Erecting and assembling structural steel and precast concrete components for buildings and infrastructure. Find active federal and state structural steel and precast concrete contractors contracts — AI-scored against your profile across SAM.gov and 200+ portals.
Annual federal spend for NAICS 238120 is estimated at $1.5-2.5 billion, driven primarily by military construction (MILCON), federal building renovations, and bridge/transportation projects. The market is moderately competitive, with many regional players and a few national firms. Contracts are typically awarded as firm-fixed-price (FFP) through design-bid-build or design-build. IDIQs and MATOCs are common for large programs (e.g., Army Corps multiple-award task order contracts). Demand is tied to infrastructure funding, base realignments, and GSA capital improvements. Subcontracting to prime construction contractors is also a significant entry path.
These agencies are the largest buyers of structural steel and precast concrete contractors services and products in the federal government. Each awards contracts under NAICS 238120 regularly — build relationships with their small business offices first.
To win in this NAICS, focus on past performance in steel erection or precast assembly on federal projects—especially MILCON. Most contracts are set aside for small business (8(a), SDVOSB, HUBZone) under the $19M size standard. The highest-leverage move is to form a joint venture or mentor-protégé with a larger structural steel fabricator to meet bonding and capacity requirements while retaining small business status. Also, get on the Army Corps’ MACC list and GSA’s SIN 561210 for construction services.
Work is procured via firm-fixed-price (FFP) contracts, often LPTA for simpler projects and best-value trade-off for complex designs. Common vehicles include GSA PSS Schedule (SIN 561210), Army Corps MATOCs, NAVFAC IDIQs, and 8(a) STARS III for small businesses. Evaluation typically emphasizes past performance, safety record, and technical approach over price for design-build.
Most federal projects require state contractor licenses for structural steel erection. Additionally, certifications like AWS D1.1 for welding, AISC certification for steel fabricators, and OSHA 30-hour safety training are often mandatory. For precast, PCI certification is typically required.
For contracts over $150,000, you need performance and payment bonds equal to 100% of the contract value. For large projects (e.g., $10M+), bonding capacity of $20M+ is common. Many small firms use the SBA Surety Bond Guarantee program to obtain bonds up to $10M.
8(a) Business Development, HUBZone, and SDVOSB certifications are highly valued. Federal buyers often set aside steel erection work for these categories. Also, being a certified SBA Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) can open doors in underutilized business zones.
Competition varies. For small business set-asides, you may face 5-15 bidders per solicitation. For unrestricted full-and-open contracts, competition is lower (2-5 bidders) but requires larger bonding and past performance. Many awards go to firms with existing relationships via IDIQs.
Award sizes range widely: small task orders of $250K-$2M for renovations, and prime contracts of $5M-$50M for new construction. The average for small business set-asides is around $3M-$7M. Large MILCON projects often exceed $20M.