Help Center
Find answers to common questions about using FedOverwatch. Can't find what you need? Contact support.
Getting Started
Create your account, set up your profile, and start finding contracts.
How do I create an account?
Click "Get Started" on the homepage or visit the login page. You can sign up with your email address (we'll send a magic link) or use your Google account. No credit card required for the free tier.
What information do I need to set up my profile?
To get the best AI matches, you'll need: your primary NAICS codes (the industry codes that describe your business), keywords describing your capabilities and services, and any set-aside certifications your business holds (e.g., 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB). You can update these anytime.
How do I find my NAICS codes?
NAICS codes are six-digit numbers that classify your business activity. You can look them up on the Census Bureau's NAICS search tool or the SBA website. If you're registered in SAM.gov, your NAICS codes are already listed in your entity profile. Most businesses have 2-5 relevant codes.
Do I need a SAM.gov registration to use FedOverwatch?
No. You can use FedOverwatch to search and discover opportunities without a SAM.gov registration. However, you will need an active SAM.gov registration to actually respond to solicitations and receive federal contract awards. We recommend starting your SAM.gov registration early, as it can take 2-4 weeks.
Is FedOverwatch affiliated with SAM.gov or any government agency?
No. FedOverwatch is a private platform operated by Gopher Tech LLC dba FedOverwatch. We aggregate publicly available data from SAM.gov and other government procurement databases to provide our matching and search services. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any federal government agency.
Can I use FedOverwatch for free?
Yes. Our free tier lets you search and browse federal contracting opportunities, view opportunity details, and access our blog and educational content. Paid plans add AI-powered matching, daily email digests, deadline alerts, and unlimited search.
Search & Discovery
Learn how to search, filter, and find the right opportunities.
How does AI matching work?
Our AI analyzes your company profile — NAICS codes, keywords, set-aside eligibility, and past interactions — and compares it against every active opportunity on SAM.gov. Each opportunity receives a relevance score (0-100) based on how well it matches your profile. Higher scores mean stronger matches.
How do I search for specific opportunities?
Use the search bar on the Search page to find opportunities by keyword, solicitation number, agency name, or NAICS code. You can also apply filters for set-aside type, notice type (solicitation, pre-solicitation, sources sought), posting date, response deadline, and value range.
How often is the data updated?
We sync with SAM.gov multiple times daily. New opportunities and amendments typically appear on FedOverwatch within a few hours of being posted on SAM.gov. Our sitemap and search index are updated continuously.
Can I filter by set-aside type?
Yes. You can filter opportunities by any set-aside designation including Total Small Business, 8(a), HUBZone, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned (SDVOSB), Women-Owned (WOSB/EDWOSB), and more. These filters are available on both the search page and in your AI matching preferences.
What notice types are available?
FedOverwatch includes all notice types from SAM.gov: Solicitations, Combined Synopsis/Solicitations, Pre-Solicitation Notices, Sources Sought, Special Notices, Award Notices, and more. You can filter by notice type to focus on actionable opportunities.
Why am I seeing opportunities that don't match my business?
Check your profile settings to ensure your NAICS codes, keywords, and set-aside certifications are accurate. The AI match score will be more relevant with a well-configured profile. You can also use search filters to narrow results. If you continue seeing irrelevant results, try adding more specific keywords.
Can I search by specific agency?
Yes. Type the agency name in the search bar or use the agency filter to see opportunities from specific departments and agencies. This is useful if you have past performance with a particular agency or want to target agencies that commonly buy your services.
Following & Tracking
Track opportunities, get reminders, and manage your pipeline.
What happens when I follow an opportunity?
Following an opportunity adds it to your Followed list, where you can track its status. You'll receive email notifications when: the response deadline is approaching (7 days and 1 day reminders), an amendment is posted, or the opportunity status changes (e.g., awarded, cancelled).
Is there a limit to how many opportunities I can follow?
No. You can follow as many opportunities as you need. We recommend following any opportunity you're seriously considering pursuing so you don't miss deadline changes or amendments.
How do I unfollow an opportunity?
Click the "Following" button on any opportunity detail page to unfollow it. You can also manage your followed opportunities from the Followed page, where you can unfollow multiple items.
What are AI Matches?
The Matches page shows opportunities that our AI has identified as strong matches for your profile, ranked by relevance score. These are automatically generated based on your NAICS codes, keywords, and set-aside status. Matches are refreshed daily as new opportunities are posted.
Can I export my followed opportunities?
Currently, your followed opportunities are available in your account. We're working on adding CSV/spreadsheet export functionality. In the meantime, you can use your daily digest emails as a record of your tracked opportunities.
Alerts & Notifications
Configure your email digest and notification preferences.
What is the daily digest email?
The daily digest is a morning email summarizing: new opportunities that match your profile (ranked by AI match score), updates to opportunities you're following (amendments, deadline changes), and upcoming deadlines for followed opportunities. It's the easiest way to stay on top of your pipeline without logging in.
