Scientific and technical consulting services including cybersecurity and emerging technology advisory. Find active federal and state scientific and technical consulting services contracts — AI-scored against your profile across SAM.gov and 200+ portals.
Annual federal spend under NAICS 541690 exceeds $2 billion, driven by cybersecurity, AI, and emerging tech advisory needs. DHS, DoD, and CISA are top buyers. Contracts are predominantly structured as IDIQs and BPAs, with many task orders under GSA MAS, 8(a) STARS III, and SEWP. Competition is intense, with hundreds of small businesses vying for set-aside opportunities. Demand spikes during technology modernization initiatives and after major security incidents.
These agencies are the largest buyers of scientific and technical consulting services services and products in the federal government. Each awards contracts under NAICS 541690 regularly — build relationships with their small business offices first.
To win, target 8(a) and SDVOSB set-asides, which are common for this code. The highest-leverage move is to secure a prime position on a GSA MAS contract for SIN 541690 (Scientific and Technical Consulting) and then pursue task orders under agency-specific IDIQs. Invest in past performance narratives that highlight direct advisory to federal clients on cybersecurity or emerging tech. Avoid generic proposals; tailor each submission to the specific solicitation's evaluation criteria.
Work is bought via best-value tradeoff, with technical and past performance heavily weighted. Common vehicles include GSA MAS (SIN 541690), SEWP V, 8(a) STARS III, and agency-specific IDIQs like DHS EAGLE II or DoD's J6. Evaluation often emphasizes understanding of emerging tech and cybersecurity frameworks.
No mandatory certification, but relevant professional credentials (e.g., CISSP, PMP, AWS Certified Solutions Architect) strengthen proposals. Some task orders may require personnel with specific certifications.
Award sizes vary widely, from $50,000 for short-term studies to $10 million+ for multi-year advisory support. The median task order is around $500,000 to $1 million.
Yes, many small businesses enter as subcontractors to gain experience. However, prime positions on set-aside contracts offer better margins and control.
Best-value tradeoff is most common, emphasizing technical approach and past performance over price. LPTA is used for well-defined, lower-risk consulting tasks.
Monitor agency-specific procurement portals (e.g., DHS Unison, DoD's DSIP) and engage with small business offices at target agencies. Many task orders are awarded via existing IDIQs not publicly advertised.