
Full setup or renewal, NAICS code selection, UEI and CAGE code, and a review of every section against your IRS records before submit. Name mismatches are the top cause of delays.
Capability statement
A one-page, designed PDF you hand to contracting officers and larger companies: core competencies, past performance, differentiators, and company data. You get an editable copy too.
SBA small business profile
Your SBA supplemental profile in SAM.gov, written with the keywords contracting officers search, so you show up in SBA's Small Business Search.
Get certified
Qualify for set-aside contracts.
WOSB, HUBZone, or VOSB/SDVOSB
Eligibility check first, then a document checklist, an organized application package, and support while SBA reviews it. Self-certifying no longer works for set-asides.
8(a) application
Eligibility review, personal narrative development, financial package, and submission support. The program is much harder to enter in 2026, so I review your situation honestly before you spend anything.
GSA Schedule (MAS)
Readiness check, SIN selection, pricing proposal, technical narratives, and eOffer submission support. Usually best for businesses with steady revenue and two years of history.
Win work
Find the right bids and submit clean ones.
Opportunity tracking
A weekly email with your best-matching bids, Sources Sought notices, and set-asides, each with a short go/no-go note and a look at who won similar work before.
RFQ response
I read the solicitation, build a compliance checklist, prepare the quote with you, and review it before you submit. A missing form can disqualify a whole bid.
Proposal writing
Full proposals with a compliance matrix built from Sections L and M: technical, management, past performance, and pricing volumes. You make the pricing decisions.
Advising
Calls, document reviews, and questions answered as they come up, billed by the hour.
Prices
Flat prices, written into a short agreement before any work starts. No surprise bills and no percentage of contracts you win.
Most businesses start here
GovCon Launch Bundle
SAM.gov registration, capability statement, SBA profile setup, and two weeks of opportunity search.
Founding client offer: my first 5 clients get the bundle for $450 in exchange for honest feedback I can share, with your permission.
8(a) and GSA Schedule work depends heavily on your eligibility and readiness, so I scope and price it after we talk. Federal contracts prohibit contingent fees, so I never charge a percentage of what you win. You keep all of your contract money.
How it works
Every service follows the same pattern, so you always know what happens next.
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20 minutes, free
Intro call
We talk about what you sell and your goals. I check which programs you may qualify for. If something isn't a fit, I'll say so.
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Before any work
Simple agreement
A short signed agreement with scope, price, and what I need from you. No guarantees of approval or awards, because no one can honestly make them.
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A few days
Documents
I send a checklist. You gather items like your EIN letter and business details, and I organize everything.
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On a screen share
The work, together
I prepare everything. You review, sign, and submit, because certifications are legal statements by your business.
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Until it's done
Follow-up and hand-off
I track status until it's active or approved, then send a one-page summary with your IDs, codes, and renewal dates.
What I will and won't do
Plenty of companies charge small businesses for "registration" the government gives away free, or promise contract wins they can't deliver. These are the rules I work by with every client.
I will
- Tell you up front what's free from the government
- Check your eligibility before taking money for an application
- Put the scope and price in writing first
- Point you to free help like APEX Accelerators when it's enough
- Delete your documents when the job ends, unless you ask me to keep them
I won't
- Guarantee a contract or a certification approval
- Take a percentage of your contracts
- Ask for your Login.gov or bank passwords
- Sign or certify anything on your behalf
- Take on an application I don't think can pass
Your information stays confidential
To do this work I see your tax ID, bank details, ownership records, and finances. Here is exactly how I handle them.
- Signed NDA, on request
- I'll sign a mutual non-disclosure agreement before you share anything sensitive.
- Used only for your work
- Your information is used for your engagement and nothing else. It is never sold, shared, or used to market to you.
- You stay anonymous
- I never name you as a client, publish your results, or quote you without your written permission.
- No passwords, ever
- I never ask for your Login.gov, SAM.gov, or bank passwords. You can type bank details yourself on a screen share.
