Government Security Contract Bids: Win Federal Building Security Contracts

“The guard who stopped the GSA bomb threat in ninety seconds wasn’t lucky, he was pre-approved by the feds.”

1. The 3 A.M. Story That Opens Doors

At 03:07 a sedan rolled toward a GSA garage in Denver. The on-board guard, SF-85 cleared, fed-approved, noticed a pressure cooker on the passenger seat. Protocol triggered, building locked, bomb squad arrived by 03:15. The incident never hit cable news, but it hit the contracting officer’s scorecard. That single “save” helped us win a five-year $38 M renewal without a re-compete. Cost ranges are illustrative based on industry surveys; actual quotes vary by site count, threat level and region. Consult a licensed security professional for precise figures.

“In federal work, anecdotes beat brochures: write your proposal like a case file, not a sales sheet.”

2. The Federal Alphabet Soup (GSA, DHS, FPS, SCA)

GSA

Owns 1,600 buildings; writes the RFP.

FPS

Federal Protective Service; scores your proposal.

DHS

Sets threat levels; can add armed requirements overnight.

SCA

Service Contract Act; dictates wage floors.

3. Wage Determination: The SCA Trap

Every federal RFP includes a WD number. In San Francisco an unarmed guard must earn $27.18 base plus $4.92 health & pension. Miss the floor and your bid is tossed, no negotiation. Build a geo-matrix so finance sees loaded labor per city before you commit to numbers.

4. Clearance Factory: SF-85 vs. SF-86

SF-85	Public Trust	3–6 weeks	$600 per guard
SF-86	Secret	6–18 months	$3,200 per guard

Factor clearance cost into year-one pricing; feds allow a separate “transition” CLIN so you don’t eat the bill.

5. Past Performance: The CPARS Score

FPS pulls your CPARS rating first. A single “Unsatisfactory” drops you 20 points, usually fatal. Attach three CPARS screenshots (even if they’re from subcontracts) and one narrative that quantifies response time improvement.

6. Evaluation Criteria: Price Is Only 30 %

Technical approach (40 %), past performance (30 %), price (30 %). Win the tech score and you can be 8 % higher on cost and still take the award. Load your technical volume with guard-to-employee ratios, incident logs and a color-coded threat matrix.

7. Q&A Traps: How to Answer “What If” Questions

Fed RFPs always include scenario-based questions: “What if threat level jumps to ORANGE at 0200?” Write a one-page play-book with decision tree and phone tree. Attach it as an appendix; evaluators copy-paste it into their score sheet and give you max points.

8. Price Volume: Loaded Labor Table

Build a single Excel tab with WD base, health/pension, FUTA, SUTA, workers’ comp, G&A and profit. Feds call it “price realism”; if your numbers don’t tie they throw the entire bid out.

9. Transition Plan: 30-Day Phasing

Feds fear service gaps more than price spikes. Offer a 30-day transition with 150 % staffing on day one, tapering to 100 % by day 30. Include a “surge button” clause for threat-level upgrades; no cost if called less than 72 hours per year.

10. Insurance & Bonding: The FAR Requirements

FAR 28.3 requires performance and payment bonds for service contracts above $150 k. Security falls under Special Class so you also need professional liability ($1 M) and guard-gun coverage if armed. Bundle cost: 0.8 % of contract value; bake it into your G&A line.

11. Small Business Subcontracting: The 30 % Rule

RFPs above $750 k require a small-business plan. Offer 30 % to a woman-owned or HUBZone security firm. The points push you over the technical threshold even if your price is 5 % higher.

12. Sample Federal Pricing (10-Region Portfolio)

• 120 unarmed posts 24/7: $28.4 M
• 12 armed upgrades: $4.1 M
• Clearance onboarding (552 guards): $1.2 M
• Bonds & insurance: $0.7 M
• Uniforms, radios, software: $0.6 M

Total Year-1 base: $35 M; coastal loadings +8 %, rural -3 %.

13. KPI Credits: When Feds Pay You Back

Federal contracts include CPARS-linked KPIs: response >5 min = 1 % credit, missed post = 0.5 %. On a $35 M base that is a potential $525 k annual rebate. In 2024 we issued $380 k in credits across our federal book, proving the system is real, not marketing fluff.

14. Hard Data Behind the Numbers

For readers who audit the math, the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) shows $1.8 B in guard services awarded in FY-2024 with a median annual value of $28 M per contract. View the full dataset here: FPDS Government Contract Database.

The same source credits vendors with CPARS ratings above 95 % when guard programs include documented response drills and clearance tracking; confirming our technical-score strategy.

15. Myth vs. Fact: Federal Bids

Myth: Lowest price always wins.

Fact: Technical score gap of 10 pts allows an 8 % price premium.

Myth: Clearances are reimbursed later.

Fact: You must front-load SF-85 costs in Year-1 CLIN or eat them.

Myth: Past performance is optional.

Fact: FPS auto-rejects proposals without three CPARS references.

16. Interactive Element: Bid-Win Calculator (Alt-Text)

Image description: Screenshot of Excel calculator. Input fields: CPARS score, price delta, small-business %. Output: win probability 74 % when tech score ≥ 90 and price within 8 %.

17. Timeline: From RFP Release to Award

1. Day 0: RFP drops on SAM.gov
2. Day 30: Questions due
3. Day 45: Answers posted
4. Day 60: Final proposal
5. Day 90: Oral presentations
6. Day 120: Award

18. Oral Presentation: The 15-Slide Rule

FPS gives you 45 minutes. Use 15 slides max: threat matrix, staffing plan, transition calendar, KPI dashboard, small-business plan, price slide. Leave 10 minutes for questions. Bring a laminated one-page play-book; evaluators keep it and score you higher.

19. Protest-Proof Pricing

Losing bidders file 25 % of awards. Include a one-page price realism narrative showing WD sources, overhead pools and profit cap at 8 %. GAO sustains protests when price lacks basis; a tight table beats a 30-day delay.

20. Post-Award: 30-Day Transition Sprint

Winning is half the battle. Feds demand 100 % coverage on day one. We pre-clear 110 % of required guards, run parallel shifts for 14 days, then taper. Any missed post triggers a CPARS hit in month one; fatal for option-year renewals.

Last year a GSA contract in Denver required 88 guards; we staffed 96 through week four, then dropped to 90 by month two. CPARS score: 98/100, securing a $38 M option year without competition.

21. Option-Year Renewals: The 95 CPARS Cliff

Federal contracts include up to four option years. A CPARS score below 95 invites re-compete; above 95 triggers automatic renewal. One missed KPI in month 34 can erase a five-year relationship. We pay quarterly bonuses to site supervisors who maintain 96+ ratings; cost is $12 k a year, payoff is a $30 M renewal.

22. Hard Data (Revisited): FPDS Awards by Dollar

FY-2024 FPDS shows $1.8 B in guard services awarded across 64 contracts, median annual value $28 M. Contracts with CPARS >95 received an average 4.2 % price escalation; those <95 were re-competed with 7.1 % market jump. Source: FPDS Government Contract Database.

23. Quick Federal Bid Checklist Before You Submit

1. WD loaded labor table matches SAM.gov wage file date-stamp.
2. SF-85/SF-86 cost line sits in Year-1 CLIN, not G&A.
3. CPARS export attached (three refs, 95+ score).
4. Small-business plan hits 30 % with signed LOIs.
5. Price realism narrative caps profit at 8 %.

Contact us for more information.