Arranging transportation of freight between shippers and carriers. Find active federal and state freight transportation arrangement contracts — AI-scored against your profile across SAM.gov and 200+ portals.
Annual federal spend under NAICS 488510 is estimated at $2–3 billion, driven primarily by DoD (DLA, TRANSCOM) for surface freight forwarding, household goods movement, and multimodal logistics. GSA and FEMA also buy transportation arrangement services for disaster relief and civilian agency shipping. Competition is intense: over 1,200 small businesses vie for contracts, but the market is fragmented. Most awards are fixed-price, performance-based contracts via IDIQs or BPAs, with task orders competed among pre-qualified vendors. Demand correlates with defense logistics cycles, disaster frequency, and federal fleet modernization. The shift to integrated logistics solutions (e.g., door-to-door, visibility tracking) is reshaping requirements.
These agencies are the largest buyers of freight transportation arrangement services and products in the federal government. Each awards contracts under NAICS 488510 regularly — build relationships with their small business offices first.
To win in 488510, target DLA’s Freight & Household Goods programs and GSA’s Transportation and Logistics Category. The most common set-asides are SDVOSB (VETS GWAC) and 8(a) (8(a) STARS III). The highest-leverage move: obtain a GSA Schedule 48 (Transportation, Logistics, and Professional Services) to gain access to agency BPAs and streamline task order eligibility. Beyond registration, invest in a proven past performance record for on-time delivery and cargo security—this is the #1 evaluation factor. Partner with a large prime if you lack capacity, but lead with your small-business discount.
Work is bought mostly via LPTA for routine freight and best-value tradeoff for complex logistics. Common vehicles: GSA Schedule 48 (Transportation), DLA’s Freight and Household Goods IDIQs, FEMA’s Logistics BPA, and agency-specific BPAs. Evaluation emphasizes past performance, delivery speed, security, and price. Technical factors (tracking, claims handling) often outweigh price for sensitive cargo.
Yes, for any contract involving arranging transportation by motor carrier, you must hold a valid FMCSA freight broker authority (MC number) and have a $75,000 surety bond (BMC-84). Federal RFQs typically list this as a mandatory qualification.
Most awards under this code are task orders ranging from $50,000 to $2 million, with IDIQ ceilings up to $500 million. The median single-award BPA is around $250,000. Large multi-award IDIQs (e.g., DLA’s Household Goods program) have $1B+ ceilings but are shared among many vendors.
Yes, but it’s harder. Agencies often use GSA Schedule 48 for streamlined procurements. Without it, you must rely on open-market RFPs, set-aside contracts like 8(a) STARS III, or subcontract to a prime. Getting on Schedule 48 is the most effective path to prime awards.
Beyond FMCSA authority, common requirements include C-TPAT certification for customs security, TSA security clearance for sensitive shipments, and ISO 9001 for quality management. DoD contracts may require DISA compliance for tracking systems. Some RFPs also ask for NIST 800-171 for data protection.
Very competitive. Over 60% of federal spending in this code goes to small businesses, but the number of registered small businesses exceeds 1,200. Winning requires a niche—e.g., hazmat, oversized cargo, or international air freight—and strong past performance. Set-asides (SDVOSB, 8(a)) reduce competition but still attract many bidders.