Scout (Free) — User Guide

The free plan is a complete opportunity-discovery workflow: find what you're eligible for, keep your profile saved, and track up to 5 pursuits.

1. Set up your profile

1. Sign in and open the Dashboard.
2. Enter your 5-character CAGE code and click Look up. GovScout pulls your legal name, UEI, registration status, address, and SBA certifications straight from SAM.gov, and pre-fills your top NAICS codes.
3. Adjust the NAICS codes field if you want to search different codes — comma-separated, e.g. 541519,236220.
4. Click the set-aside chips that apply to you (8(a), WOSB, HUBZone, SDVOSB…). Only pick ones you're certified for — they filter to notices you're eligible to win.
5. Click Save profile. Next time you sign in, everything loads automatically.
6. Once your CAGE is saved, a SAM registration status strip appears at the top of the dashboard: green (more than 60 days to expiry), amber (60 days or less), red (10 days or less, or lapsed), with the exact expiration date. Pro adds email alerts at 60 / 30 / 10 days and on lapse.

No CAGE code yet? You can still search — just type NAICS codes manually.

1b. Your public company profile

GovScout publishes a public profile page for small businesses with recent set-aside awards — award history, socio-economic status, CAGE, and SAM registration expiry, built from public FPDS and SAM.gov records. Browse the contractor directory to see yours (and your competitors'). Creating a free account and saving your CAGE is how you "claim" it — you get the live SAM status banner, matched opportunities, and corrections priority. Wrong or unwanted data on a profile? Email support@usegovscout.com.

2. Search opportunities

• Results come live from SAM.gov and are sorted by response deadline — the most urgent first.
• Expired notices are hidden by default. Tick "Include expired notices" to see them — useful for researching which agencies buy what you sell and what may re-compete.
• Watch for Sources Sought notices: responding to those early is how small firms get requirements shaped — and set aside — in their favor.
• Once results show, use the keyword box to narrow them instantly and the state dropdown to re-run the search by SAM.gov place of performance (notices without one on record are excluded).
• Incumbent intel on each result (Pro) shows who holds the work today, for how much, until when, and whether it was set aside — from FPDS award records.
• Click any title to open the full notice on SAM.gov in a new tab.

3. Track pursuits (up to 5)

• Click the ★ on any result to add it to your saved list.
• Saved opportunities show their agency and deadline at a glance, above your results.
• The free plan holds 5 saved opportunities. When you hit the cap, remove one (✕) or upgrade to Pro for unlimited tracking.

4. State & local portals

• The State & local portals section shows procurement sites for your state (detected from your SAM registration — switch states with the dropdown).
• My portals: add your own links (your city or county's bid page) — they're private to your account.
• Know a good portal we're missing? Tick "Suggest this link for the public directory" when adding it and we'll review it for everyone.

5. Draft your capability statement

Cap Statement in the nav opens the builder, pre-filled from your SAM profile. On the free plan you can draft and preview; saving and PDF export are Pro features.

Free plan limits at a glance

• Unlimited opportunity searches (signed in)
• CAGE profile lookup included
• 5 saved opportunities
• State & local directory + private portal links