Finding opportunities
Finding the right government opportunities doesn't have to mean searching through dozens of websites every day. GovTribe brings federal, state, and local opportunities together and gives you a few different ways to find work that fits your business.
Whether you want to ask AI, explore opportunities yourself, or get alerts when new matches appear, this guide will help you get started. We'll also touch on how to find potential future opportunities before they're posted.
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01 / GovTribe AI
Ask AI to find opportunities for you
One of the easiest ways to start is by telling GovTribe AI what kind of work you're looking for. It can help you research relevant opportunities, compare potential matches, and understand why a contract might be a good fit.
You can be as specific as you'd like. Tell AI about your company's services, the agencies or locations you're interested in, and any requirements that matter to you.
How to get started
Open GovTribe AI → New Chat, describe the opportunities you're looking for, and send your message. You can ask follow-up questions to narrow the results or learn more about a specific opportunity.
Try asking something like...
Federal opportunities
"Find federal IT support opportunities with upcoming deadlines that could be a good fit for a small business."
State and local opportunities
"Help me find state and local opportunities for facilities maintenance in Texas and nearby states."
Tip: If you find something interesting, ask AI to explain the requirements, summarize key dates, or help you evaluate whether it's worth pursuing.
GovTribe AI chats use credits. You can manage your usage and learn more in our guide to GovTribe credits.
02 / Search
Explore opportunities yourself
Prefer to search on your own? GovTribe lets you explore federal and state and local opportunities, then narrow the results by things like keywords, location, agency, category, and due date.
Federal
Federal Contract Opportunities
Find federal solicitations, sources sought notices, requests for information, and other contracting opportunities.
Useful filters: Federal Agency, NAICS Category, Set Aside, Due Date, and Place of Performance.
State and local
State and Local Contract Opportunities
Find bids from state agencies, cities, counties, schools, and other public-sector buyers.
Useful filters: State, Jurisdiction, NIGP Category, Posted Date, and Due Date.
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Opportunities → Federal Contract Opportunities → Add Filter
How to search
1
Choose where to search. Go to Opportunities → Federal Contract Opportunities or State and Local Contract Opportunities.
2
Enter a search. Use keywords, a known solicitation number, or a description of the work. Add filters to narrow the results to your market.
3
Review your matches. Open an opportunity to check the buyer, requirements, documents, and due date. If it's worth tracking, select Create Pursuit to bring it into your capture work.
Keyword search or semantic search?
Keyword search is useful when you know specific terms, agency language, or solicitation numbers.
Semantic search is helpful when you want to describe the work in everyday language and find relevant results that may use different wording.
Tip: Not sure what to look for? Start with Explore in the sidebar to browse recommended and popular federal, state, and local opportunities.
03 / Saved searches
Get alerts instead of searching every day
Once you've found a search that works for you, save it. GovTribe can keep track of matching opportunities and email you when results change, so you don't have to run the same search over and over.
Saved searches work with federal and state and local opportunities. You can save your keywords and filters, give the search a name, and choose how often you'd like alerts.
Set up your first saved search
1
Build your search. Open the federal or state and local opportunities page, enter your keywords, and apply the filters you want to keep.
2
Select Save This Search. Give it a name you can recognize later, like "Federal cybersecurity opportunities" or "Texas facilities bids."
3
Turn on email alerts. Choose your alert frequency, then select Save.
Or try the Saved Search Wizard
Want a little guidance? On the Federal Contract Opportunities search page, select Saved Search Wizard and describe the work you're looking for in your own words. GovTribe suggests searches based on your description.
Preview the matches, refine the criteria, then save your search and set up email alerts. It's an easy option if you're not sure which keywords or filters to use.
Another way to get started
Ask GovTribe AI to set up your alerts
You can also set up a saved search by chatting with GovTribe AI. Tell it what kind of opportunities you want to track, which filters matter, and how often you'd like email updates. GovTribe AI can help create the saved search and configure its alerts for you.
Try asking
“Create a saved search for federal cybersecurity contracts set aside for small businesses, and send me a daily email when the results change.”
Review the search criteria and alert frequency with AI to make sure they match what you need.
Choose the frequency that works for you
Instant Daily Weekly
GovTribe sends alerts when your saved search has changes to report. You can change the frequency or turn emails off later without deleting the search.
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Save a search, get alerts at your preferred cadence
Where to find your saved searches
Open Capture → Saved Searches to see all the searches you've saved. Select a search to see current results, or use Edit to update its name and email settings.
Tip: Set up a few focused saved searches for the agencies, services, or locations you care about most. It's often easier to review those alerts than one very broad search.
04 / Looking ahead
Find potential opportunities before they're posted
Not every opportunity starts with an open solicitation. You can also use GovTribe to research what agencies are planning to buy and which existing contracts might lead to future work.
Early signals
Federal forecasts
See work agencies expect to buy before a solicitation is released. Search by agency, category, or estimated solicitation date.
Recompete research
Contract awards
Look at what agencies have bought before, who won the work, and when contracts may end. This can help you spot possible follow-on opportunities.
You can also ask GovTribe AI to help identify expiring contracts and research potential recompetes.
Keep in mind: A forecast is an early planning signal, and an expiring award doesn't always mean a new solicitation is coming. Use them to guide your research, not as confirmed opportunities.
A few tips before you dive in
✓
Start with what your business does best. Search for the services, buyers, and locations that actually fit your capabilities.
✓
Save searches that work. Set up alerts for your most useful searches so new opportunities can come to you.
✓
Check the original notice. Before acting, review deadlines, requirements, amendments, and source documents—especially for state and local bids.
Questions?
Chat with our AI user guide for quick answers, or explore more guides to get the most out of GovTribe.
Chatting with our AI user guide is free and does not use any credits.