Every October, small businesses that sell goods and services to the federal government are met with a fresh wave of opportunities that comes with the new federal fiscal year. To help those businesses Deltek identifies and assesses the top 10 small business federal contract opportunities each year.
This year we are pleased to highlight the Top Set-Aside Federal Opportunities for FY 2025, our latest edition of the annual series of reports and webinars highlighting the biggest small business federal government contract opportunities over the 2025 fiscal year.
Top Opportunities for All Businesses in Federal Contracting
Deltek’s research on this year’s Top Opportunities included a series of webinars and reports in four categories: The Top 20 Unrestricted Federal Opportunities, the Top 10 Federal Set-Aside Opportunities, the Top 10 Professional Services Opportunities, and the Top 10 Federal AEC Opportunities. Each webinar also has a corresponding report with more insights.
Here, we focus on small business set-aside opportunities. These unrestricted federal opportunities are open to contractors fitting into a certain category of business. They consist of prime contract opportunities from a range of agencies and industry segments, and each opportunity can carry valuations of up to billions of dollars.
The Big Picture of Small Business Contracting
Here are three major takeaways from our research into set-aside contracting for 2025.
- Increased Contract Spending: Our Top Opportunities report indicates a significant increase in federal contract spending for FY 2025, particularly for small businesses. This trend suggests a robust market with ample opportunities for small and disadvantaged businesses to secure lucrative contracts.
- Key Policy Changes: There are several important policy changes impacting federal set-aside contracts. These changes are designed to streamline the procurement process and make it easier for small businesses to compete. Additionally, the new administration is expected to enact more policy changes as 2025 goes on, so understanding these policy shifts will remain crucial for small businesses looking to navigate the federal contracting landscape effectively.
- Top Opportunities Identified: Our research has identified the top 10 federal set-aside opportunities for FY 2025, providing detailed insights into each opportunity. This includes information on the expected contract value, the agencies involved, and the specific requirements for each contract. These insights both can serve as a bellwether for where the market is headed and can help businesses prioritize their efforts and focus on the most promising opportunities.
Top Set-Aside Federal Opportunities for Contractors in FY 2025
Our Federal Research team has put together a series of reports that highlight the best federal contracting opportunities for small businesses each year. To do so we've used Deltek’s GovWin IQ solution, which monitors government contracts in the U.S. and Canada, and our team of experts has carefully reviewed each opportunity.
The top 10 opportunities we've listed in the full report have estimated solicitation dates in FY 2025 and were chosen based on their total expected contract value or anticipated ceiling value. These contracts are expected to play a big role in the federal government contracting scene in the near future.
These were the top three opportunities, in terms of dollar value, that our research uncovered.
Air Education Training Command Base Operations Support Multiple Award Contract (AETC BOS MAC)
Under this opportunity offered by the Air Force, the contractor shall provide comprehensive base operations and site-specific mission support services at individual Air Force Bases under the Air Education Training Command (AETC). Individual task orders will have unique combinations of requirements in order to fulfill the BOS needs for the particular base.
Regional Multiple Award Construction Contracts III (RMACC III)
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS)’s United States Coast Guard (USCG) is conducting a follow-on to its popular RMACC vehicle. The Design-Build/Design-Bid-Build (DB/DBB) IDIQ is now valued at $4 billion – up from the initial estimate of $1.3 billion at the time of the webinar. The previous competition was exclusive to 8(a), HUBZone and SDVOSB contractors and RMACC III will likely use the same exclusivity, though it may expand to include other small business types, based on market research. A solicitation is currently expected early in Q3 FY 2025.
Special Operations Forces Global Services Delivery (SOFGSD)
The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) is competing its requirement for Global Services Delivery for its Special Operations Forces (SOF GSD). The solicitation was originally expected in November but was pushed to the right. An Industry Day is planned for March 2025 and a draft solicitation will be issued prior to the final solicitation. Key requirements for this $3.2 billion opportunity all fall in the Professional Services industry: education and training services, management support services, program management, engineering, technical and professional services, and administrative and other services.
Interested in learning more about these and each of the top set-aside opportunities for the current fiscal year? Just click the link below to download the report.
Free Report
Small Business Wins Start Here
Get expert analysis from GovWin on FY 2026's top 10 small business set-asides, including selection methodology updates and agency-level trends.
