Side by side
| Feature | SAM.gov | CapitolBids |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Free; a free account unlocks full access |
| Official source of record | Yes | No. A search layer over SAM.gov's public data |
| How fast new notices appear | As agencies publish them | From SAM.gov's daily public extract, so up to about a day later |
| Entity registration and UEI | Yes | No |
| Search federal contract opportunities | Yes | Yes |
| Filters for NAICS, PSC, set-aside, notice type, agency and place of performance | Yes | Yes |
| Solicitation attachments | Yes, on each notice | Not hosted; every notice links to its SAM.gov record |
| Buyer contact on the notice | Yes, as published | With a free account |
| Email notifications | Saved searches and followed notices (SAM.gov account) | Daily or weekly alert digests (free account) |
| Notice history | Active and archived notices | All active notices, plus archived notices from fiscal year 2026 |
| Award information | Award notices and contract award data (formerly FPDS) | Award notices, with USAspending.gov obligations in statistics |
| Browsable pages by NAICS code, state and agency | Search filters | Yes, a page for each |
| Supplier profiles built from award notices | Entity registration records instead | Yes |
| Bulk data | Public data extracts and APIs | CSV export of search results (free account) |
| State and local contracts | No | No |
What SAM.gov does
SAM.gov, the System for Award Management, is run by the General Services Administration. Federal agencies publish their contract opportunities there, from sources sought notices to award notices, together with solicitation attachments and amendments. It is also where businesses register to do business with the government and receive a Unique Entity ID, where contract award data formerly on FPDS.gov is searched, and where you can join a notice's interested vendors list.
Searching SAM.gov is free and needs no account. With a SAM.gov account you can save searches, get email notifications and follow individual notices for changes. If a contract exists and was publicized, it is on SAM.gov.
What CapitolBids adds
CapitolBids loads SAM.gov's public contract opportunities extract every day and arranges it for discovery and monitoring:
- Fast full-text search with filters for agency, NAICS code (including prefixes and sector ranges), product or service code, set-aside, notice type, state, value and deadline.
- Email alerts on the same criteria, delivered as a daily or weekly digest, with a free account.
- Browsable pages for every NAICS code, state and federal agency. Anyone can open them; a free account lists every notice instead of a preview.
- Award intelligence: a supplier directory built from award notices, and market statistics that use obligated amounts from USAspending.gov where contract numbers match.
- Working tools for account holders: saved searches, tracked contracts and CSV export.
What CapitolBids does not do
- It cannot register your business or issue a UEI.
- It does not host solicitation attachments; you download those from the notice on SAM.gov.
- It is not the official record, and it can be up to about a day behind SAM.gov.
- It covers federal opportunities only, not state or local government.
- It does not accept offers. You submit exactly as each solicitation instructs.
Which should you use?
Most businesses that sell to the government use both. You need SAM.gov to register, to read the full solicitation package and to check the official version of any notice before you submit. CapitolBids is useful if you want quicker searching across codes, set-asides and states, alerts that arrive as a digest, and context on agencies and past winners while you decide what to pursue.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Is CapitolBids part of SAM.gov or the government?
No. CapitolBids is an independent website. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by SAM.gov, the General Services Administration or any federal agency. It uses SAM.gov's public contract opportunities data, which is a US government work in the public domain.
Do I still need SAM.gov if I use CapitolBids?
Yes. You register your business and get your Unique Entity ID in SAM.gov, solicitation attachments and amendments are published there, and SAM.gov is the official record. CapitolBids is a way to find and follow opportunities; it does not replace registration or bidding.
Is the data on CapitolBids the same as on SAM.gov?
It comes from SAM.gov's public daily data extract, so the notices are the same, but CapitolBids can be up to about a day behind. If a deadline or detail matters, check the notice on SAM.gov, which every CapitolBids notice page links to.
What does a free CapitolBids account add?
Without an account you can browse notice pages, including the full description, and preview search results. A free account adds unlimited search, email alerts, saved searches, tracked contracts, CSV export, and the buyer contact and award details on each notice.
References
Official sources
- SAM.gov: Contract opportunities
- SAM.gov: Entity registration
- SAM.gov: Contract award data
- USAspending.gov
- Federal Service Desk (SAM.gov help)
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Federal acquisition rules and dollar thresholds change; the solicitation and the official sources above always take precedence.
Keep reading
Related guides
How to Win Federal Contracts
A step-by-step guide to winning US federal contracts: SAM.gov registration and UEI, NAICS codes, finding opportunities, reading a solicitation and proposals.
SAM.gov Notice Types
Sources sought, presolicitation, combined synopsis/solicitation, solicitation, special notice, justification and award notices: what each means and when to act.
Who Won a Federal Contract
Find out who won a federal contract and for how much, using SAM.gov award notices, contract award data, USAspending.gov and the contract's PIID.
Find your next federal contract
Search every active SAM.gov opportunity and get email alerts. Free, no card required.