Government Security Contracts

Register on SAM.gov with NAICS 561612 and obtain state security guard licenses for your operating area. Federal guard contracts require employees to pass background investigations and often obtain security clearances. The Federal Protective Service (FPS) manages most civilian federal building security through the PSO program — monitor SAM.gov for FPS solicitations. Building relationships with the prime contractors already holding FPS contracts is often the fastest path to subcontracting opportunities while you build past performance.

It depends on the facility and program. Guards at most civilian federal buildings need to pass basic background checks and Public Trust determinations. Access to secure facilities, SCIFs, or classified programs requires Secret or Top Secret clearances. Cybersecurity roles involving classified systems always require appropriate clearances. Clearance eligibility is personal — your company cannot hold a clearance, but your personnel can, and a Facility Security Clearance (FCO) is required to house classified material at your location.

FedRAMP (Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program) is the government-wide security authorization framework for cloud services sold to federal agencies. If you are selling a cloud-based cybersecurity product (SIEM, MDR, threat intel platform), FedRAMP authorization is effectively required for most federal customers. FedRAMP authorization is expensive ($500K–$2M+) and time-consuming (12–18 months), but creates a significant competitive moat. Cybersecurity consulting services typically do not require FedRAMP.

Physical security guard contracts run $8–20 per guard-hour depending on clearance level, location, and SCA wage determinations. A contract providing 20 guards at a federal facility can generate $1–3 million annually. Cybersecurity consulting rates are significantly higher — cleared cyber analysts bill $150–$350 per hour, and specialized roles (red team, ICS/OT security) command $300–$500 per hour on federal contracts. Cleared cyber consulting is one of the highest-margin segments in federal contracting.

CMMC Level 2 or 3 certification is increasingly required for DoD cyber work. Individual certifications that command premium pricing include CISSP, CISM, CEH, OSCP (for pen testing), and GIAC certifications. Being a CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) is a growing opportunity as DoD contractors seek compliance assessments. Cloud-specific certifications (AWS GovCloud, Azure Government) are valuable for cloud security roles. Accumulating multiple certifications on your team creates differentiation in proposals.