Performing physical, chemical, and other analytical testing services. Find active federal and state testing laboratories contracts — AI-scored against your profile across SAM.gov and 200+ portals.
Federal spending on testing laboratories (NAICS 541380) exceeds $1.5 billion annually, driven by FDA (food/device/drug testing), EPA (environmental sampling), DoD (munitions/materials testing), DOE (radiological analysis), and NIST (metrology). Contracts are predominantly IDIQs and BPAs under GSA Schedule 66 (Scientific Equipment and Services) or agency-specific vehicles like EPA's Analytical Services Program. Demand is steady due to regulatory mandates, but competition is high among over 2,000 registered firms. Small businesses win roughly 40% of set-aside dollars, though many contracts require ISO 17025 accreditation, creating a barrier to entry.
These agencies are the largest buyers of testing laboratories services and products in the federal government. Each awards contracts under NAICS 541380 regularly — build relationships with their small business offices first.
Winning in 541380 requires ISO 17025 accreditation for the specific test methods you propose—this is table stakes. The most common set-asides are 8(a) and HUBZone for environmental testing, and SDVOSB for DoD work. The single highest-leverage move is to get on GSA Schedule 66 (Special Item Number 66-6 for Testing Services) as a prime, which gives you access to agency BPAs and RFQs. Also, team with a large prime on an IDIQ to gain past performance in your niche (e.g., PFAS analysis).
Testing services are bought via LPTA for routine, well-defined tests, and best-value tradeoff for complex or innovative methods. Common vehicles include GSA Schedule 66 (SIN 66-6), SEWP V (for IT-related testing), 8(a) STARS III (for 8(a) firms), and agency-specific IDIQs like EPA's RE-Powering or DoD's ELITE. Evaluation emphasizes technical approach, past performance, and accreditation scope.
Yes, for most competitive contracts. Federal buyers typically require laboratories to be accredited to ISO 17025 by a recognized body (e.g., A2LA, NVLAP) for the specific test methods proposed. Without it, your proposal will be deemed non-responsive.
Award sizes vary widely. Task orders under IDIQs can range from $25,000 for a single sample analysis to $5 million for multi-year environmental monitoring programs. The median award for small businesses is around $300,000.
Bonding is rarely required for testing services because contracts are typically services-based with low performance risk. However, if the contract includes field sampling or construction-related testing (e.g., concrete testing), performance bonds may be needed for contracts over $150,000.
For environmental testing, EPA's National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP) is often required. For food testing, FDA's Laboratory Accreditation for Analyses of Foods (LAAF) program is increasingly important. For DoD, cybersecurity compliance (CMMC) may become a factor.
Highly competitive. Over 2,000 small businesses are registered under this NAICS code. However, set-asides (8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB) reduce competition. For example, 8(a) environmental testing RFQs often receive only 3-5 bids. Differentiating through niche capabilities (e.g., PFAS, radiochemistry) is key.