- Stored securely, then deleted
- Documents are kept in encrypted storage while we work and deleted when the job ends, unless you ask me to keep them.
- Shared only where you approve
- Your information goes only to the agencies you are applying to, such as SAM.gov or SBA, and only after you review it. The one exception is a legal requirement like a court order, and I would tell you if the law allows.
Who you'll work with
Stella Bids is a small, independent practice. When you hire me, you work with one person from the intro call to the hand-off, not a call center or a rotating team.
I'm newer to running my own firm, and that's why my rates are lower than the big consultancies. In return, I walk you through every step, show you exactly what I'm submitting, and you can check my work at any point.
My goal is for you to understand your own registration and bids well enough that you need me less over time.
Common questions
Straight answers, especially about price and guarantees. If yours isn't here, ask on the free call.
Isn't SAM.gov registration free? Why would I pay you?
Yes, it's free, and I'll always tell you that. You're paying for my time and for getting it right. Most delays come from small mistakes, like a business name that doesn't match IRS records or the wrong NAICS codes. I handle that so you don't lose weeks.
Can you guarantee I'll win a contract?
No, and anyone who does isn't being honest. I make sure you're registered correctly, find the right opportunities, and help you submit strong, compliant bids. Winning depends on price, competition, and your experience.
Can you guarantee my certification gets approved?
No. SBA makes that decision. I check your eligibility before we start, so I won't take your money for an application I don't think can pass.
Do you take a percentage of contracts I win?
No. I charge flat or hourly fees only, so you keep all of your contract money.
How is this different from the free APEX Accelerator?
APEX Accelerators are a great free resource and I recommend them. The difference is that I do the work with you, on your schedule, as your one dedicated contact. APEX counselors usually advise while you do the work.
How long does SAM.gov registration take?
My part takes a few days once I have your documents. After we submit, the government usually activates it within about 10 business days, sometimes longer.
What do you need from me?
Your legal business name and address exactly as the IRS has them, your EIN, bank details for payments, business start date, employee count, and revenue. I'll send a checklist. You can type your bank details in yourself on a screen share.
What are a UEI, CAGE code, and NAICS code?
Your UEI is your 12-character ID number with the federal government. Your CAGE code is a second ID, used mostly by defense agencies. Both are assigned during registration. NAICS codes describe the type of work you do. Agencies tag every contract with one, so your codes decide which opportunities you see and whether you count as small.
Do I have to renew?
Yes, every year, and renewal is free. SAM.gov emails reminders 60 and 30 days before it expires. If it lapses, you can't get paid on contracts.
Which certification should I get, and is it worth it?
It depends on who owns the business and where it's located. Women-owned, veteran-owned, and HUBZone businesses each have their own program. If you qualify, it's usually worth it, because some contracts are set aside only for certified businesses, which means much less competition. Self-certifying no longer works for set-asides.
What about 8(a)?
It's much harder to get into now. SBA has admitted very few new firms recently and requires detailed, documented proof of disadvantage. I'll review your situation honestly before you spend money on it.
How long until I get my first contract?
Usually 6 to 18 months of steady effort. Small purchases, subcontracting under larger companies, and set-asides are the fastest ways in. Commercial past performance counts too.
Is my information safe with you?
Yes. I'll sign a mutual NDA before you share anything sensitive, I never ask for your passwords, and I never name you as a client without written permission. Your documents are stored securely and deleted when the job ends unless you want me to keep them. How I handle your information.
Are you affiliated with the government?
No. Stella Bids is an independent private business, not affiliated with or endorsed by SAM.gov, GSA, SBA, or any federal agency.
Book a free intro call
Twenty minutes, no obligation. Tell me a little about your business and I'll reply within one business day to schedule.
- Phone
- (904) 690-0844
- [email protected]
- Where
- Remote, working with businesses nationwide
- Hours
- Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm ET