My civil engineering firm is drowning in bid alerts. We get fifty a day, easy, across SAM.gov, GSA eBuy, and a couple of state procurement portals. Most of them are for completely unrelated NAICS codes, like landscaping or janitorial services, or for projects on the wrong side of the country. We specialize in federal and state civil engineering, mostly bridges and roads, with a preference for 8(a) set-asides. The problem is we're worried about filtering too aggressively and missing a good opportunity. We use our NAICS code 237310, Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction, but that still brings in a lot of garbage. We've tried adding keywords like "bridge" and "highway" but it doesn't seem to narrow it down enough. What are your best strategies for setting up filters for bid alert emails so you only see the real opportunities?
How do you filter the junk out of bid alert emails without missing the real ones?
Ask a question- Your firm should refine your search parameters by reviewing the Product Service Codes (PSCs) and keywords used in the actual solicitations you are receiving, not just the award data.
- While Nadia's advice to look at PSCs on past awards is good, the PSC and NAICS code on the solicitation itself are what the contracting officer selects and what will trigger your alerts.
- Sometimes a contracting office
2 answers
Your firm should refine your search parameters by reviewing the Product Service Codes (PSCs) and keywords used in the actual solicitations you are receiving, not just the award data. While Nadia's advice to look at PSCs on past awards is good, the PSC and NAICS code on the solicitation itself are what the contracting officer selects and what will trigger your alerts. Sometimes a contracting officer might use a broader PSC or NAICS code for a solicitation than what ends up on the final award. Always check the solicitation document to see what codes the contracting officer actually used for that specific opportunity. This will help you identify additional codes or keywords to include or exclude in your filters for future alerts. For federal opportunities, ensure your filters specifically target 8(a) set-asides in SAM.gov and GSA eBuy, which will reduce the volume of irrelevant alerts.
To filter bid alert emails effectively, focus on refining your search criteria beyond just NAICS codes, leveraging Product Service Codes (PSCs) and precise keywords, and setting up geographical filters where available.
First, use your primary NAICS code (237310, Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction) but also explore relevant PSC codes. For civil engineering, PSCs like C211 (Highway and Road Construction), C212 (Bridge Construction), or other C-series codes related to engineering and construction services can be more specific than NAICS. PSCs are a four-character value in SAM.gov contract award data. Look at the PSCs on past awards for your competitors or similar projects using the contract award data available through SAM.gov or USAspending.
Next, use a combination of required keywords and exclusion keywords. For example, include "bridge" and "highway" as primary keywords. Exclude terms like "landscaping," "janitorial," "HVAC," or other services that are completely outside your scope. Many platforms allow you to specify keywords that *must* be present or *must not* be present. Also, ensure your search is limited to the states or regions where you are willing to work. Most state procurement portals and SAM.gov offer geographical filtering options. For federal opportunities, specifically target set-aside opportunities for the 8(a) Business Development Program. This will significantly narrow down the volume and relevance of alerts.