How to get government contracts for plumbing & backflow

Federal agencies hire small plumbing & backflow businesses every week. Here's the plain-English path from zero to your first bid, plus today's open plumbing & backflow bids.

Who buys plumbing & backflow services

VA facilities (grease traps, lift stations, backflow testing), military bases and federal buildings.

Step by step

  1. Get a free Login.gov account and register on SAM.gov. Registration is free. You'll get a Unique Entity ID (UEI). Use your exact legal business name and address as they appear with the IRS. Complete registration can take several weeks, so start before you find the perfect bid. Never pay a website to register you.
  2. Pick your NAICS codes. NAICS 238220 (plumbing contractors). Common PSC: J047 and H347 (plumbing equipment maintenance/inspection).
  3. Check which set-asides you qualify for. Most of these contracts are set aside for small businesses. Extra certifications open more: SBA 8(a), HUBZone and Women-Owned (WOSB) through SBA, and Veteran-Owned / Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned through SBA's VetCert. VA bids frequently use veteran set-asides.
  4. Find open bids for your trade. Watch SAM.gov's Contract Opportunities, or use BidHatch's free daily pages for your trade and state. Start with quote requests (combined synopsis/solicitations) and sources-sought notices; they're the easiest to answer.
  5. Read the whole notice and attachments. The Performance Work Statement (PWS) or Statement of Work says what the job really is. Note the deadline and time zone, the submission method (usually email), required forms, insurance and licenses, and any site visit.
  6. Submit a complete, on-time quote. Fill in every required form, sign the amendments if any were issued, price exactly to the schedule, and include licenses, insurance and short past-performance examples (commercial work counts). Late or incomplete quotes are usually thrown out.
  7. Get free help. APEX Accelerators (formerly PTACs) and your local SBA office give free one-on-one help with registration and bids.

Tips for plumbing & backflow bids

Open plumbing & backflow bids right now

J059--629-27-2-690-0002 GREASE TRAP MAINTENANCE FY27 (VA-27-00006422) 36C256-27-AP-0910

Due 2026-10-22No set-aside (open to all)New Orleans, La

Market research: agency asking who can do this work (respond to get noticed). Scope: 629-27-2-690-0002 GREASE TRAP MAI FY27 36C256-27-AP-0910. Full details are in the attachments on the official notice.

VETERANS AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF · NAICS 562119 · posted 2026-10-15 · Official notice on SAM.gov →

J045--FY 27 Grease Trap and Lift Station Maintenance

Due 2026-10-23No set-aside (open to all)See notice

Open solicitation, bids/quotes accepted now. The Bay Pines VA Healthcare System, at 10000 Bay Pines Blvd, Bay Pines, FL 33744, has a requirement for Grease Trap Maintenance.

VETERANS AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF · NAICS 562998 · posted 2026-10-13 · Official notice on SAM.gov →

Grease Trap and Used Cooking Oil Containment Services

Due 2026-10-23Amended / updatedSmall Business Set Aside - TotalEdwards, CA

Open quote request (short, simplified bid). Please review all solicitation documentation for complete instructions and requirement information. The notice has been amended, so check the latest documents.

DEPT OF THE AIR FORCE · NAICS 562998 · posted 2026-09-25 · Official notice on SAM.gov →

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This guide is general information, not legal or procurement advice. Always follow the instructions in each solicitation.