What Is a Federal Subcontractor and How to Become One
A federal subcontractor is a company that performs part of a government contract under a prime contractor — the company that holds the contract directly with the federal government. The prime is responsible to the government for the whole job, so it carefully chooses the subcontractors it brings on.
How federal subcontracting works
The government awards the contract to a prime. The prime then awards subcontracts for portions of the work — a trade, a scope, a specialty. The subcontractor works for the prime, not directly for the government, but the government's rules still reach down through the subcontract.
What makes a subcontractor "vetted"
Primes vet subcontractors on more than price. They check registration, past performance, safety, and — critically — whether the subcontractor can handle the paperwork. A subcontractor who already understands forms like SF 1413, daily reports, and certified payroll is easier to hire and easier to keep.
How to become one
- Register correctly and keep your information current.
- Learn the labor-standard clauses and the paperwork they create.
- Master the daily reporting and certified payroll a prime will require.
- Treat the prime's compliance burden as your selling point — because it is.
That is exactly what Federal Sub Academy teaches, in order, in plain English.