When are daily digest emails sent?
Daily digest emails are sent each morning between 6:00 AM and 8:00 AM Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. Weekend digests are consolidated into Monday's email.
Can I customize my notification preferences?
Yes. In your account settings, you can control: whether you receive daily digest emails, deadline reminder timing (7 days, 3 days, 1 day before), amendment alerts for followed opportunities, and weekly summary emails.
How do I unsubscribe from emails?
Every email we send includes an unsubscribe link at the bottom. You can also manage all notification preferences in your account settings. Unsubscribing from marketing emails will not affect transactional emails (password resets, account confirmations).
Can I get real-time alerts?
Currently, alerts are delivered via the daily digest email and in-app notifications. We deliver deadline reminders at 7 days and 1 day before expiration. Real-time push notifications are on our product roadmap.
Account & Billing
Manage your subscription, billing, and account settings.
What plans are available?
We offer a free tier with basic search and browsing, plus paid plans that include AI-powered matching, daily digest emails, unlimited search, deadline alerts, and priority support. Visit our Pricing page for current plan details and pricing.
How do I upgrade my plan?
Go to your account settings and click "Upgrade." You'll be guided through selecting a plan and entering payment information. Your upgrade takes effect immediately, and you'll be prorated for the remainder of your current billing period.
How do I cancel my subscription?
You can cancel anytime from your account settings. When you cancel, your paid features remain active until the end of your current billing period. After that, your account reverts to the free tier. No partial refunds are issued for unused time.
Is there a refund policy?
We do not offer refunds. We provide a free trial so you can try the Service before you pay. All payments are non-refundable. You can cancel anytime from your account settings.
How do I update my payment method?
Go to your account settings and click "Billing." You can update your credit card, switch to a different payment method, or view past invoices. Payment processing is handled securely by Stripe.
How do I update my email address?
Contact support@fedoverwatch.com to request an email change. For security purposes, we verify email changes manually to prevent unauthorized account takeover.
How do I delete my account?
To delete your account and all associated data, contact us at support@fedoverwatch.com. We will process your request and remove your data within 30 days, in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Active subscriptions will be cancelled automatically.
Data & Privacy
How we handle your data, privacy rights, and security.
What data does FedOverwatch collect?
We collect: your email address and account information, company profile data (NAICS codes, keywords, certifications), usage data (searches, views, interactions), and device/browser information for analytics. We do not collect or store credit card numbers (Stripe handles payment processing). See our Privacy Policy for full details.
Do you sell my data to third parties?
No. We never sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We only share data with service providers who help us operate the platform (hosting, email delivery, payment processing, analytics), and only as needed for those services.
Where is my data stored?
Your data is stored on servers in the United States, managed by our infrastructure providers Supabase (database) and Vercel (application hosting). All data is encrypted in transit (TLS/SSL) and at rest.
Can I export my data?
Yes. You can request a complete export of your personal data by contacting privacy@fedoverwatch.com. We will provide your data in a structured, machine-readable format within 30 days.
How do I request data deletion?
Contact privacy@fedoverwatch.com to request deletion of your personal data. We will process your request within 30 days. Certain data may be retained as required by law (e.g., billing records for tax compliance).
Is FedOverwatch CCPA compliant?
Yes. California residents have the right to know what personal information we collect, request deletion, and opt out of data sales (we don't sell data). See the California Privacy Rights section of our Privacy Policy.
Troubleshooting
Common issues and how to resolve them.
I'm not receiving the magic link email
Check your spam/junk folder first. Magic link emails are sent from noreply@fedoverwatch.com. If you still don't see it, try: adding our email to your contacts, using a different email provider, or signing in with Google instead. Emails typically arrive within 60 seconds.
The search page isn't loading
Try clearing your browser cache and cookies, then reload the page. If the issue persists, check if your browser is up to date (we support the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge). You can also try using a private/incognito window.
My AI match scores seem wrong
Match scores are only as good as your profile data. Ensure your NAICS codes are complete and accurate, your keywords specifically describe your capabilities (avoid generic terms), and your set-aside certifications are current. After updating your profile, new matches will reflect the changes within 24 hours.
I can't find a specific opportunity I know exists
Try searching by the solicitation number directly. If the opportunity was recently posted (within the last few hours), it may not have synced yet. If it's an older opportunity that has been archived or cancelled, it may no longer appear in active search results.
The page looks broken on my device
FedOverwatch is optimized for modern browsers on desktop and mobile. If you're experiencing layout issues, try: updating your browser to the latest version, disabling browser extensions that may interfere (ad blockers, custom CSS injectors), or trying a different browser. Report persistent issues to support@fedoverwatch.com with a screenshot.
How do I report a bug or request a feature?
Email support@fedoverwatch.com with a description of the issue or feature request. For bugs, please include: what you were trying to do, what happened instead, your browser and device, and a screenshot if possible. We read and respond to every report.
Still need help?
Can't find the answer you're looking for? Our support team responds to every inquiry within 24 hours on business days.