Specialty construction trades including wrecking, waterproofing, and other building specialties. Find active federal and state all other specialty trade contractors contracts — AI-scored against your profile across SAM.gov and 200+ portals.
Annual federal spend under NAICS 238990 is estimated at $1.5–2 billion, driven by demolition, waterproofing, and specialty installation projects. The market is highly fragmented with many small contractors competing on price. Most work is awarded as firm-fixed-price contracts, often through single-award IDIQs or BPAs at the agency level. Demand spikes from DoD facility maintenance, VA hospital renovations, and GSA building upgrades. Competition is intense for small-business set-asides, which account for roughly 60% of obligations. Larger contracts ($5M+) often require bonding and past performance on similar projects.
These agencies are the largest buyers of all other specialty trade contractors services and products in the federal government. Each awards contracts under NAICS 238990 regularly — build relationships with their small business offices first.
To win 238990 contracts, focus on agency-specific IDIQs and BPAs rather than one-off RFPs. Most work is set aside for small businesses (8(a), SDVOSB, HUBZone). The highest-leverage move is to get on GSA Schedule 236 (Construction) for specialty trade services—this opens up task-order competitions across multiple agencies. Pair that with active SAM.gov searches for 'demolition,' 'waterproofing,' and 'specialty construction' to catch sole-source opportunities under $250K.
Contracts are primarily awarded via LPTA (lowest price technically acceptable) for standard demolition/waterproofing, but best-value tradeoffs for complex work. Common vehicles: GSA Schedule 236, 8(a) STARS III for IT-related specialty construction, and agency-specific IDIQs (e.g., USACE MATOC, VA SAVES). Evaluation focuses on price, past performance, and safety record.
Yes, most federal contracts require state-level specialty contractor licensing for the trade (e.g., demolition, waterproofing). Check the solicitation for 'business licenses' and ensure you hold the appropriate license in the state where work will be performed. Federal agencies rarely waive this requirement.
For contracts over $150K, the Miller Act requires performance and payment bonds equal to 100% of the contract value. Many agency IDIQs also require a blanket bond (e.g., $500K–$2M) to cover multiple task orders. Small businesses can use the SBA Surety Bond Guarantee program to obtain bonds without collateral.
8(a), HUBZone, and SDVOSB certifications are highly valued. Many agencies set aside 100% of their demolition and waterproofing work for these programs. Having both 8(a) and HUBZone can unlock dual-eligible opportunities. Woman-owned (WOSB) is also common but less frequent for this NAICS.
Very competitive. The small-business size standard ($19M) is relatively high, attracting many firms. Average bids per solicitation range from 5–15. However, competition drops for highly specialized trades (e.g., radon mitigation, historic restoration) where fewer contractors qualify.
Most task orders range from $25K to $500K, with occasional large projects up to $5M. The median award is around $150K. Small businesses often win multiple task orders under a single IDIQ, cumulatively reaching $2–3M over the contract period.