Excavation, grading, land clearing, and site preparation for construction projects. Find active federal and state site preparation contractors contracts — AI-scored against your profile across SAM.gov and 200+ portals.
Annual federal spend for NAICS 238910 (Site Preparation Contractors) typically ranges from $2–4 billion, driven largely by military construction, flood control, and environmental remediation projects. The market is highly competitive with over 20,000 registered firms, but small businesses capture ~60% of awards due to set-asides. Contracts are predominantly firm-fixed-price, awarded via competitive IDIQs (e.g., USACE Multiple Award Task Order Contracts) or one-off sealed bids. Demand spikes with disaster recovery (e.g., FEMA debris removal) and large infrastructure bills like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Agencies often bundle site prep with general construction, so subcontracting to prime contractors is common.
These agencies are the largest buyers of site preparation contractors services and products in the federal government. Each awards contracts under NAICS 238910 regularly — build relationships with their small business offices first.
To win Site Preparation contracts, focus on past performance in similar soil and weather conditions—agencies evaluate technical approach over price for complex sites. Pursue 8(a) or HUBZone set-asides, which are heavily used for this NAICS (e.g., USACE small business goals). The highest-leverage move is to get on USACE’s MATOC or SATOC IDIQs for your region; these account for the majority of awards. Also, register in SAM with precise keywords like 'grading' and 'excavation' to appear in searches.
Site preparation contracts are typically awarded via LPTA (lowest price technically acceptable) for simple grading, but best-value tradeoff for complex environmental or geotechnical work. Common vehicles include USACE MATOCs, GSA Schedule 236 (Construction, Alteration, Repair), and 8(a) STARS III for IT-related site prep. Evaluation focuses on past performance, safety record, and equipment capability.
Federal contracts typically require a performance bond and payment bond for projects over $150,000. Most states also require a contractor license for site work; check your state’s licensing board. For federal work, you must also have a DUNS number and active SAM registration.
Yes, 238910 is commonly set aside for 8(a), HUBZone, and SDVOSB firms. The SBA’s size standard is $19 million in average annual receipts. Agencies like USACE and GSA actively use these set-asides for site preparation contracts, so certification can give you a significant advantage.
Award sizes vary widely: small task orders under $500k for minor grading, to multi-million dollar IDIQ contracts for large-scale land clearing. The median award for NAICS 238910 is around $1–3 million, but some USACE projects exceed $20 million.
Very competitive. In FY2023, over 4,000 small businesses won contracts under this code. However, many awards go to incumbents. To stand out, focus on past performance with similar agencies (e.g., USACE) and consider joint ventures to bid on larger projects.
Yes, subcontracting is a common entry point. Many primes need site preparation specialists for military construction or infrastructure projects. Register on Subcontracting Network (SUBNet) and attend industry days at USACE districts to build relationships.