ED is committed to providing all categories of small business an opportunity to participate in both prime and subcontracts, and aims to achieve educational excellence through strategic partnerships with small business and stakeholders.
OSDBU works with all program offices within ED to connect small businesses with contract opportunities, and serves as an educator and advocate for small business engagement with ED.
Key Roles
- Provides guidance and technical assistance to the small business community, such as:
- Procedures for doing business with ED and its prime contractors
- Marketing to ED program managers
- Conducts outreach to the business community and internal stakeholders
- Establishes strategic partnerships to support small business participation
- Provides training and technical support
- Establishes and monitors small business goals
Tips for finding contract opportunities with ED
Register with OSDBU
- Small businesses interested in contracting with ED should first register with OSDBU. This entails sending an introductory statement to our office email address (found on the Contact Us page). Alternatively, business representatives can introduce themselves and their companies to OSDBU staff directly at one of the many events we attend or host. After introductions, we may schedule a face-to-face meeting. Businesses should highlight their capabilities and any procurements of interest.
Research our Forecast of ED Contracting Opportunities and Active Contracts
- Each fiscal year, ED develops a Forecast of ED Contracting Opportunities, which lists all contracts that each program office plans to offer, contingent on the availability of funds. The forecast is intended to assist vendors in identifying and preparing for contract opportunities.
- Our Active Contracts list, found on our Contract Opportunities page, contains information on the work currently assigned to contractors at the Department. This list may be used in search of potential subcontracting and prime contracting opportunities (based on when a contract expires and may be recompeted).
- The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program at the U.S. Department of Education (ED) is administered out of its research office, the Institute of Education Sciences (IES).
Review Online Training Materials
- Doing Business with ED: A Primer for Small Businesses
- Learn about ED's forecast of federal contracting opportunities; hear about how OSDBU can assist small and disadvantaged businesses, and watch a demonstration of how you can register your small business in ED’s small business database in order to begin marketing your small business to ED.
Tips for finding contract opportunities with the U.S. Government
- Visit the GSA Acquisition Gateway
- The official online platform for government acquisition programs, policies, initiatives and tools that connects acquisition professionals and federal buyers with the information and resources to improve acquisition government-wide.
- Register with the System for Award Management (SAM.gov).
- On SAM.gov, find contract solicitations and information to bid on government contracts as well as data on current and previous federal awards.
Tips for building your business and working with the U.S. Government
- Locate your nearest Procurement Technical Assistance Center and develop a relationship with your Apex Accelerator.
- Identify your North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code and obtain a Unique Entity ID (UEI) Number.
- Consult with the Small Business Administration and check out the SBA Learning Center.
Every year, the Small Business Administration works with agencies to set their contracting and subcontracting goals; instructing certain federal agencies in how much of their contracting dollars should be awarded to small businesses. ED's small business contracting goals are based on estimated obligations of $2.5B. Below, find information about ED's FY 2026 small business contracting goals, as well as past goal performance.
FY 2026 Small Business Contracting Goals
| Category | Prime Contracts | Subcontracts |
|---|---|---|
| Small Business | 17.00%* | 34.37% |
| Women-Owned Small Business | 5% | 5% |
| Small Disadvantaged Business | 5% | 5% |
| Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business | 5% | 5% |
| HUBZone Business | 3% | 3% |
*Negotiating final goal with SBA
Top Spending Categories
- Professional Services ($2B+)
- Such as NAICS code 522390 - Other Activities Related to Credit Intermediation
- Information Technology ($400M+)
- Such as NAICS 541512 - Computer Systems Design Services
- Research and Development ($250M+)
- Such as NAICS 541720 - Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities
Past Performance: Small Business Procurement Scorecard
OSDBU is dedicated to providing an excellent customer service experience and meeting its statutory expectations. View our most recent SBA Small Business Procurement Scorecard to learn more about our past small business procurement performance.
FY 2024 Department of Education Small Business Procurement Scorecard
Phone and Email
- Telephone: (202) 245-6300
- Email: small.business@ed.gov
When contacting OSDBU, make sure to mention any particular procurements of interest. We typically respond to phone calls and emails within two business days. Our office does engage in one-on-one meetings with vendors, so feel free to highlight interest in this as well.
