Atlanta Public Schools—Roofing replacement — three campuses·~$1.5M–$2M·DBE encouraged·CLOSES JUL 15GDOT—Sidewalk & ADA ramp installation·~$400K–$650K·Small business set-aside·CLOSES JUN 30City of Alpharetta—Municipal facility interior renovation·~$250K–$400K·EBO/SBO eligible·CLOSES JUL 8U.S. GSA—Federal building HVAC modernization·~$1M–$1.4M·8(a) set-aside·CLOSES AUG 1MARTA—Station concrete repair & waterproofing·~$600K–$900K·DBE goal 18%·CLOSES JUL 22Fulton County—Parks restroom & shelter construction·~$300K–$500K·Local small business·CLOSES JUL 12Rolling Opportunities — Updated Weekly · Members Get The Links
Atlanta Public Schools—Roofing replacement — three campuses·~$1.5M–$2M·DBE encouraged·CLOSES JUL 15GDOT—Sidewalk & ADA ramp installation·~$400K–$650K·Small business set-aside·CLOSES JUN 30City of Alpharetta—Municipal facility interior renovation·~$250K–$400K·EBO/SBO eligible·CLOSES JUL 8U.S. GSA—Federal building HVAC modernization·~$1M–$1.4M·8(a) set-aside·CLOSES AUG 1MARTA—Station concrete repair & waterproofing·~$600K–$900K·DBE goal 18%·CLOSES JUL 22Fulton County—Parks restroom & shelter construction·~$300K–$500K·Local small business·CLOSES JUL 12Rolling Opportunities — Updated Weekly · Members Get The Links
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Credit & Qualification

What actually decides whether you can bid.

2 pieces in this section

Did you knowThe U.S. federal government spends over $200 billion a year on construction — and 25% of that is set-aside for qualifying businesses.Did you knowThe Prompt Payment Act requires federal agencies to pay contractors within 30 days. Interest accrues automatically after that.Did you knowEvery state issues its own DBE certification. Some honor reciprocity. Most don't.Did you knowSection 3 has been federal law since 1968. Most people who qualify have never heard of it.Did you knowInvoice factoring doesn't appear on a credit report. It's not a loan.Did you knowThe SBA runs a bond guarantee program for contractors who can't get bonded conventionally. Most applicants never apply.
Did you knowThe U.S. federal government spends over $200 billion a year on construction — and 25% of that is set-aside for qualifying businesses.Did you knowThe Prompt Payment Act requires federal agencies to pay contractors within 30 days. Interest accrues automatically after that.Did you knowEvery state issues its own DBE certification. Some honor reciprocity. Most don't.Did you knowSection 3 has been federal law since 1968. Most people who qualify have never heard of it.Did you knowInvoice factoring doesn't appear on a credit report. It's not a loan.Did you knowThe SBA runs a bond guarantee program for contractors who can't get bonded conventionally. Most applicants never apply.
04

The Credit Score Myth in Public Contracting

"You need a 680 credit score to work in this industry." Some version of that sentence shows up in nearly every contracting guide written for new business owners.

It's not exactly wrong. It's just incomplete. There are entire categories of public contracts where credit score is never checked. There are bonding programs designed for contractors with limited credit history. There are set-aside programs where qualification has nothing to do with credit and everything to do with where you live, who you are, or what you've served.

The credit score gate is real for some doors. Not all of them. Most new contractors quit at the first locked door without realizing how many others are unlocked.

Want to know which public contracts skip the credit check and which set-asides have nothing to do with score? Members get the door list.
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06

The Bonding Wall Isn't What You Think

Most public construction contracts above a certain dollar amount require a bond. A bond is a financial guarantee from a third party (a surety) that the contractor will finish the job — and if they don't, the surety pays out.

The common belief: you need cash collateral, a 700+ credit score, and two years of profitable returns to get bonded. For most surety relationships, that's true.

What most contractors don't know: the U.S. Small Business Administration runs a bond guarantee program designed specifically for contractors who can't get bonded conventionally. The SBA backs the bond. The surety takes the deal. The contractor gets the work.

Most contractors who would qualify for the program never apply, because they don't know it exists.

Want to know how the SBA bond guarantee program actually works, what it costs, and how to use it? Members get the walkthrough.
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