Growing soybeans and related oilseed crops for government food and biofuel programs. Find active federal and state soybean farming contracts — AI-scored against your profile across SAM.gov and 200+ portals.
Annual federal spend on soybean farming under NAICS 111110 averages $150-200 million, primarily through USDA's Farm Service Agency and Agricultural Marketing Service. Contracts are mostly fixed-price, single-award IDIQs or BPAs for specific regions, with demand driven by government food assistance programs (e.g., commodity purchases for schools) and biofuel mandates (e.g., Renewable Fuel Standard). Competition is moderate, with many small family farms but few that meet federal contracting requirements. Awards are typically for 1-5 years, with options. Set-asides for small businesses are common, especially 8(a) and HUBZone.
These agencies are the largest buyers of soybean farming services and products in the federal government. Each awards contracts under NAICS 111110 regularly — build relationships with their small business offices first.
To win soybean farming contracts, focus on USDA's AMS commodity solicitations and FSA's conservation programs. Most buys are set aside for small businesses, but the key is to establish a track record of delivering consistent quality and volume. The highest-leverage move is to get pre-approved as a USDA commodity vendor and register in the System for Award Management (SAM) under the correct NAICS. Build relationships with local FSA offices and attend AMS industry meetings. Offer competitive pricing with documented production capacity.
Soybean farming contracts are typically awarded via LPTA (lowest price technically acceptable) due to the commodity nature. Common vehicles include USDA AMS commodity solicitations, FSA conservation program IDIQs, and GSA Schedule 738X (Food Service). Evaluation focuses on price, past performance, and production capacity. For small businesses, set-aside contracts often use simplified acquisition procedures up to $250,000.
You need no specific federal license, but you must be registered in SAM and have a DUNS number. For organic soybean contracts, USDA Organic certification is required. For conventional, you may need to comply with state-level pesticide applicator licenses.
Bonds are rarely required for direct soybean supply contracts because they are typically fixed-price and low-risk. However, if the contract involves construction (e.g., storage facilities), payment and performance bonds may be needed for amounts over $150,000.
8(a) Business Development, HUBZone, and Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) certifications are most valuable. USDA also has special programs for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. These can give you priority for sole-source awards up to $4 million for 8(a) and $4.5 million for HUBZone.
Moderately competitive. For large commodity purchases, you compete against large agribusinesses, but small business set-asides reduce competition. Many contracts receive 3-5 bids. The key is to offer a competitive price and demonstrate reliable supply.
Awards range from $25,000 for small local deliveries to $5 million for multi-year IDIQs. The average single-award contract is around $250,000. Most contracts are for 1-3 years with options, and payment is net 30 days.