Eligibility and Compliance Gate Checklist: eight gates to clear before you bid a set-aside
by PaperChaseWebb
Under SBA rules, submitting an offer counts as certifying your status, so an offer you were not eligible to make is worse than a wasted bid. This checklist walks the eight gates in order, from an active SAM record and size under the assigned NAICS to set-aside status, exclusions, the limitations on subcontracting, teaming, responsibility and procurement integrity, with checkboxes and the exact rule behind each one.
- Price
- $29
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Setup
- 15 min
- Format
- .md file
eligibility-and-compliance-gate-checklist-eight-gates-to-clear-before-you-bid.md · 14 KB · instant download after checkout
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What you end up with
Before any proposal work starts, you know whether you may bid, which box is still open, and you have a written stop record when the answer is no.
What you get
- Eight gates, G1 to G8, with checkboxes and the FAR, 13 CFR or SAM.gov source under each
- Hard gates marked: SAM, size, set-aside, exclusion and the limitations on subcontracting when the clause applies
- A limitations on subcontracting calculator with the 50, 85 and 75% limits (FAR 52.219-14, 13 CFR 125.6)
- A joint venture quick check with the 40% work-share rule (13 CFR 125.8(c), 128.402(d)) and ostensible subcontractor red flags (128.401)
- An annual status calendar for the renewals and recertifications that quietly expire, and the changes you must report
- A compliance stop record that writes down which gate stopped the bid and the rule behind it
- What is at stake when status is misrepresented, with sources
- SOURCES.md with FAR, 13 CFR 121, 125 and 128 and SAM.gov links, plus agent rules for Grok Bot, Claude Code, Codex and Hermes with an owner sign-off step
Who it is for
Small federal contractors who want every eligibility rule checked, with its source, before a set-aside proposal gets a single hour.
Works with
Solid chips: the agent is named in this listing's own tools list. Dashed chip: Plain Markdown, so it also pastes into other agents such as Grok Bot, Hermes, OpenClaw or Muse. We list those as compatible by format only, not as tested.
Tools needed
Cost to run: The kit is the only purchase. SAM.gov registration is free; the kit never logs in anywhere.
Time to result: About 30 minutes for a first full run; faster on each new solicitation once your company status is checked for the year
How it works
Check company status once a year
Run G1 to G4 and the annual status calendar for your firm.
Expected: SAM, size certification and VetCert dates on one calendar.
Check every new solicitation
Walk G1 to G8 against the set-aside and the NAICS code assigned in that solicitation.
Expected: Every box checked, or a list of open boxes.
Check the team
If you team or subcontract, fill in the calculator and the joint venture and ostensible subcontractor checks in 02.
Expected: Your share of the work against the limit for that contract type.
Go or stop, in writing
Any unchecked box in a hard gate stops the bid until it is resolved. Fill in the stop record and sign it.
Expected: A signed go or stop on file for each solicitation.
Sample prompts, free to use
Follow the GovCon rules. Walk 01-gate-checklist.md for [solicitation] with [company facts]. For each box say checked, open or unknown, quote the fact behind it, and list every open box in a hard gate. Do not certify anything.
Uses the rules block in the appendix.
Free preview of the file
# Eligibility and Compliance Gate Checklist **Find out if you're allowed to bid before you spend a dime on the proposal** *By PaperChaseWebb Inc. · Version 1.0 · 2026-11-01* --- ## Contents 1. README.md 2. 01-gate-checklist.md 3. 02-teaming-and-subcontracting-check.md 4. 03-annual-status-calendar.md 5. 04-compliance-stop-record.md 6. SOURCES.md 7. Appendix: run it with your agent --- <!-- file: README.md --> # Eligibility and Compliance Gate Checklist **Find out if you're allowed to bid before you spend a dime on the proposal** *By PaperChaseWebb Inc.* In federal contracting, an offer you weren't eligible to submit is more than a wasted bid. Under SBA rules, submitting an offer counts as certifying your status, and misrepresentation carries serious penalties. This checklist walks you through every eligibility gate in order, with each one tied to the rule it comes from. ## What's inside 1. **01-gate-checklist.md**: 8 gates (G1 to G8) with checkboxes and the source for each. The GovCon Opportunity Triage Kit uses the same G1 to G8 IDs for its quick gate check 2. **02-teaming-and-subcontracting-check.md**: a limitations-on-subcontracting calculator, plus the joint venture and ostensible-subcontractor checks 3. **03-annual-status-calendar.md**: the renewals and recertifications that quietly expire 4. **04-compliance-stop-record.md**: a template for recording why you stopped 5. **SOURCES.md**: FAR, SBA 13 CFR 121/125/128, and SAM.gov citations, verified live ## Who it's for
Test record
- Date
- Nov 1, 2026
- What was run
- Packaged from the .dev-PASSed files by tools/pack_govcon_kits_2026-11-01.py; every source link fetched; banned-copy scan on the pack and page text. .dev rechecked the citations live on eCFR and FAR.
- Result
- 15 of 15 source links returned 200 on 2026-11-01; .dev PASS 2026-11-01; gate IDs G1 to G8 match the Triage Kit; 0 em dashes and no banned words.
- Not run
- A live agent session with the rules block. Legal review. Any real solicitation.
Copied from this item's dated test notes. What was not run stays in.
Worth knowing
- Not legal advice. Rules and thresholds change; check the live FAR, eCFR and the solicitation itself, and ask the contracting officer or your APEX Accelerator when unsure.
- The checklist does not quote the 13 CFR 121.201 size table; you look up the size standard for the NAICS code assigned in your solicitation.
- Only you can certify your size or status, in SAM.gov and in your offer. The agent rules forbid an agent from doing it.
- The agent rules were written for Grok Bot, Claude Code, Codex and Hermes but not loaded inside a live session of each for this release.
- .dev pre-launch check PASS on 2026-11-01: citations spot-checked live on eCFR (titles current to 2026-10-29) and acquisition.gov FAR; verified on eCFR: 125.6 limits, 125.8(c) and 128.402(d)(2) 40% rules, 128.306 three-year recertification, 128.401(g), 128.201 and 121.110. On 2026-11-01 all 15 of its source links returned HTTP 200.
Questions
How is this different from the Triage Kit?
The Triage Kit decides whether an opportunity is worth pursuing. This checklist decides whether you are allowed to bid it at all, gate by gate, in full. Both use the same gate IDs, G1 to G8.
Is it only for veteran-owned firms?
No. G3 has SDVOSB and VOSB detail, but the SAM, size, exclusion, subcontracting, teaming, responsibility and integrity gates apply to any small business bidding a set-aside.
Can my agent check the boxes?
It can draft them under the rules block, quoting the fact behind each box and marking the rest unknown. Only your signature closes a gate.
Can you check eligibility for us?
Yes. PaperChaseWebb Inc. runs the gate check with your team before each set-aside bid. Book a call or write to [email protected].
Details
Version 1.0 · Updated Nov 1, 2026 · Markdown version of this page
License: Use inside your own company, including when you advise clients. Do not resell or republish the kit itself. Download terms
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