How to Sell to Defense Primes as a Subcontractor

Every defense subcontractor must start with an active SAM.gov registration. According to SAM.gov, a registration allows you to bid on government contracts and apply for federal assistance, and the system will assign you a Unique Entity ID. The process can take up to 10 business days to become active, so start before you contact any prime.

You do not need a separate CAGE code before beginning SAM.gov. According to the Defense Logistics Agency, a CAGE code is a unique identifier assigned to suppliers to various government or defense agencies, and it can be created through registering an entity in SAM.gov. This single step establishes both your entity record and your CAGE code.

Primes search supplier databases by NAICS code and small business status. According to Lockheed Martin's supplier guidance, you should include all NAICS codes that describe your capabilities and include your self-certified size according to the Small Business Administration's size standard. According to the Small Business Administration, the agency maintains a table of size standards that lists the size standard for each NAICS code.

Accurate classification determines whether you appear in small business set-aside searches. Large primes are required to meet subcontracting goals, and the Department of Defense Office of Small Business Programs reports that DoD's large prime suppliers subcontracted an additional $56.8 billion to small businesses in FY2024. Correct codes and size status make you visible to those sourcing teams.

Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification rules are in effect, though implementation is paused in Phase 1. According to the Department of Defense Chief Information Officer, the first phase of CMMC implementation began on November 10, 2025, and Phase II originally scheduled for November 10, 2026 was suspended on July 13, 2026. All Phase 1 self-assessment requirements remain firmly in place.

Phase 1 has two levels. According to the DoD CIO, Level 1 requires an annual self-assessment and annual affirmation of compliance with the 15 security requirements in FAR clause 52.204-21. Level 2 requires a self-assessment against the 110 security requirements in NIST SP 800-171 Revision 2, with results entered in SPRS.

The defense industrial base is large. According to the DoD CMMC Program final rule published in the Federal Register, the DIB sector consists of over 220,000 companies that process, store, or transmit CUI or FCI in support of the warfighter. In Seqnced's view, having baseline cyber requirements in place before outreach removes an easy reason for a prime to pass.

Each major prime maintains its own supplier database. Lockheed Martin states that its Supplier Marketing Portal is the company's primary database for searching for suppliers when there is a procurement opportunity, and advises that you include all NAICS codes, quality certifications, clearances, and your self-certified size. Boeing directs prospective suppliers to register their company and review division terms at boeingsuppliers.com.

Northrop Grumman asks prospective suppliers to complete the Supplier Information Form to begin the review process, and notes that if there is interest you will receive an invitation to register on the SAP Ariba Network. RTX directs prospective suppliers to complete registration via the RTX potential supplier registration link at rtx.supplierone.co.

General Dynamics states that while registration is not mandatory, it does ask suppliers to register, and only one registration is needed for your company to have visibility to all General Dynamics business units. General Dynamics also states that it provides no guarantee that registrants will receive any monetary or contractual benefit. According to the Congressional Research Service, in FY2024 the top five companies received 30 percent of DoD contract obligations, with Lockheed Martin alone receiving $50.7 billion.

You do not have to navigate this alone. APEX Accelerators, managed by the DoD Office of Small Business Programs, offer no-cost guidance and support services. According to DoD OSBP program impact data for the year ending March 31, 2025, 92 APEX Accelerators served 26,232 new business clients and helped win contracts worth a total of $64.9 billion, with an average contract value of $118,231.

The DoD Mentor-Protege Program is another path. According to the DoD Office of Small Business Programs, it is the oldest continuously operating federal mentor-protege program in existence, and in the past five years it has successfully helped more than 190 small businesses fill unique niches and become part of the military's supply chain. The Department also expanded the footprint of small business participation in FY24 with an increase of $4.9 billion in contract awards to small businesses, according to DoD OSBP.

Portal registration makes you findable, but it does not start conversations. You still need to reach the program managers, buyers, and supply chain engineers who write requirements for specific divisions. Research the prime's current contract awards, then identify the relevant program office or commodity manager for your capability.

Your first message should reference a specific division need, your relevant NAICS codes, and any quality certifications or clearances that reduce their vendor risk. Keep it short. Follow up with a phone call after positive replies to qualify interest before any formal meeting.

If your team lacks time to map accounts, build contact lists, and manage outreach sequences, a managed outbound system can run this process for you. Seqnced builds and operates enterprise outbound systems for B2B companies in aerospace, defense, manufacturing, and industrials. Founder Remo Duzkale previously led a family-owned steel company in Washington, D.C. that secured Department of Defense and aviation work. Seqnced handles market mapping, account research, dedicated sending infrastructure, cold email, LinkedIn, warm calls after positive replies, reply qualification, pre-call nurture, and sales handoff.

The opportunity is measurable and growing. According to the DoD Office of Small Business Programs, DoD's large prime suppliers subcontracted an additional $56.8 billion to small businesses in FY2024. The Department also increased small business contract awards by $4.9 billion that year, earning an A on the FY24 Small Business Scorecard.

Government-wide demand for small suppliers is strong. According to the Congressional Research Service citing the SBA Government-wide FY2025 Small Business Procurement Scorecard, small businesses received 27.58 percent of prime contract dollars against a 23 percent goal. Primes need capable small suppliers to maintain their own contracting flow, which means a registered, compliant, and proactive firm has real room to win work.