The General Services Administration recently released a new tool that could greatly aid small businesses with acquisition planning. The Forecast of Contracting Opportunities tool is a database that allows small businesses to more effectively search for upcoming opportunities, with the ability to filter by agency, contract award status, location, NAICS code, and contract value. The tool will also allow small business to search the projected solicitation release date of contracts by quarter.

According to the GSA, this tool was created to improve communication and transparency between small businesses and government and help small businesses more easily win contracts. Administrator Denise Turner Roth said, “This tool focuses on acquisition planning, making vendors aware of opportunities early in the acquisition process.”

In a video released by the GSA, Roth also said the GSA plans to add more features to the tool in the future, including the ability for receive notifications of new or changing requirements in upcoming contracts.

The tool currently includes contracting opportunities from six different agencies: the departments of Education, State, and Treasury, the GSA, SSA, and USAID. Roth also said that the GSA is working to add more agencies to this list.

Small businesses, have you used the Forecast Tool yet? Do you think this makes it easier for you to do business with the government? Let us know!