ED is committed to providing all categories of small business an opportunity to participate in both prime and subcontracts, and aims to achieve educational excellence through strategic partnerships with small business and stakeholders.
OSDBU works with all program offices within ED to connect small businesses with contract opportunities, and serves as an educator and advocate for small business engagement with ED.
Key Roles
- Provides guidance and technical assistance to the small business community, such as:
- Procedures for doing business with ED and its prime contractors
- Marketing to ED program managers
- Conducts outreach to the business community and internal stakeholders
- Establishes strategic partnerships to support small business participation
- Provides training and technical support
- Establishes and monitors small business goals
Tips for finding contract opportunities with ED
Register with OSDBU
- Small businesses interested in contracting with ED should first register with OSDBU. This entails sending an introductory statement to our office email address (found on the Contact Us page). Alternatively, business representatives can introduce themselves and their companies to OSDBU staff directly at one of the many events we attend or host. After introductions, we may schedule a face-to-face meeting. Businesses should highlight their capabilities and any procurements of interest.
Research our Forecast of ED Contracting Opportunities and Active Contracts
- Each fiscal year, ED develops a Forecast of ED Contracting Opportunities, which lists all contracts that each program office plans to offer, contingent on the availability of funds. The forecast is intended to assist vendors in identifying and preparing for contract opportunities.
- Our Active Contracts list, found on our Contract Opportunities page, contains information on the work currently assigned to contractors at the Department. This list may be used in search of potential subcontracting and prime contracting opportunities (based on when a contract expires and may be recompeted).
- The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program at the U.S. Department of Education (ED) is administered out of its research office, the Institute of Education Sciences (IES).
Review Online Training Materials
- Doing Business with ED: A Primer for Small Businesses
- Learn about ED's forecast of federal contracting opportunities; hear about how OSDBU can assist small and disadvantaged businesses, and watch a demonstration of how you can register your small business in ED’s small business database in order to begin marketing your small business to ED.
Tips for finding contract opportunities with the U.S. Government
- Visit the GSA Acquisition Gateway
- The official online platform for government acquisition programs, policies, initiatives and tools that connects acquisition professionals and federal buyers with the information and resources to improve acquisition government-wide.
- Register with the System for Award Management (SAM.gov).
- On SAM.gov, find contract solicitations and information to bid on government contracts as well as data on current and previous federal awards.
Tips for building your business and working with the U.S. Government
- Locate your nearest Procurement Technical Assistance Center and develop a relationship with your Apex Accelerator.
- Identify your North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code and obtain a Unique Entity ID (UEI) Number.
- Consult with the Small Business Administration and check out the SBA Learning Center.
Every year, the Small Business Administration works with agencies to set their contracting and subcontracting goals; instructing certain federal agencies in how much of their contracting dollars should be awarded to small businesses. ED's small business contracting goals are based on estimated obligations of $2.5B. Below, find information about ED's FY 2026 small business contracting goals, as well as past goal performance.
FY 2026 Small Business Contracting Goals
| Category | Prime Contracts | Subcontracts |
|---|---|---|
| Small Business | 17.00%* | 34.37% |
| Women-Owned Small Business | 5% | 5% |
| Small Disadvantaged Business | 5% | 5% |
| Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business | 5% | 5% |
| HUBZone Business | 3% | 3% |
*Negotiating final goal with SBA
Top Spending Categories
- Professional Services ($2B+)
- Such as NAICS code 522390 - Other Activities Related to Credit Intermediation
- Information Technology ($400M+)
- Such as NAICS 541512 - Computer Systems Design Services
- Research and Development ($250M+)
- Such as NAICS 541720 - Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities
Past Performance: Small Business Procurement Scorecard
OSDBU is dedicated to providing an excellent customer service experience and meeting its statutory expectations. View our most recent SBA Small Business Procurement Scorecard to learn more about our past small business procurement performance.
FY 2024 Department of Education Small Business Procurement Scorecard
Phone and Email
- Telephone: (202) 245-6300
- Email: small.business@ed.gov
When contacting OSDBU, make sure to mention any particular procurements of interest. We typically respond to phone calls and emails within two business days. Our office does engage in one-on-one meetings with vendors, so feel free to highlight interest in this as well.