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Small Business Subcontracting Plan Template
Generate a FAR 52.219-9 compliant subcontracting plan template. Enter your contract value and goals — copy and fill in the rest.
Configure your subcontracting plan
Subcontracting plans are required for contracts exceeding $750,000 ($1.5M for construction).
Subcontracting goals by category
Enter goal percentages for the categories you plan to include. Leave blank to omit a category.
Subcontracting plan requirements — key facts
- FAR 52.219-9 requires subcontracting plans for contracts exceeding $750,000 ($1.5M for construction) awarded to other-than-small businesses.
- Semi-annual ISR reports are due April 30 and October 30 each year through eSRS at www.esrs.gov.
- Liquidated damages for good faith effort failures can be assessed under FAR 52.219-16, typically set at the dollar amount by which the contractor failed to meet its goals.
- Commercial subcontracting plans are an alternative for contractors with multiple government contracts — they cover all contracts rather than requiring individual plans per award.
- The government spent over $163 billion with small business prime contractors in FY2023, representing 27.2% of eligible contract dollars — exceeding the 23% statutory goal.
Find subcontracting opportunities to fill your plan
BidStride tracks 112,000+ opportunities and helps you identify contracts where your company can subcontract to prime contractors or win primes to grow your subcontracting spend.
Frequently asked questions about subcontracting plans
Under FAR 52.219-9, a subcontracting plan is required for contracts and subcontracts that exceed $750,000 ($1.5 million for construction) when the prime contractor is not a small business. The plan must be submitted with the proposal and approved before contract award.
There are no fixed government-wide minimums — each agency sets negotiated goals based on the nature of the work and market research. Typical DoD goals run 20-23% for Small Business overall, with sub-goals of 5-7% for SDB, 5% for WOSB, 3% for HUBZone, and 3% for SDVOSB. Always check the solicitation for the specific goals required.
The ISR is a semi-annual report submitted through eSRS (Electronic Subcontracting Reporting System) that reports actual subcontracting dollars paid to each small business category. It is due 30 days after each semi-annual period ends (April 30 and October 30).
Failure to make good faith efforts to comply with a subcontracting plan can result in liquidated damages under FAR 52.219-16. Agencies also consider subcontracting performance in CPARS past performance evaluations. Documenting your outreach efforts is critical to demonstrating good faith.
It depends. Some contracts include a commercial subcontracting plan that covers all task orders under the base contract. Others require individual task order subcontracting plans. The contract terms will specify which applies.
The SBLO is the individual designated to administer the subcontracting plan, monitor progress toward goals, conduct outreach, and file eSRS reports. Large businesses with significant government contracts are often required to have a dedicated SBLO. The role carries direct accountability for subcontracting compliance.