Skills You'll Master in This Course
How federal agencies make purchasing decisions and who influences them
The difference between contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements
What SAM.gov is and why registration is your mandatory first step
How small business set-asides work and who qualifies
The role of NAICS codes in finding and winning federal contracts
How to identify which agencies buy what you offer
Key terminology every new government contractor must know
Your roadmap for moving from this free course to your first contract
What's Inside
Introduction to the Federal Marketplace
Overview of the $700B+ federal market, who participates, and why less than 1% of US businesses currently compete.
How Government Agencies Buy
The procurement lifecycle from agency need to contract award — what happens at each stage and who is involved.
Key Players in Federal Contracting
Contracting officers, program managers, small business specialists, and OSDBU offices — who they are and how to work with them.
Small Business Programs Overview
Set-asides, 8(a), WOSB, HUBZone, SDVOSB — a plain-English overview of the programs designed to help your business win.
Your First Steps
SAM.gov registration, NAICS codes, capability statements, and the specific next actions to take after completing this course.
Resources and Next Steps
Official government resources, ScaleUp USA Federal Business Accelerator program overview, and your personalized roadmap.
This Course Is Built For You If...
College Students
Exploring federal career and contracting opportunities before graduation.
Home-Based Businesses
Solo entrepreneurs looking to diversify into government revenue.
Startups & Entrepreneurs
First-time founders ready to access the world's largest buyer.
Small Business Owners
Established businesses looking to add federal contracts to their revenue mix.
Corporate Professionals
Employees looking to understand federal contracting for career growth.
International Firms
Global companies exploring US federal market entry strategies.
Learn from a Former Federal CIO
Nitin Pradhan — Founder, ScaleUp USA
Former US Federal CIO · Presidential Appointee · Federal Growth Advisor · Top-Rated Udemy Instructor with thousands of students trained globally. Nitin has held senior leadership roles across local, state, and federal government, and helped scale companies including Zoom and New Relic.
Read full bio →Ready to Start?
Join thousands of entrepreneurs and small businesses who have used ScaleUp USA's Federal Business Accelerator to win federal contracts.
- Full course access — free forever
- Downloadable resources and guides
- ScaleUp USA Substack articles
- Certificate of completion
- Access on mobile and desktop
- Full course access — free forever
- Downloadable resources and guides
- ScaleUp USA Substack articles and podcasts
- Certificate of completion
- Access on mobile and desktop
Other Courses in the Federal Business Accelerator
Start & Grow a Federal Business
to $100M federal contracting roadmap.
Winning Proposal Writing
Write proposals that win federal contracts.
Government Contractor Teaming
Win larger contracts through strategic partnerships.