Government Contracts for Manufacturing Companies: How to Find & Win Bids

TL;DR: The Department of Defense spent $440.7 billion on contracts in FY2023, with roughly half going to supplies and equipment. Buy American domestic content requirements are tightening — 65% in 2026, rising to 75% by 2029 — giving domestic manufacturers a growing edge. Browse manufacturing tenders to see what's open now.

The US federal government is the single largest buyer of manufactured goods in the world. Nearly half of all federal purchasing goes toward manufactured products — from vehicle parts and medical supplies to electronics and construction materials.

For manufacturing companies, government contracts offer something the private sector often can't: multi-year agreements, predictable payment schedules, and massive order volumes. The barriers to entry are real, but they're lower than most manufacturers think.

Why manufacturers should bid on government contracts

Three trends are working in favor of domestic manufacturers right now.

Buy American rules are getting stricter. The domestic content threshold for manufactured products rose to 65% in 2026 and will hit 75% by 2029. Foreign competitors face increasing hurdles. If your products are made in the US, you have a structural advantage that grows every year.

Defense spending is stable. The DoD's FY2023 contract spending totaled $440.7 billion — approximately 1.61% of GDP. About 50% went to supplies and equipment, 37% to services, 10% to R&D, and 3% to construction. Defense budgets have been stable or growing for a decade.

Small business goals create set-aside opportunities. The government must award at least 23% of federal contract dollars to small businesses. Manufacturing companies — especially those in HUBZone areas — have access to contracts reserved specifically for them.

Buy American Act: what manufacturers need to know

The Buy American Act (BAA) requires federal agencies to prefer domestic products. Here's what's changed:

"Domestic content" means the cost of US-made components must exceed the threshold percentage of total component costs. For products containing iron or steel, the rules are stricter: foreign iron and steel must be less than 5% of component costs, and all manufacturing processes from initial melting through coating must occur in the US.

The Made in America Office at the White House reviews waiver requests when agencies want to buy foreign products. Waivers are public and getting harder to obtain. This is good news if you manufacture domestically — agencies increasingly need you.

The Berry Amendment: textiles, food, and specialty metals

If you manufacture textiles, clothing, food, footwear, hand tools, or measuring tools, the Berry Amendment adds requirements beyond the Buy American Act. It applies specifically to DoD purchases and requires that covered items be entirely domestic — not just majority domestic.

The Berry Amendment covers:

• Textiles and clothing — all fiber, yarn, and fabric must be US-sourced
• Food — grown, processed, or manufactured in the US
• Footwear — entirely domestic production
• Specialty metals — melted or produced in the US
• Hand and measuring tools — domestically manufactured

Exceptions exist for items unavailable domestically, purchases under $150,000, and emergency/contingency operations. But for most DoD textile and food contracts, Berry Amendment compliance is mandatory.

Key NAICS codes for manufacturing

Your NAICS code determines which contracts you're eligible to bid on and your small business size standard. Here are the top manufacturing NAICS codes in federal contracting:

If you're unsure which NAICS codes apply to your products, the SBA's size standards table lists every code with its employee or revenue threshold.

Top government buyers of manufactured goods

The DoD is by far the largest buyer. Within DoD, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) handles most consumable supplies — clothing, food, fuel, construction materials, medical supplies. DLA is often the best entry point for small manufacturers because they buy high volumes of standard products.

Types of manufacturing contracts

Production contracts — fixed quantities of finished goods delivered on a schedule. These are the bread-and-butter contracts for manufacturers. Pricing is usually firm-fixed-price.

Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) — the government establishes minimum and maximum quantities over a contract period (typically 5 years). You deliver as orders come in. IDIQs provide steady revenue but require production flexibility.

Maintenance and repair — keeping existing government equipment running. If you manufacture parts for vehicles, aircraft, or equipment, maintenance contracts can be as valuable as new production.

SBIR/STTR for manufacturing innovation — Phase I grants up to $314,363 fund R&D for new manufacturing processes, materials, or products. Phase II awards fund prototyping and production scaling. If you're developing a novel manufacturing capability, SBIR is non-dilutive funding.

Certifications that give manufacturers an edge

Beyond standard small business set-asides, manufacturers should consider:

HUBZone certification. If your factory is located in a Historically Underutilized Business Zone, you qualify for contracts set aside for HUBZone firms (3% federal goal). Manufacturing is one of the few industries where your physical location directly determines eligibility — and many industrial areas qualify.

ISO 9001 / AS9100. Not legally required for most contracts, but increasingly expected. DoD contracts for aerospace manufacturing almost always require AS9100 certification. ISO 9001 for quality management demonstrates you have production controls in place.

ITAR registration. If you manufacture defense articles or provide defense services, you must register with the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls. ITAR registration is mandatory before bidding on many DoD manufacturing contracts.

How to find manufacturing RFPs

1. Register on SAM.gov with your manufacturing NAICS codes (31-33 series)
2. Search for solicitations filtered by your NAICS code, state, and contract value
3. Sign up for GovBid alerts — get manufacturing contracts matched to your capabilities daily
4. Contact DLA directly — the Defense Logistics Agency actively seeks new small business suppliers for standard products
5. Register on state portals — California, Texas, and Pennsylvania all have significant state manufacturing procurement
6. Attend industry days — agencies host pre-solicitation events where they explain upcoming contracts and meet potential bidders

The bottom line

Manufacturing is the largest federal procurement category by dollar volume, and domestic content requirements are tightening in your favor. Start with your SAM.gov registration, identify the right NAICS codes, and target simplified acquisitions or DLA contracts for your first win. The government needs what you make — the question is whether you're registered and visible when they search for suppliers.

Further reading

• Understanding NAICS Codes — Find the right manufacturing codes
• Government Set-Aside Contracts — HUBZone and small business programs
• How to Bid on Your First Contract — Step-by-step bidding guide
• How to Write a Winning Proposal — Proposal structure and evaluation criteria