Capability Statements for Software Companies: What to Include and How Buyers Use Them
What a federal capability statement is, what contracting officers look for on it, and how a software company writes one that matches its registration.
RESOURCES
Federal Market Intelligence
Guides for technology companies entering the federal market.
NAICS Codes for Software Companies: How to Choose, and What They Decide
Which NAICS codes fit a software or SaaS company, why each solicitation's code (not your own list) sets size eligibility, and how to check what buyers use.
Past Performance for Software Companies: CPARS, References and Building a Record
How federal buyers weigh past performance, why no record scores neutral, and how a software company builds one from commercial work and subcontracts.
Reading a Federal RFP: Sections L and M for Software Companies
How software companies read a federal RFP, what Sections L and M ask for, and how to build a compliant proposal around the evaluation criteria.
Sources Sought and RFIs for Software Companies: Why Answering Early Shapes the Contract
What sources sought notices and RFIs are, why agencies post them, and how a software company answers one so the later requirement fits what it sells.
Teaming and Subcontracting for Software Companies: Entering Federal Work Through a Prime
How software companies enter federal work as a subcontractor, reseller or teaming partner, what the agreements cover, and the rules that shape each role.
Section 508 and the VPAT for Software Companies: The Accessibility Report Federal Buyers Ask For
What Section 508 requires of software sold to federal agencies, what a VPAT and an Accessibility Conformance Report are, and how to write one buyers trust.
CMMC in 2026: Phase I In Force, Phase II Suspended — What Changes
Phase I is in force, Phase II is suspended — not cancelled — per memo 26-P-1023. What that means for ISVs selling into DoW programs in 2026.
The 2026 Federal Readiness Playbook for ISVs — Chapter 1: The 2026 Window
FedRAMP 20x opened Class A on August 3, 2026 and Class B and C on August 31. Why the prepared first cohort sets the benchmark latecomers are graded against.
The 2026 Federal Readiness Playbook for ISVs — Chapter 2: Readiness, Scored
The 100-point Federal Readiness Score: 12 categories, five tiers, computed from public federal data, with your own intake answers labelled self-reported.
The 2026 Federal Readiness Playbook for ISVs — Chapter 3: Verified vs. Self-Attested
Self-attested compliance is not verified compliance. The three states of a federal compliance claim, and why a SOC 2 Type II does not carry over.
The 2026 Federal Readiness Playbook for ISVs — Chapter 4: The DoW Compliance Calendar
CMMC Phase I is in force, Phase II is suspended — not cancelled — and DFARS 252.204-7012 remains in force. The DoW compliance calendar for ISVs.
The 2026 Federal Readiness Playbook for ISVs — Chapter 5: Your 90-Day Plan
Your readiness score read backward: sequence 90 days by leverage, fix the gating registration gaps first, then aim the final 30 at your FedRAMP 20x submission.
The 2026 Federal Readiness Playbook for ISVs — Chapter 6 (Appendix): The Six Federal Data Sources
The six public federal APIs behind a readiness score — SAM.gov, USASpending, FPDS, FedRAMP, GSA CALC+, SBIR — what each informs and how a gap is shown.
FedRAMP 20x Class A Is Open — Is Your Company Ready?
FedRAMP 20x Class A opened August 3, 2026. Ready is not a checkbox: what federal buyers actually verify, and why self-attested compliance is not verified.
FedRAMP 20x Class B and C Are Open — The Next Cohort's Move
The Class B and C FedRAMP 20x pipelines opened August 31, 2026. What a company deciding now should do with the precedent already set.
The SOC 2 to FedRAMP On-Ramp for ISVs
Your SOC 2 is real federal credit — but not a complete authorization. What carries over, what doesn't, and the plan to bridge the gap before you submit.
Verified vs. Self-Attested: What Federal Buyers Actually Check
Federal buyers distinguish three tiers of compliance: unverified assertions, self-attestation, and independent verification. Know which survives diligence.
Federal Contract Vehicles for Software Companies: GWACs, IDIQs, BPAs and Where to Start
How federal contract vehicles work for software companies: IDIQ structure, GWACs, SEWP, GSA Schedule BPAs, and how to pick a first route in.
SBIR and STTR for Software Companies: Funded R&D as a Federal Entry Point
How SBIR and STTR work for software companies: eligibility, the three phases, why Phase III matters, and how SBIR data rights protect your product.
Other Transaction Authority for Software Companies: A Route Around the FAR
How OTs work for software companies: the prototype conditions, why follow-on production matters, how consortia and CSOs work, and what an OT does not remove.
Small Business Set-Asides for Software Companies: 8(a), SDVOSB, HUBZone and WOSB
How federal set-asides work for software companies, what each SBA program requires, where venture-backed firms stop qualifying, and which status to pursue.
SAM.gov Registration for Software Companies: A Step-by-Step Guide
What a software company needs before SAM.gov registration, the order the steps happen in, which NAICS codes fit software, and the mistakes that cost weeks.
FedRAMP 20x Class A Pipeline: What Opens August 3 and Who Qualifies
The FedRAMP 20x Class A pipeline opens August 3, 2026. Who qualifies, the 7 required KSIs, the SOC 2 fast path, and the 2-year clock — from primary sources.
How to Estimate Your Federal Total Addressable Market as an ISV
Use USASpending.gov, SAM.gov, and NAICS codes to size your real federal TAM — not the $100B headline number, but the actual spend in your product category.
FedRAMP 20x: Timeline, Eligibility, and Cost for SaaS Companies (2026)
FedRAMP 20x replaces the old 12-24 month authorization process with machine-readable packages. Here's what SaaS companies need to know before Phase 3 opens.
GSA Schedule for SaaS Companies: Is It Worth It, How Long, and What Does It Cost?
GSA MAS is the most common federal entry point for SaaS companies. Eligibility, timeline, cost, and whether it's right for your stage — the honest breakdown.
How to Sell Software to the Federal Government: The Complete 2026 Guide for ISVs
A practical guide for ISVs entering the U.S. federal market — SAM.gov, compliance, contract vehicles, TAM sizing, and a 90-day action plan.