How Do You Get Started in Government Contracting with No Past Performance?
One of the biggest concerns new government contractors have is past performance. They hear that the government wants to see experience before awarding contracts, but they can't figure out how to get that experience if no one will give them a chance.
The good news is that this problem isn't as impossible as it seems. Once you understand what past performance really is and how it's evaluated, you'll realize there are several ways to position your business even if you've never worked on a government contract before.
What is the "chicken and the egg" problem with past performance?
Many contractors believe government contracting works like this: you need past performance to win a contract, but you need a contract to get past performance.
That belief keeps a lot of businesses from bidding at all.
The reality is that not every solicitation requires government past performance, and many contracting officers are simply looking for evidence that you can successfully perform the work. Those are two very different things.
If you wait until you think you have enough experience, you'll probably wait much longer than necessary.
How do you get started when you have no past performance?
The first step is understanding that every contractor starts somewhere.
If you've never performed work for the federal government, look at the experience your business already has. Commercial projects, state and local government work, private clients, subcontracting experience, and even work completed by key personnel may all help demonstrate your ability to perform, depending on the solicitation.
The key is selecting opportunities that match your current capabilities instead of chasing contracts that require qualifications you haven't built yet.
As your business wins work, you'll gradually build stronger past performance that opens the door to larger and more competitive opportunities.
Is there a difference between experience and past performance?
Yes, and understanding the difference can improve your proposals.
Experience refers to the knowledge and capabilities your company has developed over time.
Past performance is evidence that you've successfully completed similar work.
They often overlap, but they aren't always the same thing.
A company may have years of experience in an industry but very little documented past performance performing a specific type of contract. Likewise, a newer company may have limited operating history but employees with decades of relevant experience.
Understanding how a solicitation evaluates each factor helps you present the right information in your proposal.
How do you select the best past performance examples?
Don't simply list your biggest projects.
Choose projects that are the closest match to the work you're bidding.
Look for similarities in the scope of work, services provided, complexity, customer type, contract size, performance period, and responsibilities.
The easier you make it for the evaluator to connect your previous work to the current requirement, the stronger your proposal becomes.
Relevance almost always beats impressive numbers that have little to do with the solicitation.
What information should you include about your past projects?
Your goal isn't to tell the entire story of the project.
Focus on the information that helps the evaluator determine whether you've successfully performed similar work.
That usually includes the customer, the work performed, the period of performance, contract value when appropriate, your specific responsibilities, and the results you achieved.
Keep the description focused on what matters. The evaluator should quickly understand why the project is relevant to the opportunity you're pursuing.
Can you use past performance that isn't from government contracts?
Absolutely.
Many contractors assume only federal contracts count, but that's not always true.
Commercial customers, state agencies, local governments, nonprofit organizations, subcontracting work, and other relevant projects may all help demonstrate your ability to perform if the solicitation allows it.
Always read the solicitation carefully because every agency may evaluate past performance differently. Your job is to provide the strongest, most relevant examples that meet the evaluation criteria.
Final Thoughts
Past performance shouldn't stop you from pursuing government contracts.
Every successful contractor had to win their first contract at some point. The businesses that move forward are the ones that understand how to present their existing experience, choose opportunities that fit their capabilities, and build stronger past performance with every award.
The goal isn't to have the longest project history. It's to demonstrate that your business is capable of successfully performing the work you're proposing.
About Derek James
Derek James is the founder of GovKidMethod. By age 30, he had won 32 federal contracts worth more than $15 million. Since then, he's helped small businesses win more than $75 million in government contracts by teaching practical proposal writing, positioning, and bidding strategies that contractors can actually apply.
Ready to Go Further?
Reading about government contracting is one thing. Knowing exactly how to write winning proposals is another.
That's why I've made the first modules of my GovRFP Proposal Writing System available for free. They'll walk you through the foundation every contractor should understand before submitting bids. Access here: https://www.govkidmethod.com/govrfp