How to find research & scientific services government bids
Contract research, laboratory testing, studies and evaluations, plus the research funding notices that agencies and international bodies publish. Who buys it, how it is bought, what to watch in the solicitation, and where the open bids are now.
Facts checked
Open bids right now
BidRover is tracking 790 open bids in research & scientific services. Where they are:
- United States · 616
- Ireland · 14
- Canada · 11
- United Kingdom · 11
- Germany · 8
- Ukraine · 4
- Lithuania · 2
- New Zealand · 2
- Commercial and For-Hire Vessel Support Services to aid in research.Massachusetts, United States · Due Sep 1, 2029
- RFR 27-104 Statewide General Reference & Research DatabasesMassachusetts, United States · Due Dec 18, 2026
- RFR 27-105 Statewide Subject Specific Reference & Research DatabasesMassachusetts, United States · Due Dec 18, 2026
- DMF Center Console Research Vessel PurchaseMassachusetts, United States · Due Oct 21, 2026
- Cdse Onboarding for Complementary Datasets - Re-IssueGlobal / multiple · Due Dec 2, 2026
- Research Project on Service Navigation Support for SeniorsCanada · Due Nov 6, 2026
Who buys it
- Federal research agencies (for example DARPA, NIH, NSF, DOE)
- State environmental and health laboratories
- Public universities
- European and international research organizations
How it is bought
Research is often funded by grants or cooperative agreements rather than contracts. When an agency wants a specific deliverable it uses a contract, and for open-ended science the U.S. federal government uses Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs), which accept proposals in a general research area, often on a rolling basis.
Small firms can enter through SBIR and STTR, which reserve a share of federal research budgets for small businesses. Outside the U.S., research bodies such as the European Space Agency and ITER publish their own calls and tenders, which BidRover also reads.
What to watch in the solicitation
- 01
Grant vs. contract
A grant funds your work; a contract buys a result the agency defines. The proposal format, intellectual-property terms and reporting differ, so read which instrument the notice uses.
- 02
Rolling deadlines
BAAs and some research calls stay open for months or years and accept white papers first. A long or missing deadline is normal, not an error.
- 03
Lab accreditation
Testing work frequently requires ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation or a state certification for the specific test method.
- 04
Registrations
Federal awards need an active SAM.gov registration and Unique Entity ID before award; grant applications also go through Grants.gov.
Codes and search terms
Federal notices are classified by NAICS code, so register and search under the codes that describe your work. BidRover classifies this category into the subcategories below, which are also good search terms on any portal.
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| 541715 | Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) |
| 541714 | Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) |
| 541720 | Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities |
| 541380 | Testing Laboratories and Services |
- Laboratory services
- Clinical research
- Market research
- Policy research
- Feasibility studies
- Research & development
Other category guides
Questions
What is a Broad Agency Announcement?
A BAA is a federal notice inviting research proposals in a general area rather than for a fixed specification. Proposals are evaluated by peer or scientific review, and many BAAs accept submissions on a rolling basis.
Can a small business win federal research funding?
Yes. The SBIR and STTR programs set aside part of participating agencies' research budgets for small businesses, usually in phased awards.
Does BidRover list research grants as well as contracts?
Yes. BidRover reads Grants.gov and state grant portals alongside contract sources, and labels each notice with its category so research calls appear in this category's search.